Bring it on!

My motto throughout this deployment has been "Bring it on!" I can handle anything that comes my way. And for the most part, I can. I have found a few things I just can't do on my own, though. Like getting the flu. I just can't do this on my own, over and over. I've had the flu three times since Husband deployed. It's impossible to take care of the kids when I can't even stand.

Poor Hunter's trapped in the house pretty much 24/7 because I can't go outside, and I can't stand long enough to play with him. He's figured out how to put DVD's in by himself and get the movie started. That's not by my choice and it's not something I'm bragging about. Although I am bragging that he can make his own peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. He's only 3. Thursday night, when the flu was the worst and I couldn't get off the couch, he made his own jelly and sugar sandwich. Yum.

Louisa always get the short end of the stick when I'm sick because she has to help me the most. She has to help me with the boys and make food and let the dog out and feed the cats, and... I hate when she has to do stuff that goes beyond normal childhood duties and chores. She shouldn't ever have to act like the grown-up of the house and I keep that to an absolute minimum.

Those who think deployments don't affect families can come spend a day with children who've done this a few times. People often times mistake their independence and intelligence as some sort of "gifted" quality, when for them, it's survival. They need to be independent. They have to be smart. It's the only way to get through.

I'm so blessed to have the kids I have. They really come together as a family when times like this call for it. Mom gets sick, so everyone knows they have to kick it up a notch. I don't even have to ask. Louisa's right there helping out, Drew plays with Hunter and takes him outside for me, and Hunter draws me sweet pictures to make me feel better. It makes Husband feel better, too, knowing the kids will help me out.

But, if we could go the rest of this deployment , chanting our motto, "Bring it on!" without the flu or getting sick part, that would be great. We have so little left to go! Most people I know whine and cry and die when they're apart from their husbands for 4 or 5 months. I'm so excited about 4 or 5 months that I can't put it in to words! Funny how your perspective changes throughout 15 months apart. When 4 months were down, we were still in the beginning and there was such a long time to go. Now we've got 4 months left until we're done, and I'm saying Ya baby! Bring it on! (except for the flu part! ;)