Ryan's First Underway

Well, the time has finally come for Ryan to leave :( It was very tough to say goodbye, but I know that each day he's gone is one day closer to him coming back. I can't wait for that day!! Here are some pictures of the sub. I hope you enjoy them! It's a pretty amazing sight. It's hard to wrap my mind around the fact that my husband is actually in there and that that massive hunk of metal is getting ready to go under the water for 3 months. It's unreal to me! I'm sure people get tired of hearing me brag about Ryan but I will never stop! I'm so proud to have an intelligent, strong, and loving husband. He amazes me every day and I am so thankful for his service to our country. I LOVE YOU BABY AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOUR RETURN!! :)

The first six pictures were taken by me from Fort Clinch. This is the boat coming into view from where we were standing on the beach.

It was a dreary day...which fit the mood. The sub is hard to see in this picture but you can see the cross in between the two largest escort boats.

This was right before the sub passed right in front of us.

My husband is in there!!!! It's a pretty surreal feeling to me.

Definitely a forced smile!! It's not the greatest feeling watching a sub take your husband away! It was actually really cold the day they left, especially with the wind on the beach.

Rachel's husband, Max, was up in front driving the sub but you can't see him in the picture.

These are some pictures I saved from the Submarine Group 10 facebook page. These pictures were taken by one of the Navy's Mass Communication Specialists so they had special access to the area where the boats are kept. I've never seen this part of base before. The picture above is of the COB (Chief of Boat). He's a really great guy! The "Cowboy Up" phrase on his vest is the motto of the USS Wyoming.

Sailors man the rails as the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine departs the base.

  The chocks on the submarine need to be flipped upside down to maintain the boat's aerodynamics while submerged.

Leaving for routine missions

The beach straight ahead in this picture is where me and the other wives were standing watching the boat pass. Pretty crazy!!

Manning the station

I hope you all enjoyed and appreciated the pictures! Please say a prayer for a safe and speedy return for the USS Wyoming Blue crew!

Movie Dog

I watched Water for Elephants the other night and so did Mack.  As soon as he saw the elephant he barked, then jumped up on the couch and watched for a good 5 minutes! Here is a little footage of it :)

The Wood Spider

So, I checked my email today to find this random forward from Bill...HAHA!!

Major Change

When we moved to Florida back in June, January seemed so far away.  I remember thinking, Ryan and I will have so much time together before his first deployment since he isn't leaving until January!  We have had a lot of time, and for that I am very grateful, but then again the time we have had would never be enough. I will never be "ready" for deployment.  The time has definitely crept up on me and now that it's finally hit me, the thought of him leaving feels like someone knocking the breath out of me. Ryan and I spent a long time in a long distance relationship but we were always able to talk to each other each night. I think that will be one of the hardest things to get used to. It'll be an interesting time for us and I pray that it goes smoothly.

I am very thankful that I am able to go home to my family and friends during this time. I know you all will help me through.  As much as I am dreading the near future, I am also looking forward to seeing everyone at home. 

As for now, I will continue to smile and stay strong because I've learned that that's just what you have to do as a Navy wife.

My Snuggle Bunny

Someone is Very Spoiled

Mack's daddy is such a sucker!!