Today Sean joined us for breakfast. It definitely helps get the kids up knowing they're going to see their Abba. They don't have a lot to say most mornings, although Jesse wanted to tell all about last night's concert.
After I put the kids in the car with Lindy (who is a god-send for taking the kids to school each morning), I go back in to talk with Sean for a little while. We get to share what's happening each day. Sean is working to rename the chapel at Camp Courtney. We discussed ideas and opinions. We've always functioned as a team. We're best that way. We bounce ideas; we share opinions. I may not wear the uniform, but we serve together.
Bev Brandhuber used to say, "If Momma ain't happy, nobody's happy." The effect the spouse can have on a military family is incredible. It took the military a long time to realize, but families serve together. Not only is Sean serving our nation, but the children and I, and every military family is serving. If you don't believe in the service as a family, you can't make it.
People wonder how I can be so calm about Sean's service; how can I want him to go to Afghanistan? But this is my service. To share Sean, to know that he provides that home, that connection for sailors and marines, to be a part of the service is a proud tradition. If that means Hanukah or Passover in Afghanistan, than we are happy and proud to serve.
This started out as a simple, how was my day. Although my day was filled with a lunch with Erin & David, former USY staffers of mine, picking up children, making dinner, and a run to Home Depot for a new garage door opener, it's my service, and part of that service is to make sure my children can serve through this deployment with as little pain as possible.
Tonight's project was dinner. I made pizza dough. We covered the table with flour, making it into a giant dough board. Jesse, Gavi, & Keren each took two pieces of dough, and created dinner. Toppings of sauce, cheese, broccoli, spinach, chopped tomato, and garlic oil were in the center. They each made the dough into calzones, pizza, and garlic knots as they wanted. It was fun, and gives them something to share tomorrow morning, and had them talking about calzones with Abba.
I've been watching the new Hawaii Five-O. It gives just enough to bring up our Hawaii memories, and makes me wonder at the changes to the places I recognize. It feels just a little like home. It's like I wrote earlier, Hawaii gets under your skin and becomes part of you- kama'aina. It somehow connects me to our start in the Navy sixteen years ago. It doesn't hurt that the cast is kind of hot either.
