Today’s simple Monday truths brought to you by Flat Daddy, our car and Kansas mud.
(Now that I’m back in “the city,” I suppose I should add “Wash car” to my to-do list…)
PS: Before you gasp and clutch your pearls that I wrote in the dirt on the car causing potential paint scratching, note that about a year ago my then-preschool drew (scratched) a picture of a person on the car with a piece of gold (shiny rock). And THIS is why we can’t have nice things.
Flat Daddy just gave a whole new meaning to the phrase “Chow Time.”
“Thursday is the new Friday,” they said.
“Stay busy and deployment will fly by,” they said…
#KeepingItReal #KeepCalmAndSoldierOn #NotAStagedPic
Flat Daddy wanted to give me some fresh insight into why non-flat-husband finds such joy in brewing stuff. Now, after my first homemade batch of Kombucha, I finally get it!!
Merry Kombuchmas and a Happy Brewed Cheer!#FinalFermentationAndGo#INamedMySCOBYScooby
PS: “Make kombucha” was on my deployment bucket list ✅
You’ve heard of Elf on the Shelf? How ‘bout Milspouse in the Party House… Or Army Wife Christmas Life… Or Finding Enjoyment during Deployment… Or Daddy (comma) Flat is where the party’s at…
I can go on all day, folks. So grateful to host our Battalion Senior Spouse Coffee last night at our humble hacienda. Such a joy to love on our ladies!
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Deployment Log, Day 54:
1. According to my calculations, *if* Beloved Husband returns from deployment *exactly* on the number of days stated on his orders (ha ha haa!), we are about 20% done!
2. The ONLY time I do math is when running many miles (only 2 miles to go… Which means I’m 3/4’s done!) or during deployment count down (or ups…)
3. As you probably gathered, we had a wonderful trip to KS to see our friends/family. But it has been nice to be back in our own space, with our own routine, with our own beds.
4. Plus, Malick only has one girl to harass (see also: pull hair) instead of 4.
5. I had a few wonky days this week… Just funky emotional and cranky, not for any real reason. The blessing box was, well, a blessing to me in those moments!
6. I saw a meme that sums up deployment life…
A mom: “Gosh. I’m tired.”
Everyone everywhere else: “ENJOY YOUR KIDS! THE TIME IS SHORT! THEY WILL BE GROWN BEFORE YOU KNOW IT.”
A mom: “Geez, I didn’t say I hate my kids, Karen. I just said I was tired.”
It’s truth. I love my children. They are wonderful creatures. But yes, we mamas (of deployed spouses or not) get tired.
7. Why I am tired, you ask? Mainly because I have to ask say things like this to my children (sometimes all in one day!)
“Did you just paint the dog with peanut butter?”
“DO NOT HIT YOUR SISTER WITH THE STICK OF FIREWOOD?”
“Yes, you have to wear pants to school.”
“Get the ticky-tac out of your mouth!”
“Please stop crying and just get in the car.”
“Do not spit milk on the dog/floor/in your shoes.”
“Do not tip over the Christmas tree!”
“Get your naked man-parts OFF MY KITCHEN TABLE, son!”
8. This West Texas-Korea time zone difference is (still) sucky. Hubs and I keep thinking that some rhythm is going to surface with his battle tasks, but nope– random. And 16 hours apart puts us literally on completely opposite schedules, especially when he is working weekends. Blurg.
9. On the way home from Kansas, Charis was tapping out a tun on the mini lap desk in the back seat. She asked if at the next pit stop, we could buy her some drumsticks.
10. I said no. #SorryNotSorry
11. If anyone sends Charis drum sticks for Christmas/Blessing Box/Birthday, we are gonna have words.
12. So traveling at the end of last week with two small kids (and a dog) by myself reminded me of PigPen off of Peanuts. Only instead of a cloud of dust following us everywhere we went (as in, major truck stops on Highway 54) , it was a cloud of chaos.
13. I’m trying to be intentional about protecting my December schedule, mainly because I know how fast it can spin out of control. I seriously need more time to lay on the couch and just zone out… But when the kiddos are around (i.e., Malick) the kid is jumping all over me (and he is like a huge roast with legs these days, so that hurts!) and Charis is almost constantly asking for something (or also upset because Mr. Roast with Legs gave her the People’s Elbow while SHE was trying to relax).
14. But when the children are elsewhere, I feel like I need to be doing ALL the things. ISO: Parenting balance.
15. Only two more weeks of this group statistics project. Praise God. Get me there Jesus.
16. This week’s biggest adventure: Switching Malick from the crib to the toddler bed. It’s going okish so far– but the going to sleep routine takes a hot minute since he is no longer “penned” in.
17. Prayer requests: That Brandon (Leroy Chuck) and I will be able to connect more frequently (and with greater quality!) and that I find some creative methods to rest when the children are present (is it possible?)
18. Parting thought:
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” ~1 Thessalonians 5:11
