Our Christmas Gift

That moment...



...freezes time.

Brian returned to the States in the early morning hours on Monday, December 20th. He left for Afghanistan May 21st, so it had been almost 7 months to the day. They returned a couple days late due to weather and other issues, but in the meantime, they enjoyed food and drink in Sicily. Now he is home before Christmas...and what a gift he is. We are so incredibly happy, and that is an understatement. :)

As soon as he heard Dad's voice, he was running


Maddy and Chris, me and Brian, Matt and Tricia


Mommy, where is he?! Any minute now, Cade...


Just a little more lip gloss


As our homecoming day approached, it all seemed surreal. When you spend that much time apart, what you view as normal life unfortunately becomes jaded. I literally got nervous about seeing my husband of 6 years! The "newness" is part of the fun though, part of the reward. I wish I could describe the feeling of seeing him for the first time. It absolutely made my heart soar. I stared at him for a good 24 hours straight, literally in complete awe. It's like I fell in love all over again. It is amazing. :)

Sticker countdown, mission complete!


The sign out front made me giddy...and so did my newly raked yard. I ROCK.


Brian's family welcomed him home, even from afar


We went to a celebratory lunch with Tricia the day before...soooo pumped!


Coloring pics for Daddy's signs


Manly signs for our Marines, complete with ribbon, bows, and bells

Caden understood and was absolutely ecstatic. One morning the week preceding his return, he threw his arms around me and squeeze me tight. "Mommy, thank you for bringing my Daddy home." It made me melt.

When we read stories at night, I'd remind him of how many more times he'd have to go to preschool before Daddy came home. Then he caught onto the game. He has developed a strange sense of humor and started teasing me that Daddy wasn't really coming home that soon. "Mommy, Daddy comes home in...THREE WEEKS." I'd say, NOOOOOOOO he certainly does not; he comes home in THREE DAYS. But he'd keep saying it. He kept increasing the time as well, which I was NOT keen on. I threatened to rename him Lohan and mail him to Switzerland if he kept it up. That just riled him up more. :)

Cole did not grasp the reality of homecoming, but he certainly knows his Dad. He showed some shyness at first, but I would attribute that to the cold weather. It was sub-30 when we picked up Brian at 4am and Cole was not particularly interested in a reunion. He just wanted to be back in the warm vehicle, cuddling with his blankets and watching Milo and Otis. Once back home, they got reacquainted. He wanted Brian to snuggle with him and they played games, tickled, and wrestled. Brian loves his little man, and that love is undoubtedly returned.

What a snuggle bug


Playing games at supper


Caden is adjusting well, but we are going to have to be careful. Brian and I teased each other at one point that first day and Caden burst into tears. I guess he thought we were mad at each other? We had to explain that Mommy and Daddy love each other and we were only kidding. Whoops.

Although it's only been 2 days, Brian had to return to work today for some briefings before he takes leave. Last night, Caden threw a huge fit resisting bed time and we weren't sure why. We finally got it out of him that he thought Brian was going back to Afghanistan. Simply heartbreaking. But who can blame him...that's what "work" was for the past 7 months. After some gentle persuasion and more reassurance this morning, he's doing just fine.

There's still so much to talk about and catch up on, but mostly we're just enjoying being together. The kids want every second of Brian's attention. Instead of bullets whizzing by his head, he's dodging pieces of waffle and matchbox cars. He's not sure which is more challenging. They have already gotten into plenty of wrestling matches and games of tag.

Airplane rides


Story time


One thing I have already asked Brian about is what he thought of the deployment overall. His response was rather mediocre. They certainly completed A LOT of missions and apprehended targets, but it wasn't what he envisioned. The politics and limitations were frustrating. But, he was very proud of his team and has been getting amazing feedback regarding their performance. He has all kinds of stories that I'm sure you will all be interested to hear. I'm curious myself, but then after I hear stories and see pictures, I realize maybe I don't really need to know all this. You know, so I can continue to sleep at night. (And man, I'm sleeping so awesome now!)

The bottom line is he IS home, and we are so thankful. He's extremely relieved to be back home too. Life feels real again, rich and wonderful. We're spending Christmas here, and just enjoying some peace and quiet. I baked a million cookies (and have ate at least half already) and we have Christmas music and movies playing 24/7. Brian is doing some shopping with Caden tomorrow (gee, wonder why) and we're going on a shopping date tomorrow night.

A toast to our first night back together


Soooo good to be kissed


After Christmas, we will fly to Iowa to celebrate New Year's and stay through January 16th. We hope we get to see you!!! I know that Brian's family is planning an open house on Saturday, January 8th. Pam will send out details soon.

Homecoming prep consumed most of my time as of late, but we kept up with our normal busy schedule of preschool, Stroller Warriors and other activities.

I ran my last race of the year, the Merry Fitness 5K, and finished 2nd overall female with a time of 22:36 (7:16 pace). We ran in freezing rain and it took me hours to warm up. I caught myself wondering why it was necessary to get in this one last race in DECEMBER?! It's too flippin' cold. None-the-less, I had not run a 5K without a stroller in a while, so I enjoyed the freedom and the competition. A 10-year-old boy beat me. That sorta made me feel old.

The drowned Santa gathers her award


Stroller Warriors


Jenn's BRILLIANT idea...wine and pie


Jenn's STUPID idea...40-degree 40-mile bike ride


After my last race, I didn't have anything planned to keep me busy until Brian came home. (Yeah, as if December holiday prep isn't enough "busy" in itself. Sheesh.) Cole and I leisurely shopped one day during preschool and stumbled across "the" shower curtain. Brian despised ours from the day I bought it, and everything about our master bath makes me cringe. The previous owners did a sloppy job painting and the entire room needed redone, ceilings and all.

So, I walked out of BB&B with a new shower curtain in hand and "the vision." Down to Target, back to BB&B, then to Lowes. Towels, rugs, accessories, hardware, 3 colors of paint...WHOA. What just happened?! This was a new kind of race...the race to finish the disasterous project before Brian returned! Two weeks isn't much time to makeover a room with 2 kids underfoot. But I worked every opportunity I had and the boys were rock stars. I was really excited to reveal the surprise to Brian. So, here's another episode of Geraghty HGTV...

Before and after


Vast improvement!


I think it turned out really well, especially the repainted vanity. The standard yellow oak contractor wood is not my fav.

Caden had his first Christmas concert this month but did not actually participate because he was a bit scared. As far as he was concerned, the cookie social afterwards was the only part that counted anyway.

Supervising


Maybe I can I Photoshop him into the back row

Supervisors get extra cookies


We visited Santa at the MARSOC Christmas party on Saturday, Dec 11th. Santa rode in on a fire truck...WOW. Caden was absolutely enthralled and followed Santa around like a puppy upon arrival. Caden asked for an airport and an airplane and whispered some other things I could not hear. Cole, on the other hand, thought Santa was some sort of criminal and did not ask for anything except a quick exit. We sat 20 seconds, shed 20 tears, and got 2 pictures. We'll take it.



Hi Santa!


Santa is pretty cool! From afar...


Caden: "Can I have an airplane? And an airport?"


Cole: "Can I have a body guard remove this bearded freak from the premisis?"


I like how our clothes all match


Thank God that torture with the bearded dude is over.


Caden, the ladies man, hangs with his preschool classmate Coco


He knows he's in trouble


Ooooo, what did Elf bring you? Letters from Santa?!


Everyone, thanks again for all the support you've shown us this year. Deployments are a test of strength in so many ways. I think we did all right, but it would not have went as well without you.

And now I guess I'll answer the burning question EVERYONE asks..."So, is he home for good? Does he have to go again?" Yes, he will. He's in the military after all, and we're in this thing called a war. :) Hopefully just 1 more or so, either at the end of 2011, or spring of 2012. But please, let's not focus on that. Let's enjoy the here and now. We can worry about the next one later.

What you CAN focus on is praying for all our deployed military and their families that are apart over the holidays. We needed your prayers this year and now you can send the prayers to someone else. If you ever want to send a box to someone, we always know someone over there...just let me know.

Thank you for all your cards and holiday wishes. The photos adorn our pantry doors and we love looking at your smiling faces. Have a very Merry Christmas. We will certainly be counting our MANY blessings.

The Anderson's are counting their blessings...including their new baby girl! Welcome Esther Hawly (Dec 4) and congrats Daryl and Bobbi!


Our little blessings!


Caden is gritting his teeth and asking for his promised sucker.


Caden's best bud and neighbor, Jackson


Go fish!


Little monkeys

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving friends and family! Eat turkey! Eat pie! Say your prayers! And be THANKFUL.

Obviously, 2010 has not been a walk in the park for us. We've been without Brian the majority of the year, missing him, worrying, and just praying that the Lord accompanies him on each mission, helps them succeed, keeps them safe, and brings them home. 2010 has also been a year of loss. Grandma Klindt passed away in January, Grandma Geraghty in July, and Jeremiah in October. As a result, 2010 will be a year to remember. Many painful memories...but also proof that God can help us get through all obstacles.

I actually even feel like I'm learned a few things along the way. I wrote the following list a few months ago and shared it with my fellow military wives. Thought you might get a kick out of it too.

Top 10 Signs You're in Deployment Survival Mode:

#10 You rush to get the kids in bed so you can get some R&R. (Ha ha ha. NOT. More like so you do the laundry, wash the dishes, clean the house, mow the lawn, and solve world peace.)

#9 You cook every 3rd night and hope the kids don't notice that you're eating leftovers...repeatedly.

#8 You turn the computer speakers up so loud that your neighbors can hear the Skype ring.

#7 You work out twice as hard...mostly for sanity...and also to look smokin' hot when your husband returns!

#6 You plan to finish the 10 projects that you've been dying to do...instead you actually accumulate 15 more.

#5 You hire a babysitter so you can go on a 40-mile bike ride and run errands by yourself...and you think it's the best thing since sliced bread.

#4 You forget what it looks like to have a clean house...and you actually don't care.

#3 You bathe the kids every other night, depending on the caliber of the day's dirtyness.

#2 You look forward to a fat bowl of ice cream at about 9:30pm. (Oh wait, I do that even when Brian IS home. Never mind.)

#1 You miss your husband like crazy and just want to remember what it feels like to be kissed. :)

I think I've survived pretty well, and joking aside, I've learned some more "serious" things too. I've learned to appreciate even the rough days. I've learned that I cannot be Mom and Dad at the same time, but I can love my kids and do my best as just "Mom" under the circumstances. I've learned that family WILL be there for me through thick and thin. And I've learned that my husband and my kids truly are an amazing GIFT. (I already knew that...but now more than ever.) I mean, just look at these pics of them playing in the leaves. I LOVE MY BOYS. They are so fun!

He has a glint in his eye


So does this one


Brotherly love


He's coming for ME


Leaves are his new favorite toy


It's a stand off...who's got the next move?!


Now, let's talk MARATHON!!! This was a defining moment for me this year, and one of my proudest lifetime achievements. (Closely followed with, "Keeping the kids alive while Brian is gone." I'm pretty pumped about that one too.)

First off, training for a marathon is hard. But actually running a marathon is REALLY flippin' hard. Until you're actually out there...feeling pain with every step, pondering how big your blood blister really is, wondering why the next mile marker is still soooo much further, and reflecting on why in the world you EVER thought this was a good idea...well, you just don't grasp the full reality of just how hard it is until that day.

No matter the difficulty, I had a goal to make it under 4 hours. I stuck to my training and put in 4 long months of miles upon miles. My friends, family, and babysitters made my long runs possible, and my sweet boys cooperated for the short stuff. That goal was always in mind. At times I wavered and wondered if it was too high. I tried to convince myself that I'd be happy with just finishing. That was usually on days when I'd barely survive a 14-miler and conclude that 26.2 was pretty much impossible.

But let's be honest...this is ME we're talking about. Stephanie GOETTSCH. I'm competitive. I'm motivated. I set goals. I push myself. I meet goals. So come race day, that was the magic number...FOUR.

However, my prep might have expressed an alternate facade. First of all, I dressed as a bunny. Um, would most motivated goal-oriented runners dress in costume? Well, in my case, YES. It's Halloween after all. Come on, I HAD to wear something, and I'd say my costume was quite fitting for the occasion.

I make a cute bunny, if I do say so myself.


Hippity Hop


Now that's a grand image


Who doesn't love a good fuzzy tail


Secondly, I forgot to stretch. You're probably thinking, DUH. Yeah, I agree.

I also forgot to stop hydrating after I went to the bathroom for the last time. Oh lookie here, my leftover water...better chug it. Dumb dumb dumb.

I decided it was a good idea to only loosely tie my laces also. No need to have numb toes...I'll just prevent that right from the get-go. Me=idiot.

So what were the results of these unusual methods of prep?

Being the bunny...probably my best idea since marrying Brian. I had approximately 3,000 people cheer for me. "Go Energizer Bunny! Go Bunny! Go Energizer! Keep going, bunny! Mommy, look at the bunny! Take a picture!" And I smile and waved, like I was a celebrity, loving every minute. The ears occasionally slapped my head, but other than that, I didn't even notice the costume.

Lack of stretching and warm-up...terrible idea. I honestly didn't intend this...just got distracted and ran out of time. My hamstrings felt it early and my quads locked in the end, so I had to shuffle through miles 20-22. I tried to stretch many times and realized that every time I stopped, it got worse. Just had to push through it.

Chugging my water bottle last minute...embarrassing idea. At mile 4 I had to run off into the "woods" (okay, more like shrubs) and relieve myself. I overheard more than one runner comment, "Ahhh look, the bunny had to pee."

Loosely tieing my shoes...painful idea. I had a blister by mile 6 and had to stop and re-tie by mile 10. The damage was done though...my left toes were toast. Thus far, I've lost my big toenail and 3 are black. Way to go me. I can't wait until next summer when I wear flip flops and scare children at the beach.

Despite my questionable prep, FOUR, NEVER MORE! I made it. 3:59:36. It was a tight margin and when everyone else walked across the endless, solitary windy bridge at mile 20, it took every ounce of mental strength to keep going. But I was in the Energizer Bunny costume. Did I have a choice?! My legs didn't want to cooperate but my mind knew better. I can and WILL do this.



I DID IT


As I crossed the line, I felt such relief for meeting my goal, but also for winning a diffiucult mental battle, symbolic of enduring this deployment! The Marines helped me walk but as I approached the medal stands, I stood up straight. A young Marine presented me with my medal, placed it around my neck, and congratulated me. Tears welled up in my eyes and I thanked him. The culmination of all my training and hard work, paired with the deployment, ended right there. It only could have been better if my kids and my husband had been able to share it with me.

Check this out, Brian! I did this for me, and FOR YOU!


Having fun with my former Stroller Warriors assistant


Jenna and I both hit Sub-4! She's super cool, and she's feeding me for Thanksgiving. She gets 5 gold stars, easily.


Many people ask if I will run another one. I suppose I have "caught the bug." But for now, I'm still enjoying this one, and am looking forward to other challenges next year.

Lisa, thanks so much for letting me stay. You spoiled me!


Angie, a big thanks to you as well for letting us all stay! Our four boys could be brothers


Leaf mania


Angie bribed them


Dance party at the Altizer pad


Squeezed in lunch with an old friend from Denver. So good to see you Lauren!



To avoid getting too demotivated post marathon, I ran a Turkey Trot 8K last Saturday. Caden insisted he wanted to come but forgot his promise that he would not be grumpy. Both boys threw toys, sippy cups, and minor tantrums. Meanwhile, I tried to appease them, and felt like I was running through cement. None-the-less, I surprised myself and finished 5 miles in 40 minutes. I was thrilled. Bonus, I won my age group and they gave out chocolate bars. Strange award. But kind of delicious.



Team Geraghty...STROLLER WARRIORS!


Mom's support staff


After the marathon weekend ended, I scooted back to Iowa. I had been without the kids for a full week and was excited to be reunited. They did great with Grandma and Papa.

You missed me though, right Cole?


Caden doesn't ham it up often...but anything for Grandma!


Thanks again Mom and Dad for watching the kids while I was at the race. You're amazing!


This trip to Iowa was typical, filled with lots of visits with friends and family. And somehow, we still did not see everyone we wanted.

Cole and Paige, Cade and Ayla...does anyone else see double marriage in the future?


I haven't had a pic with my buddy Brian in AGES. We look good. Real good. Hey everyone...come and see how good we look.

Cade's cousins drove all the way from C.R. for an afternoon playdate


We don't do typical playdates on the farm. Nope...we operate heavy machinery.


Marcus is even sporting a "John Deere" hat.


Cousins


Snuggle bugs


Why always a second wind at bed time?!


I know why...because Uncle Jeff is riling them up


Me and Colebug


They took advantage of plenty of tractor rides too, although it was never enough in Cole's opinion. He was also especially aware of when brother was getting a ride, and he wasn't. He made sure that we knew he was entitled to ride time as well.

Switching roles


Caden was in heaven and Cole was "patiently" awaiting his turn.


I love this photo...he's looking at Papa with such adoration.


Ok Cole, you finally get your turn.


He'd prefer a turn all to himself entirely.


Uncle Jeff has some pretty cool toys too.


And when no one is around to give them a ride, they find their own means of transportation.


Mom and Dad took them trick-or-treating to various family members'. Caden thought it was fantastic. He'd hop out of the vehicle, collect his treasure, and then ask, "Where to next?!" He probably would have kept going until midnight. I wish I could have been there for this.

Baby face pumpkin


Cade wanted an angry face pumpkin


Ready to go!


Trick or Treat GG Klindt!


I remember trick or treating here every year


Trick or Treat Great G&G Goettsch! (Grandpa is healing well at home following his ankle surgery.)


Scoping out his loot


He really does make a good puppy


Caden checks out his Halloween gift from Grandma Pam. Go Hawks!


Carving pumpkins


They were all over this task


Another super fun thing about Iowa...we got to help my Mom celebrate her 50th birthday, chocolate cake and all. You will be thrilled to hear that I maintained my non-talent for cake baking. As usual, it looked attrocious due to frosting meltage. As long as it tastes okay, right?!

Mom, you are one gorgeous 50-year-old, SERIOUSLY!


Family meal at Mickel's


Trick candles never get old


Wishing her a wonderful birthday via Webcam


One super NOT fun thing about Iowa...I was burglarized while visiting Jen in Omaha. The thieves performed a "smash and grab" on a bunch of vehicles in the back of a parking lot at The Loose Moose Bar and Grill. Unfortunately, my Dad's truck was one of them. The window was destroyed, and they snatched shopping bags and my overnight duffel, full of clothes, shoes, cosmetics, and jewelry. There was nothing expensive, but it was MY stuff and I liked it. Sigh. Well, if 2010 has taught me anything, one thing is that "stuff" doesn't mean much in the grand scheme. However, I will admit, I cried over the loss of Cole's Christmas stocking, a treasured item I had been sewing for many months. I am already working on a replacement, but I still shudder when I picture it in a dumpster. So many hours...so many sequins.

We still had fun that night, living it up in Jason and Angie's prize limo


My Jen


It was a whirlwind 3 weeks so we were glad to get settled back into normal routines in NC. The travel back went smoothly. Cole makes lots of friends on the airplane. Well, friends, or enemies, depending on how you view it! Little man is talking a lot more lately. He says "wide" when he wants to go outside or ride something. He says this word about 900 times a day. He adores being outside. He often gets his shoes and then pounds on the door forcefully until I either give in or distract him with something else. He also says "up" quite often also, probably because he still doesn't walk and this word helps him get Mommy assistance. He's 16 months old and he has a crawling addiction. He has started paying attention to some shows, including Wonder Pets, Mighty Machines, and Thomas the Train. He absolutely loves music, so I'm wondering if he's got a love for music like Brian. Time will tell.

Cole, you've got some frosting on your face.

He almost looks angelic here, but I bet he's plotting something.

Papa is always good for a hug.


One of his favorite toys...his toothbrush. There could be worse things.

So tired he fell asleep on the couch, sitting up?!


Caden is doing phenomenal in preschool. I walked into his classroom with him 2 weeks ago and was so surprised at how well he followed process. He rarely shares details about his days, but he did tell me that he is friends with a little boy named Parker. Our only small obstacle is that he still has some abandonment issues and always quizzes me on whether or not I'll come and get him. Mrs. Gump says he asks about me too, usually about an hour before pick-up. Perhaps this will ease once Brian is home.

Fishing in the garage, because, why not.


On second thought, bagels are not my gig.

This kid loves birthday parties, and he loves to blow out other kids' candles.



The clock is ticking...you know what that means! Cade knows it too. I've told him for a long time that Daddy would be home before Santa Claus arrives. He just about jumped out of his skin today when I told him we were putting up the Christmas tree tomorrow. Daddy?! SANTA?! PRESENTS!!!! Now which of those three items is he MOST excited about, I wonder. :)

We can't skip all-important Thanksgiving though, and the meaning behind it. So thanks again to all of you for making this difficult year a little less difficult.

And Happy Thanksgiving to our Marine from afar. We are so thankful for you and what you do. All our love and SEE YOU SOON. XXXOOO Stephanie, Caden, and Cole