Today was our last day with Dustin for a while. We kept the kids home so they could spend time with him. It was nice being together as a family.
Oh, Bekah lost her first tooth!
Jake also lost a tooth, in the same spot, or close to it, as Bekah!
What a great big brother!
Bowling on the Wii together
The start of our long/short night.
It came way to fast, and went by too fast.
My good looking solider!
Waiting... while playing on his new Kindle Fire
Daddy & Lizzie Zoe
Dad & Jake
Dad & Gracie
Daddy & Bekah
Dustin's Unit, or part of it, in formation. Dustin is in the back, about 4 heads in from the left.
And the tears begin.
It is so hard for all of us. We love our family and each other very much. Dustin is an amazing father and husband. The kids are old enough to understand, except Elizabeth, and not understand at the same time.
Jacob understands, a lot more than I would like at times. He has had a rough week. He did okay for the most part, until we got home and the girls went to bed. Then he broke down. He and his dad are such good friends . They really enjoy being together and are so close. I know this will be so hard on him.
Grace understands what is going on, but not completely why he has to go. I think most of it is she doesn't want him to be gone. She is a daddy's girl. She loves being with him and thinks he is the coolest, smartest person ever. She was the first to break down. She is such a sensitive girl. She is really going to miss him.
Bekah, sweet Bekah. She knows he is going to be gone a while, but doesn't understand more than that. She had such a hard time. She just wanted her daddy. She is the biggest Daddy's girl ever. If daddy likes it, so does she. If daddy likes to do it, so does she. She would follow him anywhere. She is a sweet, sensitive girl who loves her Daddy! As both my girls do, and I wouldn't have it any other way!
Elizabeth is so little that she had no clue what was going on. And I am thankful for that. When he gets home she will get to know him and love him just as her sisters and brother do. I just wish he didn't have to miss so much of her growing and learning!
I have been able to keep it together for the most part. A few tears today. And of course tonight was hard. I am such a bawl baby anyway! Having done this before, I know what to expect and most importantly I know we can do this. Dustin is my world. And I will miss him dearly. But even tho he will be half way around the world, I know he is still with me. We are so close that distance makes no difference. He is my best friend, my other half, and soul mate. He is my eternal companion. For this I am eternally thankful. I have the knowledge that no matter what we will be together. I know that we will write, message, talk and email as much as possible. The hardest part of tonight, and the coming months, is the children. My heart aches for them.
So we have ended the beginning.
It has been a very long, tearful night. I am glad it is past and we can start the count down to being back together again as a family.
