10 Days & 12 Hours

10 days and 12 hours is all I have until my husband is in my arms again. I cannot wait until Christmas exodus. Kiale could not have picked a better time to enlist for our family. He will have the hardest part of basic training behind him when he leaves. It will give his body time to recuperate and heal during the two weeks that he will be home with us celebrating Christmas and the new year. Once he goes back we will have only six weeks until Family Day and Graduation. Then he will leave for AIT out west. I am hoping that we will be able to arrange a surprise trip during spring break to go and see him, a surprise for the boys that is. I am hoping to be able to make it to where we only go about 6 weeks without seeing him.

During the past three weeks I have realized how strong I really am, and I praise the Lord every day for that strength. It is through Him that I am able to stay strong for not only myself but for my children. They feed off of me and my emotions and I know that the stronger I stay the stronger they are able to be themselves. Our daughter carries around KS's picture wherever we go, as well as her "Daddy Bear." We have pictures of him in our vehicle so that no matter where we go he is always with us. I will hear his voice at the most random of times and each time the kids press the paws of their "Daddy Bears" my heart skips a beat. To hear his voice and know that I am unable to go to him is hard. Especially in the middle of the night when through Cayleigh-Grace's monitor I hear his voice reassuring her that he will see her soon and that he loves her so. My heart and my body yearns to be with him and in his arms again, just as theirs do as well. Through this short separation I have realized just how much of my life revolves around my husband. I have realized just how much I feed off of him for support, love, and guidance. I have also realized that I can do things on my own and I can survive this separation and any others we may experience in the future. In the end I will be a stronger woman and our love and devotion to each other will be better because of it.