Onwards

So Ben left early Friday morning. We decided to forego sleeping that night, and just stayed up watching movies and spending time together before we left at 0330. It was tough, having to do that Goodbye Thing all over again...the 18 days were just way too short. It seems simplistic to say, but this crystallizes in my mind how intensely glad I am that we are married, after all this time apart, and it is still permanent. 18 days is not enough for marriage. One needs a lifetime.

It's hard to describe the emotion that goes on with something of this capacity. It was a real roller-coaster the last couple days he was here. Everything seemed to have the Utmost Significance: the "last meal," the "last morning cuddles," the "last game of starcraft," the "last trip to the store"....and putting Violet to bed at a friend's house the night before was the Worst. Saying goodbye to her was so so much harder than ever...hard for Ben to do, hard for me to watch. She grows at such an exponential rate, it is a huge percentage of her life (at this point) that Ben has missed out on.....it was just really, really tough.

*Whew.* 

But, Onwards, right?  Only 4 more months to go. That,in itself, makes things easier. It is like God tells us to be as Christians, looking ahead to the second coming of Christ rather than dwelling on the Wait Time between now and then.....that is what keeps us going. Counting Down is easier than adding up all the sadness and losses.

So, without further ado, I wipe my tears, raise up my hands, strengthen my knees, and offer you some pictures of our Family from the last 2 weeks of Bliss. 

"I think I'm in love..."

Walking with Daddy @ the Commissary

Fun in the Backyard

Daddy's Girl

P.S. Thanks to all our family who prayed for us, visited with us, and called for moral support when he left!