Where's Daddy?

It's a fun game we play, somewhat akin to "Where's Waldo?"



The entire Alpha Company.
Did you find him? If not, don't worry. It took me a while and I'm married to the guy!





Going for a leisurely road march.
None of the pictures are labeled, so you just have to look at each face- the distinction of "tall white male" only helps so much.



I honestly had to look at his hands to tell for sure it was him.
He's the tall white male.




Pretty sunrise at Fort Benning


Thanks for joining us in this exciting round of "Where's Daddy?"

Tune in next time for a riveting game of "What Did The Kids Get Into Now?"!

(You always know it's gonna be a good one when you can smell what they got into before you see it. Special thanks to Febreeze, Lysol, and Bath & Body Works!)

Daddy's Boy

This time around Daddy's absence has been a little harder. The first time he left we were all bewildered and confused. Now, however, the kids know that Daddy will be gone for a long time- and they have the past experience of "a long time" to draw on. That goes both ways- see, this time we know what to expect. Which is good. On the other hand... this time we know what to expect. Which makes it a bit tougher too.


As I've mentioned before, I can see there are ways that Heavenly Father has provided for me to weather this trial. For instance, my new job has given me new friends that have something I didn't know I'd even need: empathy. There are several other nurses whose husbands are military also, and they have been through the hardest things: months and months apart from each other, missed births, and the whole married-but-single Mommy thing. Not to sound ungrateful- I so appreciate everyone who has reached out with kind words and prayers in my behalf. There's just something special about having someone who really understands. Isn't that why the Savior is so perfectly fitted to succor us?


Being away from each other is hard, but it's even more than that. It sounds cliché, but it's the little things. It's trying to fold sheets without anyone on the other end. It's going to McDonald's and having your little guy look over to another table where you sat with Daddy months ago, and having to bite back the tears when he points there and says, "That's Daddy's place." It's the empty passenger seat when you drive away from the airport and the heartache of hearing your kids pray for Daddy to come back soon. I feel so lucky to be working with the strong, dear women who have known these trials too.


I was scheduled to work at 0700 on New Year's Day, and Lee's flight left at 0620. I had volunteered for call in the hopes that it would be slow and I wouldn't have to try to fake being fine while I took care of whatever poor patient got cursed with me as their nurse that day. But a couple of days before, one of my friends- who had been through those kind of goodbyes herself- called me and told me that she would take my shift if I wanted because she knew how hard that first day is. I readily accepted her offer and thanked her over and over before I hung up the phone and just sobbed. Not sad tears, but tears of gratitude.


In retrospect I am embarrassed that I fought so hard against leaving Rexburg; I wanted to stay so badly. But with new perspective I can see that these circumstances are the best for us at this time. There are people around us that make it possible to do this difficult task, and friends and family both near and far that provide the strength and support we need.


"I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." 1 Nephi 3:7


How grateful I am to be able to see that my way has been prepared. I am so thankful for a Father who knows my needs. I am grateful for sweet, fun, healthy children. And I am thankful for- and so proud of- my sweetheart!


*wiping smeared mascara, taking a few deep breaths*



My original intent with this post was to share these pictures. Wyatt is enthralled with the Army and the idea of "fighting bad guys." Every day he says something like, "I'm goin' to the Ah-mee now, Mommy! I'll miss you so much! Bye!" Or he'll tell me, "I'm takin' the car, Mommy. I'm gonna dwive to Joe-Jah to get Daddy." Without fail, he is geared up something like this when he tells me he's leaving:




The boy has always loved backpacks, because he thinks they're jet packs (thank you, Buzz Lightyear). When Lee saw this little-guy sized Army pack at the PX, he sent it home to Wyatt right away.




Opening the bag...




"It's my JET PACK!"




[victory dance]





(Another dance ensued on the packing peanuts. Thanks for that too, Daddy.)




And I had to add this one because it's just cute.


And now, my melancholy and I are going to make hot chocolate and a bowl of buttery popcorn, and snuggle up with a fluffy blanket and a furry Skeeter to watch some girly movie...I'm waffling between The Holiday or Pride and Prejudice. Decisions, decisions...

Hope you are all well, and hope you know how grateful I am for your friendships and support.
♥!

I Love to Laugh!

If you've ever come across the blog Hyperbole and a Half, then you'll know where I got the cue for such an illustration. If you haven't, the link is there on the right, check it out. I'm not nearly as talented as she is, but I amused myself.

Anyhow, Lee wrote an essay and sent it to me to proof read. It was comprised of an allegory comparing people to sheep, wolves and sheepdogs. The wolves are enemies of freedom, the sheepdogs are defenders of freedom, and the sheep are everyone else. In context this line makes perfect sense, but every time I read it I giggled. So when I sent the edits back to Lee, I included the mental picture I kept getting.

I'm a silly creature, and I know it. But frankly, I like laughing. A lot.

Actually, Alot.

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html

Ready for Christmas!

I've never been so ready for Christmas in my life! And no, don't misunderstand me. I am not prepared for the holiday- it's just that December 15th cannot come fast enough. Interestingly, after that New Year's cannot come slowly enough. *sigh*

Here's a few recent pix:



This was taken a couple of days ago while the soldiers were out doing their FTX3- the last big field training before the end of basic. I feel like I should track down whoever took this and send them cookies. It has done good things for my heart to see my favorite teasing about-to-smile look on his face. How I've missed that boy.




My friend Amber came and took some pictures for us a few weeks ago, and they are so cute. Thanks again, Amber!





I had a great date night with Wyatt last night- we went to IHOP and he picked what he wanted to eat, we went to TJ Maxx and checked out all the fun stuff in the toy department, and then we went and saw Tangled, complete with candy, popcorn and drinks. We had a great time, even though he fell asleep with his thumb in his mouth halfway through the movie. I sure love this little muffin.




I often wonder what I ever did without these two. I must have been constantly bored!


I hope you are all doing well and enjoying your holiday preparations. I have tried hard to be on top of things this year- the shopping is almost done, but the wrapping yet looms over me. *groan* Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion...Can Melody Really Pull This Off Before December 15th???

Lots of love and a box of Gourmet Dog Cookies that look so tempting I might just try one,

Melody & Co.

Perspective

There are numerous e-mails circulating out there that detail "how hard the life of a soldier is, and how hard your own life isn't so quit whining and be more patriotic!" Having had four brothers in the armed services, I understand how it works. But while I was poking around on the Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry website this morning, looking for information on the Holiday Block Leave, I unexpectedly came across this picture.

Seeing it elicited several emotions from me. Happiness because, frankly, it's the first time I've seen my husband in two months. I had been wondering how he looks sans hair! And also happy, because I can tell by his expression he is keeping the sand out of his mouth. That's a good thing.

It gave me a twinge of sadness too, for obvious reasons. That isn't some faceless, abstract, heart-wrenching depiction of the Everyman Soldier. That is MY Lee, my companion and sweetheart and father of my children.

I know my personal trials are not many, and in truth, not very great. Perhaps my honey-bunny isn't right by my side every day, but I still have him. I might get so frustrated being a single mommy that I want to run away, but when I want to spend time with my children and get sticky kisses and little tiny hugs, I can. I don't have to go to a graveyard or a prison or a hospital room to be, so to speak, where they are. I am surrounded both near and far by people who I know love me and are helping me and who genuinely care if I am able to endure to the end. Their thoughts and prayers mean a great deal to me.

I am blessed, personally, beyond measure, and yet oddly enough, I, too, struggle to feel His love for me every day. When I stack my obstacles against others' they seem too frivolous to be authentic. And yet, this mortal existence is designed by a genius, so that we all, no matter our circumstances or parentage or gifts, have to exercise our agency to come to Him. And so though my problems may seem small to an outsider, they are big enough for me to desperately need Him.
(Virgina H. Pearce, "A Heart Like His," emphasis added)

Today has been a day of shifting perspective- certainly not the last, but I am looking at the world with different eyes since I saw this one picture. I have shed a few tears too, but rather than feeling lonely and melancholy, I feel cleansed somehow.

In conclusion, I'll just say that I am grateful for my trials, especially because I know they are mine. They were given specifically to me at this particular time by a loving Father who has a plan for my eternal happiness. He gave them to me-not only so I could grow and learn, but so I could recognize and acknowledge how I need Him, every hour of every day. And I do.

We're Back!

After a two month hiatus, I am trying to make my way back into the land of the living. I knew being a single mommy would be tough, but it still took quite a while to adjust. And if I said I was all adjusted now, that would be a blatant lie. But I'm trying.

At any rate, I realized the only documentation I have of our lives right now is the letters I've been writing Lee, and I doubt they'll ever make it into any sort of journal. So my goal is to be a person again, start planning outings and play dates, and keep up on my blog, lest this adventure in our lives fall into the giant black hole of lost memories. Maybe I'm subconsciously hoping for that...?

Lee has been gone for just over 5 weeks. I get letters from him fairly often, and the pain of missing him is just a constant ache now instead of the sharp sting of the first little while. My parents have been wonderful in helping me with the kids, and my coworkers have been understanding and kind in letting me hog all the call I can afford. Our plan now is just to stay the course and endure to the end of this adventure, and then endure into the next one!



Jana's 2nd Birthday Party



The noisemakers didn't actually make noise. How wonderful!

Opening birthday presents!

Layne and Kyle (Lee's brothers), Zane (Lee's friend) and Lee at the Going Away Party

Right after Lee was sworn in.

Playing in the autumn leaves

It was Wyatt's idea to grab the stool to jump into the leaves... I guess it's a natural instinct!

Look at that form!

My little Muffin Man

My JanaBean

I send pages with lots of pictures to Lee, he says he loves to show them off to everyone around him. Going into the Army at 30 years old is pretty late, most of the other soldiers are early 20's or younger, so there aren't many others with a wife and family at home.

It was windy, and his ears kept flapping in the breeze! Skeeter misses Lee; the first week or so after he left, Skeeter would just wait by the back door until late at night, even though everyone else was home. He was just waiting for Daddy.

Buzz Lightyear and the Sugarplum Fairy

And mommy is a little devil, but that's nothing new!

The first snowman of the season!

I hope you are all well and happy, and hope you will forgive me for being such a hermit! I am grateful for all your friendships and support, and have definitely felt your love and prayers. Wishing you delightfully fun holiday preparations!

Love and Wice Kwispy Tweats,

Melody & Co.

Funny Little Guy

My son is a ham. I admit it both freely and proudly. He makes me laugh all the time, just like his funny Daddy.



I told him not to put his feet in there!

Anyway, last night we were driving home from Provo and as we came into the Salt Lake valley, we could see the Draper temple, and I started to sing "I Love to See the Temple."


Often when we sing I leave out the last word of the line so Wyatt and Jana can fill it in. Only this time, Wyatt was feeling exceptionally silly. So here's the lyrics to Wyatt and Jana's version- you can tell which ones Jana sang because they are the right words!

I love to see the...TACO!
I'm going there some...day.
To feel the holy ...TOMATO!
To listen and to ...BED!

For the temple is a house of ...God,
A place of love and...beauty.
I'll prepare myself while I am...young,
This is my sacred...HALLOWEEN!

And after I finished laughing, Wyatt bellows "That is not even fair!" (He meant to say "not even funny," which only made me laugh harder).

What a character.