A Holding Pattern.....

I had a wonderful 4th of July...and I believe that the girls did too. We packed up an stayed with some good friends of ours in a few towns over. The trip was short enough to make it easy for an over-nighter, yet far enough away for us to feel like we were getting away. Our hosts were fabulous, and I always feel totally refreshed when I leave their place. Note to self: Try to figure out the secret ingredient for good hospitality, because whatever it is, it came in large quantities at our little retreat this weekend.

I am sorry to say, but our lives have gotten into a bit of a holding pattern. Wake up, straighten up, hope for the realtor to call on the phone for a showing, call Daddy on the Skype, then go to bed. Repeat Daily. I didn't want it to get to this point where the kids started getting used to the fact that their Daddy is away, but we are almost there already. Yesterday at our friend's house, it was mentioned to The Oldest Child that we were having steak for dinner and she totally lost her mind in inconsolable tears.....between sobs we heard her say, "My Daddy isn't cooking the steaks...somebody's else's Daddy is." The Middle Child summed upped her week in these words: "I don't want to talk to Daddy on the computer. I want to talk to my real Daddy with the skin on." A 5 year-old sure knows how to let the real feelings out, don't they? And The Baby, well thankfully I don't think that she will remember that much of this period of time. But it is really funny to watch her smiling and making those happy noises she makes to her Computer Box Daddy. I can just imagine what her reaction will be like when she is actually face-to-face with the Daddy with the skin on.

Daddy, I know you will be reading this sometime tonight...please know how much we miss you! It feels like there is just a big hole in our family....and we are just sitting around trying to pass the time until we can see you. And you can cook the steaks and hug the girls...not on the computer box, but with real skin! And I am sure The Baby will oblige to give you her coveted "Spit-Up Badge of Honor." In the meantime, we are being your brave girls. And we are ever reminded that our family is build of the stuff that lasts and endures the test of time.

Onward.

Ranting.....

Allow me to just rant for a moment. I have a love/hate relationship with the military. I loved it just 3 months ago, when I went to the Naval Hospital and gave birth to my third child and received absolutly no bills in the mailbox. I love the military everytime I go to the commissary and stock my pantry and fridge with cheap groceries. And I especially love the miltary when my darling husband flexes his arms (hubba hubba!)
Today, I hate the military. Today, this was posted on my fridge. My husband put it up there for the kids to high five when they need to, or have a special reminder of him, the special Daddy hand that they like to hold. I hate the military today and the stupid way that we have to move around all the time. And I hate the fact that because of his job, my kids are going to be separated from their favorite hero. Arg.