Two weeks....

Until yesterday I don't think it had fully sunk in that Tom was leaving again. I mean...I knew he was leaving...but the reality didn't sink in at all until yesterday.

Why yesterday?

He spent the afternoon getting his BDU's together. That triggers the emotion every time. Normally I don't see him in his BDU's because he changes at work. So his uniforms go from our house straight to work. Not laid out on the bed for inventory/inspection.

Oh and he had "the talk" with the kids at dinner. The talk where he explains that he is leaving, where he is going, how long it will be before we see him again, how long it will be before he is home for good and the "behave and help your Mom" lecture.

For the most part the kids do OK. I do OK. It is the lonely nights after the kids go to bed, and the crawling into a cold bed alone, and no one to help pick up the slack. Lord help me when the kids fully realize I am outnumbered!