A Letter to a Soldier

Friday, October 21, 2011

Just after lunch

Right before Hannah’s nap

Dear J,

Hi honey! I am missing you terribly. I read your final text from me over and over. Then my mail box got full and asked if I wanted to delete my texts.  I wasn’t thinking. So I said ‘yes’.  I cried for days when I realized what I had done. I am so sorry. But the kids are still alive. I haven’t deleted them yet.

Hannah loves the craft box I created. It amounts to glue sticks, sequins, jewels, and all of my fancy edging scissors that I used when scrapbooking. She refers to the entire collection as ‘skizzor stuff’. I wish I was two, sometimes. I would have so much fun making up words.

Madelyn is at school. She cries every night at bedtime. I am not strong enough to lift her up and over the railing on the top bunk to put her to bed like you used to.  So, she only cries a little after I drop her.  I keep trying, though. I may get it done soon. I will have fabulous bi- and triceps, eh? She gets to sleep with me on non-school nights. That is our deal. She is a beast in bed, though. She likes to sleep perpendicularly to me. I woke her up one night and we had a lesson on perpendicular, parallel, and skew, but she didn’t really care. I thought it was a great teachable moment. Apparently not.

Audrey has been up to her usual drama. She walks down the hallway while holding my hands. As long as she is going towards Hannah, she is speedy.  If we are going towards Audrey’s bedroom, she gets pretty ‘I wanna sit’-y. Oh well.  Her hair gets longer every day, and her temper gets shorter. I wonder to myself, quite often, if they are truly inversely proportional. I would like to shave her head and see if she calms down. Seriously. No, seriously.

We have been eating very well. Our neighbors left last week and they gave us all their food.  Their departure date was moved up a month earlier, and didn’t have time to eat all of it.  We were down to eating popcorn for supper one night. I was praying for an answer after supper. Then, the next morning, after bagels and eggs for breakfast, (we weren’t out of food, just substantial items) they knocked on the door and asked if we could take their food. Hallelujah! God is good!  That evening they showed up with five huge boxes. They completely filled our deep freezer (with meat, all meat!), refrigerator freezer, and our refrigerator.  We have eaten off of it all last week and all this week. It has been a blessing. But, Madelyn did announce she is ready for pizza again, someday.

We went to a social activity at Freedom crossing last Saturday. Hannah got her hair painted navy and orange, and a Bronco’s helmet on her cheek. Madelyn stayed true to her princess roots. She was blue and purple with fairies and glitter.  I will attach a photo of us that they took when we played with the photo props. Truly a fun event!

I didn’t realize my top was so low.  I had been holding Audrey against me as we walked around and her weight pulled my top down. Oh well. There is a little something for you, I guess! I couldn’t keep the mask.

Oh hold on, my phone is beeping.

It is Yahoo! Messenger sending me a text. Weird.

It says you are trying to reach me.

WHAT?!?

Okay, I am going to go now. I am logging in to chat with you.

I love you!

Bye...

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If you have any questions or comments you would like to share directly with me, please email thearmymommy@gmail.com