5 weeks later...

Well I sort of did the opposite of blogging with boring frequency. I realized that Braden would never check it and instead inundated him with letters. Oh, plus I'm tired. I have a list that I wrote March 2nd with things that I wanted to get done in Braden's absence. Here I am starting week 6 and at this point I just keep it up on the fridge for comical purposes. Or to have somewhere to remind myself that I need milk. Again. How is it that I always need milk? Sadly my closets remain unorganized, my scrapbooks are a few years behind, and the list of thank-you cards I need to write is actually growing rather than shrinking. Shucks. Turns out this whole single parenting while pregnant gig is a bit exhausting. I won't say it's been terrible. Insanely inconvenient, but I haven't lost my mind. There have been a few days that I shoved those girls in their beds with an "I double dog dare you to come out" look, but that likely would have happened solo or not. On the whole, the girls are being fabulous little critters. Anabelle basically runs this place and I help her reach really high stuff. The sun has been shining, we have a tub of our favorite Publix frozen yogurt in the freezer, and Anabelle buckles herself in her seat now. I'm basically riding the gravy train.

In other magnificent news, we have unexpectedly had the chance to see Braden every Sunday at church. We drive an hour and a half to get there and it's not much interaction because all we do is meet at church and sit next to each other and then he goes back to the base right after it is over. But we get to see his cute little face and this makes me so happy. It has been an intriguing experience to get to do this because I have seen the changes in him week by week. So absolutely fascinating. And yesterday we got to see him after church because his class got a rank promotion. We had a picnic on base and were e there together for five hours. Wahoo!! I wasn't allowed in any facilities (including bathrooms!) and he couldn't leave so we just sat outside in the sun while our kids played on a pollen covered playground. When they were sufficiently yellow, Braden showed us some of the big planes and taught me a little Air Force history. It's funny what a few hot hours in the Alabama sun with your family can mean to you. Seriously pumped me up inside. And I won't lie, it came with good timing- I was beginning to feel it at 5 weeks in.

Braden has done really well on all his tests and things seem to be calming down a bit. I think we were all a bit taken back by the intensity of the beginning. Although I have very little other contact with him, it has helped tremendously to see him on Sundays. One night I tucked Anabelle in and we told each other 'sweet dreams' and then she said, "I'm going to dream about my Dad". I asked her what about her Dad and she said, "just that we are together".

We are missing Braden but so are proud of him. I hope he is enjoying his male roomies because this may be the last time he ever has any. Girl number three to show up August 3rd. Or on another sweltering hot humid southern day.

Word from airman Reynolds is that he can sometimes check this now so I am supposed to get back on the blogging train. Here's to making that happen.