After 17 years the day has come. I leave tomorrow for 2 days of visiting, then on Tuesday morning I make my final drive down Prison Road to pick up the love of my life.

I have so many of you to thank. I found PTO during some of the roughest years of waiting. The kind words, support and advice from all of you got me through countless days of utter hopelessness. So many of you gave me the encouragment that lead to the strength to keep my head up until the end.

My heart is overflowing with gratitude.

Can't wait to here about the homecomming story!!! Have a safe trip :)

OH I am sooooooo happy for you!! <happy dance> Please keep us updated!

I can't even imagine how excited you must be! Be sure to come back and tell us how things are going!!!

Bec

YAAAAAAAAAAAY nice! Have a goooooood time (like you need me to tell you that!)

Congratulations...wishing you both the very best!!!

Mel

Congrats :)

CONGRATS !! WISHING YOU BOTH THE BEST!!!

So very happy for you - your heart must be overflowing!

That is great :thumbsup:
Wow, 17 years!
I bet you both are glad this is over now!

Congrats!!!!

Congrats, I bet you have a hard time keeping those butterflies in your tummy still!! LOL

Congrats and best wishes - and kudos to you BOTH for hanging in there for 17 years!

Congrats! May God Bless you both! :)

SO .... DID THEY GIVE HIM UP TO YOU????????? I'M WAITING, HOPING IT'S TRUE FOR YOU. Will give me hope!! Let us know as soon as you can (I know you're kinda busy right now...LOL!) Zelda

Amazing 17 years!! In January mine came home he was in for 4 years I couldn't imagine 17! I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU BOTH!!! Its like nothing you have ever felt before to be in their arms for the first time when you know he is a free man, finally! Happy homecoming (and somewhat of a honeymoon night !!)

Congrats on the homecoming. 17yrs.. WOW Many blessings to you and your husband.

PEBBLES

WOW! Congratuations...that is the best gift ever:D . 17 years! Kudos to you both!:thumbsup:

Congrats and ENJOY! I hope the transition goes smoothly.... ((hugs))

Deb

He's home...well 11 miles away at the 1/2 house. We had the most wonderul 11 hours of our life! He was only 20 minutes late coming to my car! We even had time to watch our son play one inning of his varsity baseball game. The world has changed dramatically in 17 years for him. I did my best to teach him how to use his cell phone while we were driving! He still hasn't called!

Oh yes, being able to kiss and hug without anyone watching or telling you to "seperate" was heaven! I'm still floating in all the joy and happiness.

Today he meets with his new case manager and hopefully we'll get a sense of when he can begin getting passes...Hopefully off to work next week!

I hope each one of you someday get's to experience the joy of new life and freedom as I just did. There's nothing in this world to compare it to.

One more thing, as I got off of the interstate into our neighborhood, there was a double rainbow right in front of us! God's work for sure!!!!

Congrats, I am so happy for you both!!

congrats point of light to you both. What an amazing story you must have to tell. 17 years of growth, change, love and patience. It's nice you got to see you son play too. I wish you both the best!!!

Fair Winds and Following Seas....
Keep the Faith.

Michael :thumbsup:

He's been home 2 weeks now. We've had several 4 hour passes. Today I took him to his first day at work! Our 1/2 house is great. My husband says that from what others told him before he left Marion that this 1/2 house is one of the best in the country.

Thirty days from his arrival we start getting 12 hour passes. One on Saturday and then again on Sunday. We do this for 2 consecutive week-ends, and then on the third week-end we get a 24hour pass. The fourth week he starts living at home under home confinement.

Last Friday we actually went to lunch and then stopped for an ice-cream cone! I've never had so much fun sitting outside on a summer afternoon eating a chocolate waffle cone! All the simple pleasures of life have so much more meaning now. And the best right now! NO MORE COUNTING PHONE MINUTES!!! He has a cell phone and we talk and talk and talk!!

He's had no problems adjusting to normal food. I guess figuring out how to use the cell phone has been the biggest adjustment. Oh and to see him wearing normal clothes is still making me smile.

Yes, Zelda, they brought him to me. One of the other campers drove him down Prison Road to the main guard station. He opened the car door and walked right over to me, picked me up and we did hugged and jumped up and down. Then he walked around my truck, got in, closed the door and said, drive, let's get out of here. I'll never forget that magickal moment.

He forgot about count right away. He immediately started sleeping through the night without having one eye open. He's so relaxed now and constantly smiling.

Yes everyone, coming home after 17 years has been the most incredible time of my life.

That's sounds so great! I'm glad all is going smoothly. Were you with him through the whole 17 years? I love hearing how it's going - gives me hope someday my sweetie and I will be doing that too! Our anniversary is tomorrow (Tuesday). It will be 21 years. I'd like to know from him, also, what things he struggles with and any successful methods he uses to overcome awkwardness or roadblocks. Zelda

ohhhhhh chills down spine, tears in eyes....

So wonderful. This is what uplifts this forum! I am so happy for you and your husband. I can only imagine how wonderful life must be for your husband now. He must be like a kid in a candy shop!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes I was with him the whole 17 years. Tomorrow we stand in line to try and get an appointment for his drivers license. When he got his temps he drove just like he had never stopped! He starts his 12 hour week-end passes in 12 days. Then in 2 weeks he'll be living at home. I'm still giggling every time I see him in normal clothes!

I've been visiting him at the 1/2 way house on Sat and Sun evenings after work. We sit alone in the courtyard on a picnic table and share a quart of chocolate custard! His favorite. The simplist parts of life have become romantic!

Hey there, Point of Light - I think you get an award for 17 years, don't you??? So many happy things still in store for you, and you deserve them ALL!

Congrats to you both.

I believe you both have a special strength and spirit to get through that many years - believe me, I know!! - and it is great to hear of his release and progress toward coming home. Good luck with the driver's license. Here in our state, it seems to vary from clerk to clerk just exactly what identification they'll accept for a driver's license. A friend of mine who operates a halfway house says that two guys can go in with the exact same I.D. and one clerk will accept it and the one the next window over - won't. Did they give him any kind of I.D. when he left the prison? Zelda

Wow, I can hoonestly say that ur reunion brang tears to my eyes, I can't see the day that my hubby goes to halfway house cause I know he will be so close to home. Omg and 17 yrs that is amazing my hubby has been in only for 3yrs and its been the worst 3 yrs ever but hopefully in seven months I will be sharing my story with u all. Good luck 2 you and ur family I wish nothing but the best.

Your story has brought smiles and happy tears to my eyes.....I am SO HAPPY for you BOTH! Those double rainbows are truly God's sign to us! God Bless you both forever! Thank you, for making my day, and giving me even MORE strength in facing the long haul with my husband!!!!!!

I am so happy for you!!!!

Stay strong.

LIVE and long and wonderful life with your loved one.

Take care
Greyghost

Your story is so uplifting, it made me smile to read it. Good luck!!!!