I hate waiting. What's at the end of the wait is going to be so very worth it though. I'm waiting for a phone call. Not just any call mind you. This call is going to be one with an immense amount of relief attached to it. What's so important about a phone call?
I'm waiting for my husband to call me to tell me he's back on American soil.
That's right, my husband, who has been gone nearly all year, is almost finished his tour. I haven't spoken to him in a few days and I know he's in transit somewhere in the world. Frankly, I don't care where he is, I just want my phone call saying he's back in the United States. He still has a bit of time to serve in Indiana and unfortunately, I'm not allowed to visit him there, but Indiana is in the USA and that still is relief to me.
This year has been hard, but I survived. This year has had fun times, but I survived. This year I've cried a lot, but I survived. This year I learned that even in my darkest, loneliest hours, I can survive. How did I survive? I had help. My friends have been wonderful this year, my family has been great, my church has been so very supportive and helpful. Most importantly, God has been there to see me through the dark times. He's been the one sending people to help when I needed it most. He's been the one who has provided me with amazing friends, family and a wonderful church family. He's the reason that I have been able to get up and keep moving every day. I am so thankful to be so loved.
I'm not sure when my phone call will come, but I know I will be celebrating when it does. And when it does come, I'll be saying a prayer of thanks to God who has kept my husband safe and heard all my prayers this year.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Welcome to Pennsylvania
On Sunday, November 7, my parents arrived safely to Pennsylvania. Of course the kids and I are very excited to have them here and it's hard to focus on any mundane things, like oh, I don't know, school work and cleaning.
But it's been a fun few days and we are slowly adjusting to having a few more adults in the house. I forget what it's like to cook for more than just 2 kids and me, so dinners have had way too much food right now. But that just means leftovers, right? We're working on finding homes for all their stuff and adjusting time zone differences, but I'm sure in a few days we'll have all the bumps smoothed out.
For me I'm still listening to a little girl cough and it's just breaking my heart to hear it. She's been coughing for over 2 weeks now and if she's still coughing tomorrow, she goes on steroids. To make matters more interesting, I've come down with a sore throat and have caught myself coughing from time to time. I know bronchitis isn't contagious, but I sure picked something up somewhere.
On a Seth note, we're under a month until he returns. I can't post actual dates for security purposes, so I'll just say that he'll be home well in time for Christmas. :)
But it's been a fun few days and we are slowly adjusting to having a few more adults in the house. I forget what it's like to cook for more than just 2 kids and me, so dinners have had way too much food right now. But that just means leftovers, right? We're working on finding homes for all their stuff and adjusting time zone differences, but I'm sure in a few days we'll have all the bumps smoothed out.
For me I'm still listening to a little girl cough and it's just breaking my heart to hear it. She's been coughing for over 2 weeks now and if she's still coughing tomorrow, she goes on steroids. To make matters more interesting, I've come down with a sore throat and have caught myself coughing from time to time. I know bronchitis isn't contagious, but I sure picked something up somewhere.
On a Seth note, we're under a month until he returns. I can't post actual dates for security purposes, so I'll just say that he'll be home well in time for Christmas. :)
Saturday, October 30, 2010
One Month, One Week
I'm sitting here on a Saturday night listening to my daughter cough. Last night we spent the evening at the urgent care facility getting her diagnosed with bronchiolitis. She now has an inhaler that she uses every 4 hours and I can't see it doing any good. Thankfully she hasn't passed it to her brother or to me.
Right now I should be walking through a corn maze with a flashlight in my hand. My kids should be laughing and trying to find their way out with me. I should have spent the weekend attending a conference in a hotel. The kids would be doing crafts and swimming in an indoor water park. But no, #3 got sick so #2 and I had to stay home. Don't get me wrong! Being a mom comes first to me! But I can't deny the fact that I really wanted to go to this conference.
As I sit here on this Saturday night listening to the persistent cough, I realize that this is my last Saturday night alone for a while. Tomorrow my mom & step-dad start driving here from California. Not for a vacation, but for good, they are moving here. I'm very excited that they will be here in about one week. It will be wonderful to have them here and I know the kids are very excited to have all of their grandparents close by.
One month. That's about how long I have until I see my husband again. In about a month he'll be leaving Afghanistan. From there he'll make his way back to a base in the states and back home. He thinks he'll be home around the 1st - 2nd week of December. I'm just counting it at about a month. It will be wonderful to have him home again. Not just because he could stay home and watch sick kids, but because he is an integral part of my life and I love him.
It's been a long year. It's been a happy and sad year. We've had ups and downs but really, they would have happened no matter where Seth was. I've tried to make it the best year possible for the kids despite daddy being gone. I've tried to have a good year myself despite my husband being gone. No matter how many fun things we did, we will forget all of it once Seth returns home to us.
Right now I should be walking through a corn maze with a flashlight in my hand. My kids should be laughing and trying to find their way out with me. I should have spent the weekend attending a conference in a hotel. The kids would be doing crafts and swimming in an indoor water park. But no, #3 got sick so #2 and I had to stay home. Don't get me wrong! Being a mom comes first to me! But I can't deny the fact that I really wanted to go to this conference.
As I sit here on this Saturday night listening to the persistent cough, I realize that this is my last Saturday night alone for a while. Tomorrow my mom & step-dad start driving here from California. Not for a vacation, but for good, they are moving here. I'm very excited that they will be here in about one week. It will be wonderful to have them here and I know the kids are very excited to have all of their grandparents close by.
One month. That's about how long I have until I see my husband again. In about a month he'll be leaving Afghanistan. From there he'll make his way back to a base in the states and back home. He thinks he'll be home around the 1st - 2nd week of December. I'm just counting it at about a month. It will be wonderful to have him home again. Not just because he could stay home and watch sick kids, but because he is an integral part of my life and I love him.
It's been a long year. It's been a happy and sad year. We've had ups and downs but really, they would have happened no matter where Seth was. I've tried to make it the best year possible for the kids despite daddy being gone. I've tried to have a good year myself despite my husband being gone. No matter how many fun things we did, we will forget all of it once Seth returns home to us.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Happy Birthday to Me!
Happy Birthday to me! Yeah, well, it was my birthday on Monday and today is Saturday, but I'm just getting around to blogging about it. Quite frankly, I have been out of the loop of blogging this year. Best laid plans... been busy... school started for the kids... Seth's been home and left... I've got 100 excuses and they are all 100% real. So now that I've made my excuses for not blogging, on to the blogging!
I had a wonderful birthday. I actually started celebrating in September while Seth was home on his two-week leave. With his birthday being in August and mine in October, we split the difference and celebrated together. We got each other some presents, went to dinner at Red Lobster, and sent the kids to his mom's house for a birthday weekend to ourselves. Other than an intestinal virus I picked up that weekend, it was wonderful!
Last Saturday the gals took me out to dinner at Texas Roadhouse which was a blast! I didn't know where we were going or who all would be there, which made it much more fun. I did get coerced into riding the saddle (there are pictures on facebook to prove it) and everyone "yee-haw'ed" for me.
On Monday, my official birthday, I baked a cake and my kids each got to decorate half of the cake. It turned out very cute. My son's side was a picture of my red car and 3 green dots in it representing him, his sister and me. We are on our way to California Pizza Kitchen, where we had my birthday dinner. My daughter's side was her and I holding balloons and there was a big heart. Then the sprinkles attacked her picture and all "fell" out of the sprinkle container. At least I got to see it before it was attacked.
Honestly, I had a great birthday. I didn't get all sad and mushy that Seth wasn't home or that my best friend didn't realize that Monday was actually October 4th and not the 3rd and missed my birthday. (<3 you Becky!) I just had a great day. My husband did send me flowers and made a special call to us early on skype so he could wish me a happy birthday. Overall, the friends and family I have went out of their way to make sure that I didn't feel that way. And it wasn't just that, it was a peace in my heart knowing that God loves me and pours out that love through others around me. Even my kids were extra special to me all day long. Do I need to have everyone give me an "all about me" day? No, but it was cool to have it!
On a quick Seth update, in 49 days he will be leaving Afghanistan and starting his journey back home. Needless to say, the kids and I are very excited. Having him here for 2 weeks in September was wonderful, no one can replace him in our lives. I certainly am looking forward to the day when he's back here in my arms for good.
I had a wonderful birthday. I actually started celebrating in September while Seth was home on his two-week leave. With his birthday being in August and mine in October, we split the difference and celebrated together. We got each other some presents, went to dinner at Red Lobster, and sent the kids to his mom's house for a birthday weekend to ourselves. Other than an intestinal virus I picked up that weekend, it was wonderful!
Last Saturday the gals took me out to dinner at Texas Roadhouse which was a blast! I didn't know where we were going or who all would be there, which made it much more fun. I did get coerced into riding the saddle (there are pictures on facebook to prove it) and everyone "yee-haw'ed" for me.
On Monday, my official birthday, I baked a cake and my kids each got to decorate half of the cake. It turned out very cute. My son's side was a picture of my red car and 3 green dots in it representing him, his sister and me. We are on our way to California Pizza Kitchen, where we had my birthday dinner. My daughter's side was her and I holding balloons and there was a big heart. Then the sprinkles attacked her picture and all "fell" out of the sprinkle container. At least I got to see it before it was attacked.
Honestly, I had a great birthday. I didn't get all sad and mushy that Seth wasn't home or that my best friend didn't realize that Monday was actually October 4th and not the 3rd and missed my birthday. (<3 you Becky!) I just had a great day. My husband did send me flowers and made a special call to us early on skype so he could wish me a happy birthday. Overall, the friends and family I have went out of their way to make sure that I didn't feel that way. And it wasn't just that, it was a peace in my heart knowing that God loves me and pours out that love through others around me. Even my kids were extra special to me all day long. Do I need to have everyone give me an "all about me" day? No, but it was cool to have it!
On a quick Seth update, in 49 days he will be leaving Afghanistan and starting his journey back home. Needless to say, the kids and I are very excited. Having him here for 2 weeks in September was wonderful, no one can replace him in our lives. I certainly am looking forward to the day when he's back here in my arms for good.
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