Entry 4

Tales…entry 4

Post party…

So, I hosted a party this afternoon for Mike’s co-workers…….Alpha company. I haven’t met many people he works with and I wanted to open our home to them, and get to know the guys and their families. These are the men he will live with and interact with for one year, on the other side of the world, when we can’t see him everyday. These are the men he will go on missions with, eat with, amuse himself with, and share about home with. And, these are the women and children, who will be here with us, praying the same prayers we will pray, everyday….. for 365 days.
The party was a success. The food was great, the kids got along, and I enjoyed talking to not only the wives, but the men who would be joining my husband in the mountains of Afghanistan in just a few short weeks. I enjoyed sharing with their children, and the laughter they brought to my own child. I knew, deep down, she would laugh a lot with these same children over the coming months.
After everyone left, it was just me, Mike, and our best buddy Mike Shoup, who was in town for the weekend, visiting. Elizabeth was spent and ready for bed, so we assumed our usual bedtime ritual, which consisted of turning the lights down low, bringing the milk in, and curling up on our big bed, until she fell asleep. Since she loves books so much, bringing a book in for sleepytime is out of the question, as she would get excited at the pictures and turning the pages. So, having a great memory serves advantageous for me, as I curl up, spoon-like, with her and ‘tell’ her stories. Our favorite is “Where the Wild Things Are.” Or, as I like to refer to it, as “Let’s talk about Max….” And so I began talking about Max and his wolf suit….
At that moment, Mike quietly slipped in…..he wanted to tell Elizabeth goodnight. So, he lay down on the bed, and as I ‘told’ the story, I would stop, and he would say a line, then I would, and we would repeat the process. It was a simple, loving exchange to our daughter of how we’d both memorized the book, and we both wanted her to know that we knew the story and wanted her to hear it from us as she drifted to sleep with both her parents right beside her. When the story was over, Mike left the room so she could get good and sleepy..she cried a bit, as she does when he leaves the room, but I snuggled closer to her, reassured her that she was okay, and she quieted. As we lay there in the darkness, I, too, began to silently cry…for many reasons. I cried for happiness…for the love of this child, for the love of her father. I wept for the sorrow of her being separated from him so soon from now, and I wept for the loneliness that we would feel when we both laid on this same bed, in the same darkness, and her father would be on the other side of the world.
A wise, seasoned wife at my party today said that as Army Wives, we have to just “pick up” and deal with things ourselves in this life. She’s right in so many ways. When I was sure Elizabeth was asleep enough, I picked up my sleeping daughter, and transferred her to her bed, tucked her in for the night. I then, dried my tears, picked up my wine glass, and re-joined the guys in the living room…..picked up the visit where I left off……..pick it up and keep going…..there will be plenty of time for