The First Laundry

In my life, days and weeks go by and I don't always pay much attention to actual dates.  If it wasn't for my phone and/or watch, I wouldn't have a clue as to what day it was or even what day of the week.  Most of them sort of just run together one not much different from the next.  Thank goodness for the "reminders" my phone sends me, and for the giant white board in our kitchen telling me what needs to be done and when!  And lets not forget the importance of automatic bill pay!!

Anyway, the hubs has gone.  We are in full-on deployment mode.  And now that we have made it past the first (and second and third and so-on) laundry, we've got our groove.  Why the laundry?  Well here's the deal.  In those weeks and days before the hubs leaves, I'm constantly doing laundry so that he can take as much of his stuff with him as possible.  But obviously I can never get it ALL because he does have to remain dressed up until his departure.  Which means there is always something left behind.

Time to go.  He leaves, we hug, give kisses, say our "see you laters" and he's on his way.  Days go by, kids and I do our thing and adjust to our new normal.  And I'm good.  Enter laundry.  I start to fold, and sure enough there are his things.  A few t-shirts, some socks, boxers, etc.  This is usually when it hits me, and I have my little moment.  The tears come, I can't help it.  Something about putting away laundry that I know he won't be needing for the next 1/2 a year just does me in.  So I do the ugly cry for about 2.16 minuets and then move on.  If I didn't have kids it would probably last a little longer, but the last image I want them to have is me snotting all over the hubby's clean t-shirt.  Which will now have to be washed yet again because of previous statement.  Thankfully the second wash doesn't phase me and it's now safely in a drawer waiting for his return.

But like I said, we're all good around here now.  There have been MANY MANY loads of laundry - in-fact I've lost count - and we've adjusted to our new normal - which may or may not include ice cream for lunch, later bedtimes, and "camping" in my room with sleeping bags.  I'm just saying - do what you gotta do - ya know??  I even got a little break to go on my very first port visit to see my sweetie.  It was an amazing incredible trip and I treasured every second with him.

Summer break is just days away, and then the fun really begins.  We have some fun adventures planned, summer camps, VBS, swimming lessons, you name it!  I'm sure by the end I'll be more than ready for school to start back up, but for now, I'm looking forward to some lazy mornings, time on the beach, and enjoying the company of these crazy kiddos.

With that I'm off to clean the kitchen and get to bed early tonight.  It was raining today so I actually got the kids to bed on time which means I can follow their lead and do the same!