Our Norm

D had been in school for four weeks already and we have a pretty good routine going. He is doing so good. I get compliments about him daily from the teachers. E is enjoying school as well, and is so well behaved and helpful on the days that she doesn't go. B has a great nap schedule and although she loves my attention, will sit and play for short periods at a time letting me do a few things here and there. The husband has been working a ton and although I know that it will only get worse with this upcoming deployment, we try to enjoy our time together as much as possible. He has been so amazing with the kids lately, too. This week he is out of town training, and as much as it sucks, it is practice for what life will be like for us, yet again, sooner than I would like to think about. I can honestly say that when I got married I never imagined I would be be raising three children alone most of the time, while taking care of a house, two dogs, and also worrying about my husbands safety and life while he is over 8000 miles away. It's not the life I wanted or chose, but more like the hand we were dealt with all that has led up to this point. It is the life we know; the life my kids know. And it never gets easier. I love my husband. And sometimes I even love the Army. But our normal isn't exactly "normal".  We can go months without seeing each other, weeks without talking, and yet we still love each other and our family together. We live day to day, going with the flow and making the best out of whatever the Army throws at us. And as the kids get older and become even more aware of what this life means, the harder it gets. Watching my kids cry because daddy isn't coming home that night, or hearing them tell their friends how much they miss him. It's a struggle. But it's our norm.