Three weeks, three days

We've managed that long so far. In some ways I think about it, it's gone very quickly...in other ways I think "Three weeks? JUST three weeks"? Everyone finds their different way to cope during a deployment. The simplest way is to just find what works, and do it. You learn to fight your battles, and you learn that you're capable of a lot more than you originally thought. Here's a brief list of what's gone down over the past three weeks, and three days:

1. I've played countless games of Magic Kingdom Board Game with Devyn and Aiden.
2. I've found a way to clean my bathtub to sparkling--and if you know me, you know that that was going to be the death of me. It wasn't enough that it was sprayed down with clorox bathroom cleaner everyday. Enter the Black & Decker Scumbuster X-Treme. God bless Black & Decker!
3. The kids and I have taken up playing Clue Jr. at night after dinner.
4. BBC America is the POO! (Meaning good)!
5. I've begun making a concerted effort to eat healthier--carrots for snacks, 100 calorie ice cream sandwiches, etc.
6. Aiden tried spinach for the first time and ate it UP!
7. I done approximately 14 billion loads of laundry...
8. I washed approximately 18,000 loads of dishes...
9. I've not bought one People magazine, and I'm NOT in withdrawal...
10. I've figured out how to fix the microwave that wouldn't cut on when everything else in the house worked (hence, it wasn't just a case of the electricity being out)!
11. I've taken apart an alarm clock circut board and put it back together when two little someones decided they would "see what would happen if they just pushed that button as hard as they could and hold it for THAT long"...and the alarm clock is good as new, thank you very much!
12. I've gone searching through the house looking for whatever "fell" and caused a large thud, only not to find anything at all. Twice.
13. I've Google-Earthed Iraq 14 times showing Aiden where Daddy is.
14. I've spent approximately 8 hours awake in the middle of the night with Aiden.
15. I've put together two "Daddy Books"--photo albums for each of the kids with pictures of Daddy. Both Devyn and Aiden sleep with them under their pillows.
16. I've given Aiden a stuffed giraffe with a picture frame in it's tummy which frames a picture of Aiden and Daddy. The giraffe has been named Zeebee and is never far from Aiden's side.
17. I've spruced up one very loved, very old teddy bear, sewed his ears, given him a new neck ribbon and presented him to Devyn. He was her Daddy's bear, and he's never far from HER side. His name is Teddy.
18. I've gone to sleep, and woken up for 24 days about 8000+ miles away from my sweet husband.
19. I've looked at the sky countless times and wondered what the sky looks like where he is.
20. I've prayed for his safety continuously.
21. I've cried four times.
22. I've thanked God for this opportunity and for us to come out stronger and better for it.
23. I've had the support of people I never thought would say to me "Call us if you need anything" and mean it.
24. I've loved Mike three weeks and three days longer than I did before he left.

24 items for 24 days. I tell the kids every morning, "It's one day closer to Daddy coming home". And today is no different. 24 days down. Only a bit more to go.