Life Lately.

There’s some things I can’t put out on the internet for everyone to know such as the fact that Mr. Byrd had been traveling a lot for work the past 4 months.  Without a doubt it was the longest in our marriage that we’ve ever been apart and truly without a doubt, I don’t hope we don’t have to do it again.  He would fly out to North Dakota on Monday and come back on Friday. Then there was the weeks where he would plan to be at home all week and they would tell him Monday morning he had to fly back on Tuesday. What turned into 1-3 trips max quickly went into weekly trips month after month.  My heart goes out to the single parents that do this day in and day out. Also it gives me even greater appreciation for the military spouses that hold down the fort while the other one leaves to serve. So what did I learn during this time? 1. I’m a horrible single parent.  Yes I provided all the needs to survive. They bathed (somewhat regularly), ate (popcorn for lunch every single day), went to bed (at some point) and had fun (because rules are just suggestions when dad’s gone).  2. I don’t know what cold is. Houston is usually pretty warm. North Dakota is not. While I was griping about having to winterize the outside of the house due to a freak cold snap that “might” freeze, Mr. Byrd was dealing with negative temperatures and snow.  Every trip home he would have to go buy more cold weather gear since it was sold out in North Dakota and the poor guy was one step from a popsicle.  Have you ever tried finding cold weather gear in Houston when we consider 50 to be cold?  3. My kids are awesome. Not only was their hero gone for months, I landed myself in the ER with a kidney infection and had a cast on my foot foot at the same time (I’m talented, I know). They’re not angels but during that week I was so sick, they were close. Anytime I asked them to help me in anyway, they were there.  It was nice validation that even though we have probably screwed them up in some way, they are going to be good people when they grow up.  4. Mr. Byrd is still my best friend. Don’t get me wrong. We fight and have far from a perfect marriage but I missed the guy… a lot… I don’t want to live without him (unless he gets transferred somewhere cold).  Oh and the best news. Because he was gone for so long he took vacation for this entire week.  So now you know why there’s not a craft tutorial today and all the posts are off this week.   When you have a chance to do nothing with your best friend for the first time in months, you take it.  Tomorrow will be a repost of an older (but fabulous) Christmas idea and new ideas will return next week.