Thankful Thursday

David got home today from a short business trip to California.  (Side note:  While at a conference there, he presented a paper he'd written and, from what I hear, did a great job.  I'm so proud of him!)  He took the red-eye flight last night and wasn't able to sleep more than about 20 minutes on the plane.  He crawled into bed at 7am, got up with Audrey and I an hour later at 8am, and went to the office at 10:30am.  He worked until 2:30pm, came home and napped for about an hour, and stayed up until 10pm helping me with some stuff.  What a guy!

So, of course this being TT and all, I am super, duper grateful for how hard of a worker my husband is.  These trips wear on Audrey and I for sure, but he's the one that's often thousands of miles away from home for days or weeks on end, eating weird food, putting up with different people and time zones, working his butt off, and then going back to a lonely hotel room.  

For each of the past several years, he has spent 2-3 months out of 12 living this way.  No, it's not as bad as many have it.  But, it's more than we "signed up" for...and it's dang hard sometimes.  Especially now that Audrey is old enough to know he's gone but too young to understand why or to be able to count down to his homecoming.  (When I let her "talk" to him on the phone this week, she said "Daddy, home".  How sad is that?!)

For a guy that could be content to never leave the state, that's a lot to deal with.  For a girl who didn't marry a military man on purpose, it's a lot to deal with.  

However, despite ALL of that, this is where God has us as the moment and we're learning to do the best we can.


In light of that attempted positive attitude, here are five things I'm thankful for when David travels:


1.  It racks up frequent flier miles galore.


2.  There is less laundry to do.  And less to clean up in general (no offense, honey).


3.  I don't have to roll The World's Worst Bed Hog back on his side of the bed several times a night.


4.  There are always a ton of shows stacked up on the DVR when he returns.


5.  We've learned not to fight about stupid stuff and to value the time he's home.  We've never been a couple that argues much, but I think his trips make us even more willing to let the little stuff go.  

So, yeah, I wish there were less good-byes, but it's a JOB.  And it provides for us.  And for that especially, we are grateful.

In closing, I'd like to ask you to keep up your faithful prayers for our family.  We have a lot on our plates these next few weeks and are a little overwhelmed about when and how to get it all done.  More details to come, but it's way past my bed time now.  Please just pray that God gives us the time, energy, and focus we need.  

Sweet dreams!