The Cabbage Patch

Homecoming Pictures

I am hoping this is the last one.  But, it's the Army and we have 2 1/2 more years before he will retire.  He can retire this October.  But, we will wait longer.  Although truth be told, I might have to ask him to wait until after 2016.  You see, his retirement certificate will be signed by the Commander-in-Chief.  We will see after November.

There he is!

Farewell for Now...

One year and 6 days after returning from Afghanistan, we said goodbye again early this morning.

Not Quick Takes

It's been a while since I've been here.  My last post besides the birthday one was right after the girls' ballet performance.  Wow.

Why?

Well, we've been living a full and busy life; so busy that by nighttime when I usually blog, I'm exhausted and don't want to do anything more than read some pop fiction book and crash.  

Ben is leaving in less than three weeks.  We've been cramming activities into our days.  He was off for three weeks in June.

We went to Legoland, the Genghis Khan exhibit, and the Great Wolf Lodge one long weekend.  We also went down to Fredricksburg, TX for some peach picking.  For the 4th of July weekend, we spent time at Lake Buchanan, and then had our annual tailgate before the fireworks on the 4th.

Tonight we had our FRG (Family Readiness Group) meeting before deployment.  There were the normal things like OPSEC (Operational Security) which is basically don't talk about anything on unsecured mediums.  The support that's available.  Who everyone is.  And, the casualty notification things.  Then the big guys had to beat the dead horse and all chime in on what good work everyone who is going will do.  Luckily, they all kept it to a minimum.  What did they forget to give us?  The mailing address for the guys.  

I'm going to try to post pictures and descriptions of all the fun we've had but it might be slow going.  There is going to be some quiet time between ballet camps and the start of the new ballet year so maybe then.  I need to do some purging and organizing but then that's always the case.  I've given up on doing "school" for a time.  Math is probably the only thing I'm going to have the kids work on.  But, we're doing great learning things all the time so I'm not concerned.  

Well, this has basically been a brain spill.  There is just lots of stuff in here.  Wonder how I've been able to keep it all going without all the thoughts and needs turning into sludge.

 

He's Home

 

 

Short-Timing It

We are in the midst of a countdown.  The kids don't even know.  I'm feeling like a short-timer.  With the end in sight, I'm losing it.  I'm trying to hold it all in.  I have already before 9am yelled at my children.  Although, how many times do I have to tell them to get ready for the day before they comply?  

Ben will be home soon.  I'm hoping before the end of next week but that's a really conservative estimate.  He should be home sooner.  Until then, I am trying to keep a level head.  The weight of being a single parent with a spouse in a war zone though seems to have gotten heavier.  After all, our friend, Dave, was two weeks out from returning home before he was killed.  

And, the single parent thing.  Need I say more?  It's not even the physical caring of the children.  That's hard too.  It's the mental load of taking care of it all.  It's been 8 months.  I'm ready to be finished.

No Autism Post Today

Or tomorrow.  I've been working all day putting together bookcases and helping my brother with the entertainment center.  I finished the 5th of 6 bookcases at 8:45 this evening.  Then, I had to fold laundry, clean kitchen and do dishes including sweep the floors.  The DVDs needed to be put away.  Now, I'm going to check on the children to see if they are asleep so the Easter baskets can be filled.  No one here to pick up my slack.  My whole body is aching and my shoulders are screaming.  Sigh.  

But, tomorrow is Easter.  Christ is risen!  

Happy Easter!

A Better Day

Today was a better day.  I made sure to get up earlier than I normally do.  It helped me by putting me in a better frame of mind.

I don't know why it worked.

Maybe I was making more of an effort to be a milder, gentler mother.

I did fail in one thing today though.  Brother has joined the Squires.  I thought their meetings were on the 3rd Sundays of the month.  I was wrong.  It's the 2nd Sunday.  I will blame the one who is not here for giving me the wrong information <wink>.

We spent some time with a dear friend; playing, watching a movie, making pizzas (and eating, of course).  I always feel so calm after a visit with Emily.  Thank you, dear friend for having us over.  And, Cookie made the most delicious cupcakes (she has a birthday tomorrow).  

I'm trying.  I know I need to give myself a break, but for me, it's a fine line between giving myself a break and giving myself an excuse.  Thank you all for your lovely, uplifting comments.

Care Package

A very dear friend sent me a care package to get me through this deployment.  She made me cry.  Ben will tell you it takes quite a bit to do that.  Thank you, Jennifer.  

Do you know how hard it is to get a picture while trying to keep out the mess in the background?

  

Tearful Goodbye

     

A Tiny Little Rant

Yesterday I had to take pictures of Ben.  Three shots.  One front, one side left, one side right.

Why?

He needed them for his recovery packet.  Think about what that means considering where he's headed.

Yep.

I had to take them.

Why would we pay anyone to do it?

Why didn't the Army do it for him?  Why put me through that?  

Sigh.