Daddy is Home!! (For a little while anyway...)

Hello, folks. I just got home from my summer underway. I don't call it a cruise because I don't want people to confuse what it really is. I've now been to Indonesia and Australia. I'll tell more about that later. This blog deals with the best part: coming home. I did not arrive back to port with the boat; I was part of the crew that flew one of the helicopters back. Due to some maintenance considerations, we had to fly off the boat, pick up a part, fly back, and finally fly home for the last time. We were supposed to be about 100 miles away from home when this all started, so Jill was told that I would be home between 10 and noon. To make a long story short, when we lifted off the deck for the first time, home was only 45 miles away, so we ended up finishing around 8:45 am, and Jill wasn't even at the hangar yet. No one really expected us yet, but it was okay as we had some work to do. I told Jill not to worry about it and I would call her when I was done. Sean offered me a ride home, so I took it and surprised Jill and Lilia by walking through the door. I hadn't even changed, and I got to see my daughter for the first time in nearly three months.
In the photo shown above, we are having some good re-acquaintance time by taking a good look at each other.
Above, I'm a very happy daddy.
Above, I thought I'd try to see the world from her perspective. I think she appreciated it.
Despite the sad-looking face above, she was really in quite a good mood.
Daddy and daughter together again! She's so much bigger, so much stronger, and she laughed for the first time a day after I got home! I am also a big fan of her not being in the hospital. I'll post more later, but until then, I'm enjoying the baby.

-Cliff