366 Days

One year, plus one day. A lot happens in 366 days. A son takes his first steps, learns to talk, and grows from a baby to a little boy. A daughter learns to sing the "ABCs", learns to count to twenty, and discovers her calling in childhood is to be the most princessy little darling she can manage. Children dazzle, amaze, and fill the days with the joyful spectacle we are privileged to witness as parents. A mother learns that single-handedly managing the daily chores of running a household with a pre-schooler and a toddler under foot are, in fact, possible, albeit quite challenging and exhausting. Lifelong friendships are forged, old ones renewed, and tears of sorrow are shed for good-byes that happened far earlier than they should have. A wife is reminded daily, by the absence of her husband, that the old adage of "absence makes the heart grow fonder" definitely rings true. A woman comes to the realization that she has finally grown into a person that is satisfied with her roles as a wife, a mother, a professional, a friend, a daughter, and a sister; and that this person is someone she is proud of and happy to see in the mirror, day after day.

For 366 days a father, a husband, is far away from those he loves and those who adore him. He is fighting to protect our well-being, our freedoms, and defend a set of values and beliefs he feels are priceless. He is living in a tent among dozens of men like himself and awaiting the next letter and package from home. He is foregoing meals and showers because his duties demand it. He is waiting in lines to make a phone call or use a computer. He is staying awake late just so he can Skype with his family and watch his children play on a computer monitor. All the while, he is missing the son's first steps, the daughter's giggles, and all the little moments many take for granted.

In the span of 366 days countless pictures and videos are sent through cyberspace and around the world in cardboard boxes. Paintings, colored pictures, and craft projects sent across the globe have decorated the small personal space of one soldier, in one tent. All of these things are an effort to keep the father and the husband connected to the family that loves and misses him so. A small cell phone becomes your lifeline to the other half of your heart. Heaven forbid you leave it on the kitchen counter while you do bathtime upstairs, or in the car when you run quickly into the store. You might miss that glorious chime that means your love is sitting at a computer in Afghanistan and has some free time to chat.

Although 366 days apart (save for 16 glorious days in July and August) may seem hard, it has to be done. There is no alternative. Each person does what is necessary to keep the bond and the love stronger than the day before.  Relationships are sustained and flourish despite the miles and months apart. A lot of perspective and understanding can be gained in 366 days. A person can be reminded of the things that are most worth fighting for and those that just aren't worth the energy.

When those days apart are in the past we are reminded that every tear, every moment of fear and anxiety, and every sleepless night was spent waiting for something unimaginably phenomonal. That moment your eyes connect for the first time, actually seeing he is safe, knowing that your family and your heart are once again whole. Nothing beats that moment. Being together, it was all worth it, just to be together.

Now that our 366 days are behind us we look forward to moving on. You can't make up for time lost. You can't get back lost kisses and lost hugs, though, we'll certainly try to make up for them. You can only forge ahead, make new memories, savor the little moments and remember why you have committed to being together. We will work through the rough patches, laugh over silly things, and smile at the joys.

I am choosing to focus on the positive things that have occured in our 366 days. Life wasn't all bubble baths and playtime. Let's be honest, it's life, sucky and annoying things happen. But, I would rather focus on how this past year has strengthend me, Aaron, and our family. We spent a year apart, but we made it through it together.

Merry Christmas 2011

Merry Christmas from the Barretts! This is the first Christmas we will be celebrating this season. The second one will be when Aaron gets home. Since we expect him to be home in early January, we decided that we would stretch out Christmas a little longer this year. We can't think of a better reason not to lengthen the joy of the holidays this year. We checked with Santa and he assured us that he would be glad to make a special trip to Kentucky once daddy comes home. Santa still made his usual Christmas Eve stop in Detroit where we were visiting my family. 

 Well, only one of us is actually smiling, but at least no one is screaming!

Clara getting a special present from Santa

Colton says, "Here Santa, you can have the wrapping back!"

 Christmas Eve morning brought just enough snow that Clara

 decided she needed to make the first "mini" snowman of the season.

We had a great time visiting family and friends in Michigan and Indiana. Now we wait for daddy to come home and we can celebrate Christmas all over again! How lucky are we?

The Nutcracker

I love doing special things with the kids during Christmastime. This year Clara and I went and saw The Nutcracker. This is something I would love to become an annual tradition for my little girl and I. I'm not sure who was looking forward to it more, her or I. I think I had just as much fun, if not more, watching her face light up as she watched the dancers move across the stage. The production we went to was put on the by the local dance school. It was mostly middle and high school aged girls, with cute little parts for the younger dancers. This was her first experience at seeing live theater and ballet. She adored every moment of it and I only wish I could have captured some of the looks of amazement on her face as we sat in our seats and watched the ballet. I imagine she was wishing that one day it will be her up there in a pretty costume, pirouetting around the stage.

My big girl and I all ready for our special day



One of the nice things that drew me to this particular performance was a little event prior to the show called "Clara's Tea Party", named in honor of the young girl in the story, The Nutcracker. Well, OF COURSE we HAD to go to that! It was a nice little luncheon type thing with fancy little sandwiches, petit fours and hot chocolate. The ballerinas came out in full costume to mingle and talk to the kids and take pictures. Our Clara was completely enamoured and entirely shy as soon as the dancers came pouring out into the atrium where we were.

"Clara" and Clara, my Clara was trying to hard to say "cheese"!

With two of the ballerinas

We had such a great afternoon and made memories that will stay with us for a long time. There's something special about the first time a little girl goes to see a ballet and I'm so glad she enjoyed it. I'm so lucky to have my little Clara and I can't wait to do more things like this as she grows up.

A Recipe for Fun

Some sugar, some flour, a few eggs, some vanilla, and few more ingredients make some delicious sugar cookies. Add some cookie cutters, rolling pins, sprinkles, icing, and a handful of cousins and you have yourselves the perfect recipe for a fun morning! We have been so fortunate to live by family here at Ft. Knox. My cousin, her husband, and their two kids were posted at Ft. Knox and have stayed around after Scott retired from the Marines. The Army friends we meet as we travel from post to post are great and are considered family. But, there's nothing like having the real thing right here nearby.

Our annual Christmas cookie baking event is one we look forward to each year. The only thing different this year was the mess! With four kids with their hands in the mix, instead of just three, let's just say our Dyson got a good workout when we were all done!

Clara getting the dough all ready.

Rolling it out.

Colton didn't mind that there was no dough to roll,

he just loved being a big kid.

Colton delicately decorating some cookies.

Clara and Nick were a little more generous and

lot less delicate with their decorating!

If you look closely you may actually be able to see

some cookies under all that sugar.

Time for some icing.

Clara was very proud of her work.

Enjoying the benefits of hard work.

The cookie crew busy at work.

The holidays are supposed to be about smiles and memories. I have so very many happy memories of Christmastime growing up in our family of 13 cousins. I'm glad our children have cousins here to make memories with. Long after we have departed Ft. Knox we will be able to look back fondly at these pictures and fondly remember these times and smile.

Thankful

Thanksgiving may have been nearly a week ago, but I needed to stop and reflect on the things that I am thankful for. With deployment dragging on, though almost done, it's easy to get sucked into the "my life is hard" mode.

I have a strong and amazingly brave husband. I wake up each day and go to bed each night thinking about how incredibly proud I am of him and the important job he does everyday. And, although that job puts us at risk to loose more than we could imagine and keeps our family separated and incomplete for lengthy periods, it is a task that we believe needs to be done and someone has to do it. I am thankful that our family and our love is strong enough to endure these hardships and, in the end, make us better because of what we have gone through together.

We have two beautiful children. Children that are healthy, intelligent, sweet, funny and thriving. I am thankful that I can look forward to a future full of smiles as we watch them discover the wonders of the world around them and grow into amazing individuals.

I have an incredible extended family. Parents, sister, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends that support and encourage me no matter the challenge. The help and love of all these people brighten my cloudy days and I am thankful for all the big and little things they do.

I am thankful that our jobs allow us to provide for our family so that we are not burdened with worry for our future. And, not just jobs that provide, but jobs we enjoy. I am so fortunate to have a job where I can have a flexible schedule that allows me to be home with my kids more than I'm at work. I am thankful that my job is one that challenges me and pushes me to always learn more. A job that allows me the opportunity to work with amazing people. One that allows me to empower others and help them find the confidence to make a difference in their children. It is a beautiful thing to watch a family be the catalyst in helping their children meet their potential and I'm proud to be a part of it.

We are nearly done with our second year long deployment. January is right around the corner and we can't wait. I am thankful that over the past 11 months I can remember more smiles and laughs than tears and sadness. It hasn't been a cake-walk, by any means. Clara has days where all she wants is for Daddy to be home and asks dozens of times how much longer until then. I look at the little boy Colton is growing into and am desperate for him to have his Daddy home to influence him in the ways only a daddy can. But, through all this, I am thankful that I have found the courage, strength and support to make it through this deployment. And, I'm thankful that we haven't just "survived" the deployment. I have grown as a mother, wife, and woman and have watched our children thrive and managed to keep Daddy a part of their life as much as we could given the circumstances.

I am thankful for Battle Buddies, Deployment Pals, Army Wives, whatever you want to call them. I call them Nikki and Rose and without them this year would not have been nearly as fun, tolerable or manageable.

I am thankful that the past 6 weeks have flown by! Seriously! It seems like it was just October and now tomorrow we turn the calender to December. Life has kept us busy and we have been able to enjoy family and friends. I have been to Charleston, SC for a  fabulous get away to attend a friend's wedding. We have had visits from my mom, dad, my friend Krista, Aunt Sue and Uncle Leyon, playdates and get togethers with friends, girls' nights out, sleepovers with cousins, a trip to Michigan, and many more simple silly times here at home with just the three of us. Here a few snapshots from the past couple months.

Nick, Hailey, Colton, & Clara in a "pile of cousins"

Clara and Aunt Sue

Goofy boy likes to move the cat's bed around the house and sit in it.

This time it slipped underneath him while he was relaxing.

Goofy yogurt face!

Coloring with Papa

Here's to a swift December, a magical Christmas and the excitement and anticipation of having our family whole again.

Halloween 2011

Yeah, I know, I know. Halloween is so LAST MONTH! But, things have been so busy and so crazy that I just never got around to posting about it. My wonderful husband reminded me the other day while he was chatting with me from the other side of the planet that I hadn't done anything on our blog in a long time. Sorry, babe.

So, without further ado...Halloween 2011.

This was Colton's first year of participating in our family tradition of playing in pumpkin guts. Well, maybe saying it's a family tradition is pushing it a bit, since most people do it too, but we do look forward to it each year. Clara loves it and we quickly discovered that Colton does, too!

The yearly "pumpkin guts" playtime

Clara insisted we carve happy Jack O'Lanterns. That was fine with me since happy faces are much easier to carve than scary, spooky, or unique designs. Aaron is the expert carver in the family so I enjoyed the simple task of smiling pumpkins. The whole process was also made easier thanks to the helping hands of my dear friend Krista, who was visiting us for the weekend from Michigan.



The finished products

As the big day of Trick-or-Treating drew near I was a bit uncertain how I was going to manage. We've never had two Trick-or-Treaters before and I was going to be doing it solo. Thankfully, the weather was superb, in the 60s, dry and sunny. We got all costumed up and Skyed with Grandma, Papa and Auntie Keri. Then we played in the yard for a bit because apparently in my effort to make it all go smoothly we were ready to go before anyone else was!

Roaaaarrrrr! Our cuddly little lion

Princess Belle cruising around before going out to collect her loot

When the time was right, we got out the wagon and hit the pavement. Our children are amazing! What I thought was going to be a daunting task turned into such a great experience. The only hiccup was when Colton repeatedly insisted on pulling the wagon all by himself. He did not want help. He did not want to sit in the wagon. He did not want to be carried. He did not want to walk all by himself. He wanted to pull the wagon from our neighbor's house all the way to the end of our cul-de-sac. That's quite a long ways for two little legs and one big wagon. So, with Clara walking ahead, she was on a mission to collect candy (duh!), I stood back and smiled as I watched Colton very slowly, yet effectively, pull that big red wagon. It was so cute and one of my fondest memories of the evening. He eventually got tired and decided he would be more comfortable if he was sitting in the wagon. Clara was eager to say "trick-or-treat" at each door, such a big difference from just last year when she shied away from everyone and made Daddy do all the work. Colton chimed in with "tank dou" and "bye", that's Colton-ese for "thank you" and we "oohed" and "aahhed" at all the costumes. More important that the candy we collected are the memories I collected of my happy, adorable and spectacular, growing babies.