Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Getting By

It has been over two weeks since Justin has left.  My nephew graduated from middle school.  I baked 150 cupcakes for his party.

 
Last week I started a new job the same day Charlotte started a new school.  Unopened mail started to pile up on my desk.  I fall asleep in Charlotte's bed every night.  I wake up at random hours of the night to craft.  I'm tired.  But I'm busy.  And busy helps me to get through the day.

My friend, Laura, (who is an amazing military mom/ wife with a husband on deployment and pregnant with her third) sent me a link this amazing article the other day.  It's written by a military dad about the families and loved ones that are left behind during deployment.  It hits the nail on the head on so many things - the loneliness, the worry, the stress, the pressure...

I was sitting in Starbucks with Charlotte this weekend and started crying.  Charlotte and I were sharing a pretzel and she set a piece aside on her napkin.  "This is for Daddy," she declared.  Every time we sit down to eat, she always saves a piece of something for Daddy.

These past few weeks have been filled with lots of reflection - about our family, our future, our relationship.  None of it is necessarily bad or regretful.  I'm just slowly coming to terms with our reality of being a military family.  Justin has been in the military for years - 15 years now.  So that isn't anything new for us.  It's Charlotte that makes it so hard.  She's a strong little person though.  I could learn a lot from her.  And together, we'll get through this.

1.  Our Hero {a digital scrapbook layout}.  I borrowed the journaling for this layout from a recent post about my military child.  I used some new patriotic inspired papers and bingo cards from Jenni Bowlin Studio available over at JessicaSprague.com.


Digital Supplies:  Jenni Bowlin Studios (Trendy Collection, Patriotic Bingo Cards); Design by Dani (Boy Crazy).

2.  Where is my Daddy {a lift-the-flap book/ card}.  Since Justin left, Charlotte insists that we read Daddy and Me by Karen Katz every night.  It's a lift-the-flap book about a father and daughter building a doghouse together.  "Charlotte's screwdriver," she states while pointing to the pink screwdriver.  "Daddy and Charlotte make it," she declares while pointing to the little doghouse. Inspired by this sweet book, I decided to make a little life the flap book/ card for Justin's father's day card.


I didn't include photos of each page, but it reads something like this...

Where is daddy's car?  In the garage.

Where are daddy's tools?
 

In the toolbox.


Where is Daddy?  Daddy, where are you? 
Daddy is on the ship to keep Charlotte and Mommy safe.

But remember, even when Daddy is gone for a long time, where is Daddy always?
 

In Charlotte's BIG pink heart!
 

Supplies:  Echo Park Digital Products (Family Man); Xyron 1.5" Sticker Maker, Xyron Mega Runner; Xyron 2.5" Sticker Maker; Kraft Cardstock (Recollections).  

If you want more Father's Day craft ideas, make sure to check out the Xyron Design Team Facebook Album.  And for those who have been following me and the Ella Publishing Team on our Take 12 Challenge, I hope that you have your cameras ready.  It's June 12th!!!!

As always, thanks so much for stopping by (and listening...)

6 comments:

  1. Ellie insists on reading "Where's My Daddy?" Every night now and she started singing "Daddy Where are You?" To the tune of #Super Simple Songs' "Santa Where are You?" Her 3 places Daddy is at are on his ship, in his car, on the ocean. It's hard.

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  2. Ellie insists on reading "Where's My Daddy?" Every night now and she started singing "Daddy Where are You?" To the tune of #Super Simple Songs' "Santa Where are You?" Her 3 places Daddy is at are on his ship, in his car, on the ocean. It's hard.

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  3. Now why are you making me cry so early in the morning? :) i am in awe of military kids (and their moms)...thinking of you and sweet Charlotte!

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  4. Oh Van- thinking of you and Charlotte today, and knowing we will be going through the same thing next month=( Hugs

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  5. Wow! What a wonderful book that is! What a great gift for Charlotte, and something she will surely pass down!

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  6. Van you guys are doing amazing! You will get through this. I love the book you made for Charlotte! Adorable.

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