I Couldn't Do this Without FAMILY

Deployment is extremely hard to deal with and I couldn't imagine going through all of this without having my family with me. Not really for emotional support, I'm not much of a person to talk about deployment to anyone outside of the military or that hasn't gone through it themselves, but just to keep my mind busy. Being able to just get out of the house and spend some time with my sisters and nieces can really bring me out of a bad place. 

Lately I've been enjoying going to my nieces soccer games. They are out by where they live and I just love cheering them on and I appreciate this time with them. If my husband weren't deployed right now than I'd still be in Jacksonville, if he weren't deployed I'd be missing all this time with them. Getting to see them grow up. Getting to watch them go to school for the first time ever. I appreciate each and every one of these moments. Because I know that once my husband does come home I won't get to have this time with them anymore. 

I share such a special bond with my nieces, each on has such unique qualities about them that just make you love them so much more. Each one has a wonderful sense of humor and joy that's all their own. And each and everyone one of them enjoys a good selfie. 

I try my best to take them to as many things as I possibly can and really have the most fun with them because I'm afraid of them forgetting me. I don't want them to remember me at their distant aunt that lived in Florida that they saw a couple times a year. I want them to remember this time that I got to be home. Going to St. Andrews movie theater together, standing in line late at night to get donuts in Maplewood, me cheering the loudest at their ballet recitals and their soccer games. I need them much more than they need me, of course they don't realize that but I do. 

 So while I'm home, while I have this time with them I'm going to enjoy it. I'm going to take them to the Magic House when they're off of school, I'm going to walk around the zoo with them and make animal noises. And I'm going to remind them over and over again how much I love them and how much their Uncle Dylan (pickle) loves them because I know the day I have to say goodbye to all of them will not only break my heart, I know that this time the older ones really will understand that I'm not coming right back. That I won't be at their birthday parties or their school plays anymore and I need them to know that it's not because I don't love them. Because they really are my world, my family means everything to me and those six little girls bring more joy to my life than they'll ever understand.