January 9th

I'm starting to have a general "dislike" for January 9th.

Last January 9th, I told my husband goodbye for a week as he started his training for work.  For the following 16 weeks I saw my husband for maybe 48 hours each weekend.  Most weekends it was less.  He did get to call most nights.  As I have said in other posts, I was pregnant, chasing a three year old, and working full time.  I kept my sanity and gave myself reality checks by reminding myself that it could be worse--my husband could be a soldier who was away from home for much longer with less contact.  Our daughter was named from one of the shows I watched to help me keep that reality check going.

This time last year, I had no idea I would be spouting off the "May mantra" again, but yet it stares us all in the face again.  If I can make it through today, I can make it until May.  A friend once shared that with me when I was struggling with a commitment I had made to work somewhere until May.  Last year, I shared that mantra with my husband.  We both repeated it several times throughout last spring.  I am not sure who will sing it loudest this year....my brother, my sister in law, or my mom.

Tomorrow is January 9th and my little brother takes off for basic training with the Army National Guard.  My sister in law is pregnant, about the same place in her pregnancy as I was this time last year.  She chases an almost 18 month old little boy around non-stop.

Yep, I am pretty sure that I will just cross January 9th off the calendar next year...