Plan A

I'm grumpy today. I'm all snappy and sarcastic and my poor boys have had to put up with me all day. I don't even have any good excuses for it. Well... maybe a few.

Oh, hadn't you heard? I'm suddenly single. Yeah, my husband up and disappeared again. Okay, well... it wasn't really all that sudden.... and he didn't exactly "disappear" either. (See what I mean about the sarcasm?) He's back to Oklahoma for the next month. More training in the world of Air Traffic Control. He left me all alone here in the world of peanut butter and stinky diapers.

In an attempt to put an end to this mood I'm in, I'm going to take a walk on the bright side of things. Just so you know, if this doesn't work, my "plan B" is to plop down on the couch, watch some mind numbing TV, and eat everything that isn't good for me. Hmmm... now that I think about it... Plan B sounds WAY better than that bright side crap. ... But since I'm already here...

- A month is a long time without your spouse. Having said that... it is WAY shorter than the three months he was gone last time. Plus... we're in our own house this time. Plus... I'm not 8 months pregnant. Plus... I don't have to move us in or out by myself.

-A month in training means one majorly awesome thing: We have a job. Rick is progressing in this job and really likes it. This will be the last time he'll have to go back to OK for any extended amount of time. A month without my husband is so worth the sacrifice if it equals a lifetime in a great career.

-This time a month in training means a month of regular salary PLUS any per diem that Rick doesn't spend while there. Last time he went through training we had no income. It was a little scary.

-For the next month I don't get to sleep in even ONCE. I now have not only "mommy brain" but weirdly enough, I also have "daddy brain". No girls night out, no impromptu trips to the store (or anywhere, for that matter). If I need something after the boys are in bed, that's just too bad because it'll have to wait until morning, when I'll have the joy of loading them into the car and taking them with me. Having said all that, for the next month I get to wake up to sweet hugs and kisses. I get constant reminders of how simply wonderful life can be. I get to spend my days with the 2 greatest kids on earth. I get to see this every day:

and this:

-This month may be a rough one, but there is one major thing that's going to make it absolutely awesome. For over 2 weeks of it, I'll be taking the boys back to Albuquerque. Lots of aunts and uncles and cousins and Grandpa and Grandma time! We are so excited! Every day Noah goes to the calender and we count how many days are left until we go.

-I tease Rick a lot about all the freedom he'll have and "livin' the bachelor life again", but in all seriousness, it's not exactly a vacation for him, either. Being away from family can be really hard and I know that you can't be the awesome dad that Rick is, without really missing your kids when you're gone.

-A month is a long time to be separated. But speaking from last years' experience, distance really does make the heart grow fonder! There's nothing like keeping a family apart to make them appreciate how much they love being together.

Alright. I'll admit it. I'm feeling much better. But just to really solidify things... I think I'm going to have to follow through with Plan B. I mean, really... it would be irresponsible of me not to, right? I have my children to think of, after all. If I don't do EVERYTHING in my power to make sure I'm not so grumpy tomorrow, then I haven't really done my job as a mother, don't you think? Yes. It would be down right WRONG of me not to sit and veg and eat. I'm glad we agree.