Missing Dad

John travels sometimes as part of his job.  I usually don't mind too much.  I miss him, it's hard to fall asleep without him, but generally we are OK.  I've had to fix toilets, pay bills and take kids to the emergency room without him sometimes even when he is in town so I am fairly confident in my abilities to take care of our family.  I also like that he trusts me to do it.  I know he is proud that I am a strong woman that he doesn't have to pamper  all the time.  I've tried to teach my daughters to be strong as well.  Our favorite mantra when things get tough is "We are L.D.S. Women.  We can do anything!"

This trip was different, very different.

Most of the time John is only gone for a few days or maybe two weeks at most. This is just enough time to get some projects done and enjoy some chick-flicks he wasn't interested in seeing.  This time we knew he would be gone for three weeks, but then work didn't go as well as planned and the three weeks became four.  Then the four became five and then a few more days more. (Sierra is sitting next to me as I write this and she informed me that my last two sentences rhyme.  My rhyming abilities are a gift that I'll write about later)

A digital Love Note to email

Not only was the time way to long without him but it felt like anything that could go wrong did.  Usually we have some sort of appliance emergency while he is gone (the washing machine, the car, the dishwasher, yes, the toilet) but we had none of that this time which was a blessing.  What we had this time was Shingles and not the kind that are on the roof.

Apparently anyone who has ever had Chicken Pox also has a little virus that waits dormant until just the right combination of physical factors is in place to jump out and knock you down.  I wouldn't wish shingles on anyone.  It was miserable.  Between the stresses of this last year and not sleeping well with John gone my physical factors were just right, or just wrong as the case may be.  Mom and the kids took great care of me as I tried to function through the pain but ended up being completely loopy from the medications.  (I didn't think I was very loopy but more stories keep coming out.  I think the stories have grown over time but those around me contradict that theory!)  I also have really great friends who took my children, ran errands for me and brought meals and took over activities and programs for the Young Women (YW in Excellence for instance).  These are the same great friends who listened and helped through all the medical appointments for Brook, helped me with girls camp, put up all the decorations for Robyn's wedding reception and in general show their love for me and my family.  I've been blessed with wonderful women in my life.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, it did.  Mom ended up in the hospital.  At first she just thought she had the flu but it was a bowel obstruction that kept her hospitalized for a couple of days.

Poor John.

  He was too far away to do anything for us.  I tried not to complain and told him not to worry, we were fine.  He just laughed and said, "No, You're not fine." and laughed some more, but then he would let out a sigh that was full of frustration.  I knew he just wanted to be here to take care of his family and not in a hotel room on the other side of the world.  I love that man and I am happy he is home.