Happy kids

It is quite the understatement to say that Patrick and Anna have had some issues since Sean has left.  Emily is pretty oblivious to everything, just happy that she gets to see Daddy on skype.  Megan is handling it all pretty well, thanks to bribery and being more mature than the rest.  So I spend most of my time dealing with and worrying about the middles.  I spend the rest of the time worrying about the sitter getting scared off by them.

For the first time in recent memory, they were both happy on the same night.  Patrick loves going to soccer, huge smile the whole time, sprints over to get his water bottle and sprints back, just happy.  I will get a photo when he has his "game" next week.  Anna has been needing to find her own friend since Megan has her best friend to keep her busy and Megan doesn't always want Anna hanging with them.  I finally got her introduced to the sweet little girl who lives behind us and Anna can't wait to meet up with her in the backyards.  The only bad part is that Anna leaves next week for Virginia and we aren't sure when she's coming back.  Prior to her rare happy mood I was thinking of having her come back when Sean got home in September...  But maybe now I should get her home before her new friend forgets about her.

I was happy to talk to someone tonight who has survived a deployment.  Yes, she felt crazy.  Yes, she worried about the kids having permanent damage (they don't).  And yes, her kids had issues too.  Lisa, Carrie, and Heather have all told me this too, just good to keep having that reinforced so I don't feel like I'm the only one who has reacted this way.  So along with knowing Sean is safe in Kenya, today was less stressful than most.  I think we will survive and never again take being together for granted.  I've been told that someday I will look back and it will all be a blur.  Hope the kids feel the same way!