I wrote this blog post on Sunday night, I wasn't going to post it, then I was, then I wasn't....here it is. Maybe just maybe someone needs to hear this.....
It's true. There are days when deployment sucks more than other days. Today I planned to take the kids to Sweet Berry Farm for a little strawberry picking. It didn't happen. I stayed in my PJ's all day long. (Don't worry, I didn't leave the house - I don't think it will EVERY be THAT bad!) Yes, that is unusual for me but sometimes everyone needs a PJ day, plus the kids were more than happy to play outside with their friends and NOT go strawberry picking!
Today was total pity party day. Woe is me, my life is hard, blah, blah, blah..... I know, I always preach “put your big girl panties on”, but mine were in the laundry today. I do agree it is not OK to have a pity party EVERY DAY, but one day every few months is OK as long as it doesn’t last too long. I think this was my 3rd, maybe 4th pity party this deployment. For me this pity party has been building for a while now. I'm tired. I miss my husband! I've been going 100+ miles an hour since deployment hit 10 months ago. (I'll wait for you to get your violins out…) I've been a single mom, (BUT I'm married) I've been the 'dad', I've been the only one to shuttle kids around from activity to activity, I've been the only grocery shopper, cook, nurse, vet, gardener, housekeeper (OK, I did get someone to come in and help me with that every two weeks), teacher, disciplinarian, DRIVING INSTRUCTOR (which is enough to put anyone over the edge), mechanic, (maybe I'm getting carried away here, but I DO take both cars in for routine maintenance)..... and being the only one to do all of that sucks! I've been worried about Hubby and TF Maverick more than normal these past few weeks - if you are keeping up with what is going on in Afghanistan right now you will understand why. I've been worried more about Boy 2 who has been acting out a little more than normal. He is our worrier and I know he is worrying about Daddy too - it shows in his drawings. Boy 1 is a great teenager, but even great teenagers know how to push their mom's buttons! Girl was bullied in school this past week and Momma Bear had to go in and talk with her teacher and then to top it off somehow her Texas Brown Tarantula ended up on the wrong side of the cage and was hanging out with the Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula. Now if you know anything about spiders, this is NOT a good thing. Girl cried for over an hour because her FAVORITE tarantula was eaten by her other tarantula. (I know, most of you are scratching your heads wondering if you read that correctly - yes, you did and this is a story for another time.) Boy 3, well, he doesn't seem too effected other than the fact that he 'sneaks' into my bed every night and I am awoken by a foot to the face about 3AM EVERY NIGHT. OH and did I mention that I am TIRED? So again, woe is me.
Pity parties aren't all bad. Sometimes I need to have one to realize just how blessed I am, and let me tell you, I AM BLESSED! My husband ROCKS. He is very involved when he is here. He helps take the kids to school and to sporting events; he does the lawn work, car maintenance, helps the kids with school work and so much more. He is the backbone to our family. When he is not here I actually have much more help than I let on in the previous paragraph. Boy 1 mows the lawn and the little guys pick weeds. When I am at my wits end Boy 1 takes charge. He is an amazing big brother and son - he ALWAYS steps up when he sees the need or when ask to. I have AMAZING friends that bring dinners to us occasionally and that call me when they are at the commissary to see if they can pick anything up for me. I have found bottles of wine and all kinds of Cavalicious paraphernalia at my front door waiting for me when friends know I have had a rough day and many times 'just because'. Did I mention that I am blessed?
So I've had my pity party for today and now it is over. I finished it off with a batch of Brown Buttered Brownies and lots of hugs from a few terrific kids (If that’s not a cure all, I’m not sure what is!) Tomorrow is a new day. I will wake the kids with a song and a smile (No, I'm not joking - they wish I were!), make Texas shaped waffles and bacon and put this day behind me.
Only 6 more trash days (give or take a few)......
It's true. There are days when deployment sucks more than other days. Today I planned to take the kids to Sweet Berry Farm for a little strawberry picking. It didn't happen. I stayed in my PJ's all day long. (Don't worry, I didn't leave the house - I don't think it will EVERY be THAT bad!) Yes, that is unusual for me but sometimes everyone needs a PJ day, plus the kids were more than happy to play outside with their friends and NOT go strawberry picking!
Today was total pity party day. Woe is me, my life is hard, blah, blah, blah..... I know, I always preach “put your big girl panties on”, but mine were in the laundry today. I do agree it is not OK to have a pity party EVERY DAY, but one day every few months is OK as long as it doesn’t last too long. I think this was my 3rd, maybe 4th pity party this deployment. For me this pity party has been building for a while now. I'm tired. I miss my husband! I've been going 100+ miles an hour since deployment hit 10 months ago. (I'll wait for you to get your violins out…) I've been a single mom, (BUT I'm married) I've been the 'dad', I've been the only one to shuttle kids around from activity to activity, I've been the only grocery shopper, cook, nurse, vet, gardener, housekeeper (OK, I did get someone to come in and help me with that every two weeks), teacher, disciplinarian, DRIVING INSTRUCTOR (which is enough to put anyone over the edge), mechanic, (maybe I'm getting carried away here, but I DO take both cars in for routine maintenance)..... and being the only one to do all of that sucks! I've been worried about Hubby and TF Maverick more than normal these past few weeks - if you are keeping up with what is going on in Afghanistan right now you will understand why. I've been worried more about Boy 2 who has been acting out a little more than normal. He is our worrier and I know he is worrying about Daddy too - it shows in his drawings. Boy 1 is a great teenager, but even great teenagers know how to push their mom's buttons! Girl was bullied in school this past week and Momma Bear had to go in and talk with her teacher and then to top it off somehow her Texas Brown Tarantula ended up on the wrong side of the cage and was hanging out with the Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula. Now if you know anything about spiders, this is NOT a good thing. Girl cried for over an hour because her FAVORITE tarantula was eaten by her other tarantula. (I know, most of you are scratching your heads wondering if you read that correctly - yes, you did and this is a story for another time.) Boy 3, well, he doesn't seem too effected other than the fact that he 'sneaks' into my bed every night and I am awoken by a foot to the face about 3AM EVERY NIGHT. OH and did I mention that I am TIRED? So again, woe is me.
Pity parties aren't all bad. Sometimes I need to have one to realize just how blessed I am, and let me tell you, I AM BLESSED! My husband ROCKS. He is very involved when he is here. He helps take the kids to school and to sporting events; he does the lawn work, car maintenance, helps the kids with school work and so much more. He is the backbone to our family. When he is not here I actually have much more help than I let on in the previous paragraph. Boy 1 mows the lawn and the little guys pick weeds. When I am at my wits end Boy 1 takes charge. He is an amazing big brother and son - he ALWAYS steps up when he sees the need or when ask to. I have AMAZING friends that bring dinners to us occasionally and that call me when they are at the commissary to see if they can pick anything up for me. I have found bottles of wine and all kinds of Cavalicious paraphernalia at my front door waiting for me when friends know I have had a rough day and many times 'just because'. Did I mention that I am blessed?
So I've had my pity party for today and now it is over. I finished it off with a batch of Brown Buttered Brownies and lots of hugs from a few terrific kids (If that’s not a cure all, I’m not sure what is!) Tomorrow is a new day. I will wake the kids with a song and a smile (No, I'm not joking - they wish I were!), make Texas shaped waffles and bacon and put this day behind me.
Only 6 more trash days (give or take a few)......
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