Daddy's Home!!!

It was a very cold, wet and foggy day yesterday but nothing was going to dampen our spirits.  Daddy's ship was coming in and that was all we needed to know.  Originally we were told that the ship would dock just after noon.  Because the fog was thicker than pea soup the show time  kept getting pushed further and further back.

The command had a nice tent set up at the end of the pier where snacks, hot chocolate, and coffee was being served.  We hung out in the tent most of the afternoon listening to the DJ.  You could tell everyone was bored and antsy because adults and children alike were keeping themselves busy by dancing the hokey pokey, the chicken dance, the electric slide, and the cupid shuffle.  When the DJ played Soulja Boy my girls put on a little show for the crowd with their dance moves.  It cracked a lot of folks up that the "Chap's Kids" were crankin' to Soulja Boy.

Our shirts said " My Hero My Dad Welcome Home" on the front with "Chap's Kids" and "Chap's Wife" on the back.

Around 5 PM we finally heard the ship's whistle (horn) and spotted it coming around the pier.  About that time it also really started to rain.   Being the chaplains family, we were able to score a parking place right on the pier.  We climbed up on top of the truck to cheer and yell.  

The tugs pushed the San Antonio into place. When the first line was thrown across to the pier and fastened down an enormous cheer erupted from the crowd of family waiting to welcome their sailors home.  

The dads aboard that had babies born while underway and the couples that won the first kiss raffle were able to disembark first.  After that their was a mass rush down the pier to find your sailor.  All around us in the rain were people hugging and kissing and shouting for joy.  Deployment is over!

We found Lee and joined in the celebration. 

Here we are, cold, wet and very happy.