So Happy Together...

Joe finally got to come home to visit from Iraq! After almost a year, we were dying to be together again. As standard for the Army, Joe did not arrive as planned on the 4th or 5th. I was really hoping he would get here in time to catch some fireworks, but no, he didn't get in until about 11:30 pm on the 7th. I guess I can't really blame the Army, since it was sandstorms that prevented them from flying out, but it is just classic to have our plans changed at the last minute. The important thing is that he DID arrive, and we had a wonderful time.

Madeline took to him right away, which was great for everyone involved. She went right to him at the airport, and by the next morning he wasn't allowed to leave the room without her following behind calling his name. Joe is such a great dad, and I always knew he would be because he loves kids so much. It really warmed my heart watching them play together.

I had planned for us to go camping at Old Forge and visit Water Safari, the largest water park in New York, which is about an hour and a half from us. Before you say it, I know Joe has been in the dirt for the past year already, but he wanted to go! With his delay, the trip was scheduled just a day after he got home. It was a little short for us since we had planned to be able to spend some time relaxing before doing much of anything, but I had already paid for it all so off we went. The camping trip was fun, but the weather was not cooperative. It was pretty cold, and the first morning I had to drive into town to buy us some hot chocolate to warm us up! Needless to say, the water park was not ideal considering the chilly temperatures. I didn't even venture in the water, but Joe and Madeline dove right in until her lips were blue and we decided to call it good. She did get to go down a little water slide a couple of times (until a bigger girl didn't wait for her to move at the bottom and crashed right into her - she was done after that) and they had some swings in the water that she played on. This place reminds me a lot of Wild Waves for those of you in WA who have been there. They not only have a water park, but they also have lots of rides for kids and a whole bunch of little exhibits from fairy tales that we wandered around and looked at. Oh yeah, and a petting zoo. Joe and Madeline went on the helicopters and I took her on the little cars even though I could barely jam my knees into the thing. But she had fun and that is what counts.