A week and some change

We are about 10 days into this deployment. There have been some sad moments.

Like the morning after Braden left Maisey was looking out the window in the front room. She began yelling excitedly, " Mom! Mom! Dad's not gone! His car is outside in the driveway!"

The other day we were driving and Lila noticed a plane in the sky. "Is my Dad in that plane?" I said that he wasn't. She said "Why, because it's not an AWACS?" Well mostly because that plane is in America and your Dad isn't. But way to know his aircraft sister. 

Lila: Will Dad be home for my birthday?

Me: No

Lila:Will he be home for Maisey's birthday?

Me: No

Lila: Will he be home for Anabelle's birthday?

Me: No

Lila: Will he be home for your birthday?

Me: No

Lila: DANG IT!!

Maisey and Lila have both asked me repeatedly if he'll be home tomorrow. Finally I said, "Girls, Right now it is spring. Then it's going to turn into summer. Then after summer it's going to turn into fall. At the end of fall right before the winter, Dad will come home." A few hours later Maisey comes running in the house out of breath but grasping for some so she could tell me something that was clearly news breaking. "Mom! I was out on the trampoline and I found these two little leaves that just fell off the trees! So that means Dad's coming home."  She was holding up her little leaves to show me and she was just so elated. 

And just about every night before I leave the room and turn her lights out Anabelle asks me why he can't get a different job. I guess she hasn't liked any of my answers so far because she just keeps asking. 

Church today went great! Except for that one time when Elise won't sit still ever and screams if you don't turn her loose to climb on the stage. And then that other time when I was trying to take Lila to the bathroom and she waited until we were standing up and in the aisle to scream at me that she wanted to go alone. And then she kept screaming as I dragged her all the way out. No biggie though, because we were only in the third row so only 89% of the congregation actually witnessed it, although everybody heard it. 

Lila is really having a hard time. She is back to the constant tantrums and screaming. She is oppositional and defiant at every possible opportunity. 

On the whole we really are okay. I know we'll be fine. Unfortunately I know this drill really well and it has a familiar feel. Not that I like it, but I'm used to it. And I know we'll be alright. And we'll still have really fun times and we'll definitely make the best of it. But the funny things that happen are always shaded by the fact that Braden missed it and it pains me so much not to share in those things with him. 

To quote the great Pooh Bear : "“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”