IT'S DADDY DAY!

Well, after 5 long weeks. . .DADDY COMES HOME TODAY! It has been a really interesting time for all of us. Gracie is almost a different child. She is completely potty trained and very independent. She is sleeping like a champion, but still waking up a bit early. However, she will let the dogs out and get her own "breakfast snack", as well as take herself to the bathroom and put her clothes on for the day (which is sometimes quite entertaining:)). She loves to help Mommy with any task, which includes filling the dog bowls with water!!!! and giving them their treats; it is amazing that my other "daughter" has been able to lose 4 pounds. Denver is having a lot of trouble with her knees and shoulder so I have restricted her (people) food intake, as well as cut back her exercise. She is doing much better (thanks be to a double dose of Rimadyl) but I think Brey will really see a difference. We had a HUGE scare with Denver. . .she was panting all of the time and doing this strange gagging cough. Being that I WAS a drug rep (which is almost a doctor:)) I decided to research and diagnosis her condition online. . .I was 100% certain that it was congestive heart failure. When Brey called the next morning I promised myself I would not say anything. . .but out it came! Poor Daddy had to sleep and then climb the Swiss Alps the next morning with this extra baggage weighing him down. After an extraordinarily long day and a $400 vet bill. . .Denver is totally fine! The vet actually said she is in really good condition for an almost 12 year old dog. Praise God drug reps are just that. . .The vet must think I am a lunatic. . .I completely presented the case as it was a done deal. Oh well. . .I LOVE TO BE WRONG! Beaux is still Beaux. The weather has been pretty severe this month, which means the carpet cleaner has been hard at work. Poor little dude, I know he'll be so relived to see Daddy. Only Brey makes him feel safe. Unfortunately, Daddy missed Father's Day, but Gracie has been planning his celebration for a month! Mommy has done remarkably well. I think having a jam-packed schedule has helped us both, but unfortunately I did not finish any of the tasks I had wanted to do. I am actually looking forward to cleaning the house today. . .now that is a significant personality change! I have learned to use the tractor to mow the lawn. Who would have ever thought I could plow with an ATV and mow with a tractor? I really do love to do the yard. . .I mow about every 4 days:) Could it have something to do with complete isolation? Gracie plays outside and gives me a "thumbs up" every time I come around to let me know that she is o.k. I have also executed Daddy's vision for the backyard. YIKES! This is the scariest part of the entire separation/reunion. . .I had 9 huge trees planted, a new patio put in, electrical overhaul done and the hot tub is being delivered on Tuesday! Hope he loves it! He is still having a fireplace built, so I will post pictures when the project is complete.

Tomorrow is our 12th Wedding Anniversary! What a perfect gift. . .time together! It is funny to look back on how I used to handle separation. I remember the first time he went to the field. We had only been married 6 weeks and he had to leave for a month. Granted, it was just to Fort Campbell (which is where we were stationed) but it was completely devastating! I sat in the foyer sobbing. I remember him telling me years later that he had forgotten something and knew that he could not come home to get it, so he actually had to go to the store and buy a new one:) I wish I still felt that way when he leaves. Sad how life hardens your heart. A week long business trip here and a two week training course there make it easier to be apart. . .but it shouldn't be easy. Being a parent forces you to go on with the normal routine, or at least create a new normal. I know many of the issues that Gracie and I dealt with were directly related to not having Daddy's attention and influence. Obviously, we have been counting down the minutes to Daddy Day. Last Sunday we started talking about the upcoming week. . .Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday ~ ballet camp, Friday ~ dentist and Saturday = Daddy Day! The bedtime routine ran way long last night as she'd been running around the house singing and dancing to songs she'd made up about Daddy coming home:) This morning at 6:20, in the midst of a dead sleep, I heard my door open. I peeked open one eye and she had a huge smile on her face! She shouted out "IT'S DADDY DAY!" For the last hour she has been popping in to say "I miss my Daddy" just to hear me say "You don't have to. . .he's coming home today!" She laughs and say "I KNOW!" and runs off.

Final thought. . .It was really hard to be apart for this long (especially when you can not just pick up the phone and call whenever you want), but a lot of good has come, too. I pray that our normal will be slightly adjusted from the way it looked before he left. May we sit and relax more. . .laugh out loud more. . .talk about the insignificant more. . .think about the little things more. . .in general, not take one day together for granted. Here's to the new normal!