When the Husbands Away...

Brad has been in India for a two and a half weeks now. He will be gone for another half a week. This is what I've learned while he's been gone-

Brad in the traditional veshti clothing of India

- taking care of our kids isn't the hard part. Yes, I know I still have one more week and anything can happen. BUT it's the day to day stuff that is easier than I thought. Which is actually a really great thing to learn!

- that being said, I'm gaining more faith in my abilities as a mother and homemaker. My house is kind of a disaster (though it's getting better because i'm slooowly cleaning it), but my kids are happy, we're having fun, we're eating good food, and we are all still alive. I am capable of more than I realize and that is really empowering :)

- i'm lonely. And I'm surprised at how lonely I am. It's kind of pathetic how much I just miss him being around me. Being able to talk to him (in person), text him when I want (cuz that ain't happening), couch cuddles, going to bed together, waking up together. Just him being with me. Basically it sucks. I miss my husband.

- distractions are a must. The day after he left, we left with my sister to go down to my grandmother's funeral. Two days after we got back my wonderful mother drove up and stayed with us for six days. She kept trying to help out, silly woman. I seriously just enjoyed having another adult around and wanted her to just hang out with me! I thought she was just a distraction for my boys, but after she left I definitely missed having her around and felt Brad being gone pretty heavily. So I've been trying to do more home projects or cleaning (... or binge watching Netflix shows...) to make time go faster. We've also been getting busy visiting people which leads me to my next lesson...

James being an awesome big brother and teaching the little(r) ones to blow bubbles in their drinks

Off the Waffle! This place never gets old

- take people up on their offers to help. Oh. My. Goodness. Can I just say how awesome and amazing people are??? I am so humbled by how much our friends want to help me and the boys out while Brad is gone. I have a hard time accepting help, but I knew I couldn't do this by myself. And when people are genuinely offering, take them up on it! It's funny, because when I'm the one offering help, it is in no way inconvenient to do whatever needs to be done. So happy to help. But being on the receiving end of it all, so hard to not feel like you are a nuisance and people are being TOO kind. This week basically every day people are opening their homes to us or coming over to keep us company. Friends are amazing. Plus all the people who are just asking how we are doing, how Brad is holding up, and being concerned for us. It all means so much and I am seriously grateful for it all.

- my schedule is off. I had these grand plans of getting on a real schedule (because i totally am NOT) . Yeeeaaaah... not happening. I had no idea Brad being gone would mess with my body clock. It probably doesn't help either that I stay up way too late because I have nothing to go to bed for. Except sleep. But that's totally overrated, right? (wrong)

- gives plenty of time to get things done! Knowing everything falls on me has really motivated me to be more proactive in checking things off my list. I did before, but I'm trying harder to make the best of my time. What else am I going to do, sit on the couch? Pine for him? Might as well pine while getting stuff done. Cue distraction again! Plus it feels a lot better, getting something done, that's for sure.

Brad and I (and the boys, for that matter) are ready for this trip to be over. Brad has had a great time and seen some pretty neat things. I'm excited to look at all the pictures he's taken. He even gets a couple days in Amsterdam on the way back. To say I'm jealous would be a gross understatement. But I'm grateful he gets to experience it... though I told him next time, it's my turn ;) The last thing I'll say that I've learned is, it really has shown us how much we mean to one another. In the day to day of things, it's easy to get in a rut and take each other for granted. I hope we keep this experience close to our hearts and continue to learn and grow closer from it.

Now I am going to anxiously/frustratedly/excitedly wait for Sunday to come, when the jet-lagged man finally comes home!