This Journey...

We hit a huge milestone today! It's been one year since Don left Virginia and began his journey... first at Fort Lewis, Washington (state), then Kuwait and eventually Iraq.

I remember saying our farewells as if it were just yesterday. Over the past year I have been a mixture of things... strong and so proud of my husband and also impatient and wondering how I was ever going to make it one more day with out him here. Somehow, miraculously as it seems at times, days turned into weeks and weeks into months... and now a year! Phew. We are on the downward slump. A little less than 4 months to go and Daddy-O will be here again!

Now it is almost hard to imagine how I'm going to give up some of that independence but I know some of it will be easy. I long to be able to run to the grocery store, get my hair cut without much planning, make more than one stop anywhere without worrying if the boys will be able to handle it, etc. It will be nice to reclaim so many little bits of freedom! But as time has proven... freedom is not free.

I have learned so much over the past year. Even though there have been bad days overall it hasn't been horrible and I know our marriage, our respect and support for each other has multiplied immensely. I do not think we will ever take each other for granted. I pray that we won't.

I can't even imagine how single parents do it. That is a huge reality check for me. At least I know this is temporary. There is a light at the end of this tunnel. And this once long tunnel is coming to an end!

I know Don will have lots of stories to tell, as will I, for years to come. And I'm happy that I've had this blog to keep up with. Just last week I went back and read some of my early posts and it's amazing how far we've come. How much the boys have grown and learned. How many things we've done.

One of the most common things I hear from people is "I don't know how you do it." A simple comment but one I've heard frequently over the past 12 months. Well, hmm... let me think... what's the alternative? Actually, my usual response is one that my mom has ingrained in my mind for years "One day at a time." Frankly, looking at the whole picture can be overwhelming.

I am so thankful for all the support we've had as a family. It has meant so much to me to have all the prayers, e-mails, calls, letters, visits, etc. from friends and family far away and close by as well. There are so many people in our everyday lives that have made this bearable, doable, possible. Most of all, I find strength in the Lord but he also blessed me with all of you who read this blog (as well as some that don't) that help our family find the strength we need to get through obstacles both big and small. So, thank you all for enduring this journey with us.