Week 1

Technically we are only 3 days into the actual deployment but none the less, Jason left one week ago today.

So, these are the things I am learning so far…

You just read my first sentence so you now understand one of the many reasons why deployments SUCK!!! I have learned that insomnia really does exist and not just when you are pregnant. I have learned patients, I take that back I am learning a whole new world of patients that contains special magic BKT shields because children especially mine are willing to test every single hair on my body. I’ve gained understanding because no matter how many hairs they want to try to stand up in one day, at the end of each day, they just need me to reassure them that their little world is okay. I’ve learned that having a strong support system is important and I’m pretty sure that I have one of the strongest teams out there!! I’ve learned that you shouldn’t listen to those who tell you that the money is “so good” when you go to the sandbox. Why? Because deployments are probably the most expensive trips your spouses are ever going to make. I’ve learned that weight loss comes easy but not necessarily in a good way. I’ve learned that cooking is a thing of the past. I can’t really say that I’m going to complain too much about this one =) I’ve learned that setting aside a little extra Mommy/BKT time everyday is going to be crucial for my children. I’ve also learned that hugs are a very important part of each day and that we can never have enough!

Things have been a little out of whack since Jason left. No one has really found their place just yet and I think that there is an expectation that at any moment Daddy is going to walk through the door. It’s hard to drive up to our house and see Jason’s car sitting in the driveway because the kids, mainly Kalyssa and Travin want to shout “Daddy’s Home!” They have caught themselves a few times and instead ended with a small sigh.

Over the past week, we have been working on several different projects to help get us through this deployment. I was asked to pass along our ideas. I am more than happy to share. I have received so many helpful resources from so many different people. So many of you have provided your support, your love, your kind words and I can’t thank you enough because I am learning that every little thing helps.

Operation Kid Comfort

If you didn’t get a chance to read my post about Operation Kid Comfort please do. This project is absolutely amazing and my children love their quilts. They have not put them down since we received them in the mail. This is something they will always be able to treasure.

http://mallforce5.blogspot.com/2011/01/happy-2011.html

Daddy Kisses

The kids decorated regular paper lunch bags. When they were finished, we counted out 31 Hershey Kisses for each bag for the month of January. Every night before the kids go to bed, they reach in their bag and pull out one kiss. We say a special poem for Daddy that I came up with and then they get to eat their kiss. This signifies a kiss from Daddy every night before they go to bed. On the first of every month we will count out kisses for that month.

Daddy Poem 

We wish that you were here with us Daddy

But we know you have an important job to do

You’re there to help keep us safe

And there doesn’t know how lucky it is

We love you very much daddy

You are our shining star

We count the days until you come home

So we can hold you tight again

 JSBKT

Counting Down the Days

We worked as a team to put together three Counting Down the Days Until We See Daddy Again Chains. We decided to do weeks instead of days well, simply because that’s a whole lot of paper strips for mommy to cut and besides it doesn’t feel as long if we do weeks instead of days. 26 weeks or 180 days??? I like the number 26 better! The very last chain has a special welcome home message for Daddy. We also added the daddy poem that we say every night. The kids love the poem so much that they wanted to add it to Daddy’s special message.

Other things that we have done:

Before Jason left, he bought the kids each an Air Force pillow, yes I got one too =) They all picked out a picture of themselves with daddy to place on the pillow.

We received two books from the Readiness Center/Family Support. I developed pictures of our family and of Jason with and without the kids. I made Kalyssa and Travin their own books. Bryanna got a photo album filled with pictures. We all got special paper and envelopes so that we can write to each other. Jason also had himself recorded on DVD while reading books. The kids can pop the DVD in at any time and listen to Daddy read them a book. 

The other night Bryanna came to me with tears in her eyes and asked me if we could talk. The other two had already gone to sleep. She explained to me that she has a hard time going to bed at night because that’s when she misses Daddy the most. Ever since he has left, Bry lies in her bed at night and cries. I pulled my little girl in my arms and I held her tight. Nights are very rough, hence the insomnia portion of my learning process =) We talked for a while about our feelings. I reassured her that it was okay to cry but I also told her that I never want her to do it alone because that’s what Mommy is here for. I am here to hug her, hold her, listen to her, and well to do anything that she needs me to do. We came up with a few plans to help her get her emotions out. Bryanna loves to write (kinda like her mommy =). I told her that she can keep a journal or she can write a letter to Daddy every night. It doesn’t mean that she has to mail it, but if she would like to, she can. She asked me what she would say to Daddy. I told her anything that she wants because if there is one thing I know for sure about daddy is that he is one of the best listeners in the whole world.

I am in the process of creating my own journal for the kids. I found a deployment journal for Bryanna but there are things about it that I don’t like. It's a bit too old for Kalyssa and Travin. So I decided to make my own.

There are a few more things that we are doing and I will share those in a later post but, there is one last thing that I do want to share.

Family Date Night

We decided to have a once a month outing to celebrate the beginning of a new month which in our household is eventually going to mean one month closer to Daddy coming home. Our first outing was a dinner date and a shopping trip to Build-A-Bear Workshop. After we got home the kids decided that they wanted to skip a family movie and play with their new stuff. We are brainstorming ideas on what we can do for our next family outing. I explained to the kids that we have to think of our outings as celebrations for them being so strong and brave. So, I asked them to think of special things to do in honor of them and in honor of Daddy.