Almost two weeks down...

and two and a half to go. Jason has been on TDY (temp. duty) in WA state since June 11th. He'll be back on July 12th. The first few days without him were very hard. Now we're pretty used to him not being here. We miss him A TON, July 12th can't come soon enough, but we're finally adjusting to him being away. He is doing SEAR training there (Survival, Evasion and Resistance). They're teaching him how to survive if his plane ever goes down (over land or water), how to keep from being caught by enemies and how to resist enemies if he is ever caught. This week they are in the field practicing everything they've been taught. He can't tell me much of what they are learning but I do know that at some point they are being held in a "prison" which is a box not quite big enough to stand in and not quite long enough to lay down in. They're held there for 24 hours at a time. I think they're put in there twice. 

Luke and Harrison have been great. I couldn't ask for better behaved boys. They're not perfect but they are acting as best as they know how. Harrison hasn't really been much different. I do think that he knows Jason is gone but he's too young for it to bother him. Luke is having a little bit harder time having Jason away. He's become more emotional. He'll cry, with big tears, at the smallest things. Poor kid. There were a few times just after Jason left that Luke brought a toy or something out of his room into the front room to show Daddy but when he got there Daddy wasn't there. Luke seemed really confused. I've called Jason at Lukes bedtime so they can "talk" to each other. This week while he's in the field, I've called Jason's voicemail so Luke can listen to that.

It was difficult for me the first few days. The mornings and afternoons weren't too bad but the evenings were hard. I was used to having Jason home to help with the boys and now I am on my own. We're all adjusting and the evenings aren't too bad for me anymore. The hardest time is bed time for Luke is Harrison hasn't gone to bed yet. Harrison wasn't to be held and will scream while I put Luke to bed. Lukes bedtime routine has been...well, there really isn't a routine anymore, thankfully though he goes to bed just fine without rocking and singing. I will start something again when Jason comes home and bedtime will be easier when Harrison is older. 

We've been swimming with our friend Teresa and her baby Mason. Luke loves to go swimming and Harrison enjoys the water too. I've tried to do something out of the house once a day. We visited my brother last week. It was a 4 hour trip there. YeeHaw, was that fun! Luke was pretty sick of the car halfway through. At least he'd forgotten about it when we left 2 days later. 

Some people say "I don't know how you can do it. Just you with your two little boys for a month. I couldn't do it." It is hard but I just do it. I have to. I would MUCH RATHER have him home but I am comforted knowing that he's learning how to protect himself. Having him away helps me realize how much I love him and need him with me. It also helps me realize how capable I am of doing things on my own. Right now I am thinking "two weeks left!! YAHOO!" But what scares me is that sometime within the next year he may have to be away for FOUR months. I don't know how I'll handle that, but I know I will. I rely a lot on prayer. I know Heavenly Father is blessing us. I have been much more patient with Luke than in the past. I know Jason and my family are praying for me. Reading the scriptures helps a lot too. Especially at night, it calms me down.