Day by day...

I want to apologize for not posting over the past few weeks. It has been a long month and we are now about a week and a half into this 400 day deployment. I think I am doing okay, but I am not sure it has all sunk in yet.

It is finally hitting my 3 year old. When we pulled in the driveway after church on Sunday, she saw the truck in the driveway and exclaimed "daddy's home!"  It broke my heart to try and explain that daddy is still gone. The older kids are doing as well as can be expected. I am trying to get back into a routine with school and chores and also make sure they get out of the house on a regular basis.

The oldest is applying for colleges and I am excited for her, but sad that her father will  miss her graduation and that she will be gone when he returns next year. I am trying not to dwell on it, but it is such a huge milestone and I never imagined that he wouldn't be next to me as she walks across in her cap and gown or as I drive her to her new college and say goodbye.

I am going to a girl's night out tonight. I can't begin tell you enough how thankful I am for friends who take my kids to AWANA on Wednesdays or force me to leave the house even when I don't want to - but know I should.

I am trying to read everyday and have started two books with daily readings. The One Year Book of Encouragement (book review coming soon) came just in time and only God knows how much I needed it. The other came from my church. It is Battlefields And Blessings Iraq/Afghanistan Stories of Faith and Courage. It is good to read about positive things in the midst of the chaos and know that our Soldiers are not there in vain. Even if the whole world thinks this war is over.

I also just (finally!) read Here Burns My Candle: A Novel by Liz Curtis Higgs. It was an amazing book and will go crazy waiting for the sequel. Definitely 5 stars! If I get some free time I will give a review of it as later as well.

If you are a military wife going through a deployment, don't forget to come over to "Our Crazy Life" on Facebook and join in the discussion. We are going through Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives together and would love to have you join in.

Please continue to pray for our men and women in uniform and the families that they have left behind.

Love,

 

Photo from Helena Independent Record

18 Years...

Tomorrow, Soldier boy and I will celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary. He is currently snoring in the other room and I am so glad he is home - even if it is only for a short time. Three weeks of combat training must have tired him out, he had a nap when he got home today too :)

Eighteen years has gone so fast and it just doesn't seem possible. We were married in a little park across from the courthouse in Huntsville, AL and my sweet, romantic husband had a horse drawn carriage that took us to the hotel. It really does seem like yesterday.

It hasn't been easy and not all that fun at times either. We have had some rough spots, but I am so thankful for what we have now and the six amazing children we have been blessed with. We were so young and stupid and it goes to show that miracles are possible.

We will spend the day tomorrow with the kiddos. Farmers Market, the park and the oldest's volleyball game... Pretending 'this' is normal and that life isn't going to be turned upside down in a matter of days. I did make sure he understands that since he will miss number 19, 20 had better be something spectacular!

So Happy Anniversary baby! I am so proud of you and I love you more than you will ever know. Come back to me soon.

Love,