December 31st...
There you go...a glimpse into my life for an entire year. A sneak peek inside the day-to-day of an Army Wife enduring her husband's first deployment in a completely new world. Wow. I can't believe I survived this, to be honest. One...I can't believe I just made it a whole year in Clarksville, TN without my husband, without my family, without any of my friends from back home. Of course I made new friends while I was here (and they are great, GREAT people that I will love and stay in touch with forever now) And two...I can't believe I actually kept this blog up! Ok, so maybe I didn't take a picture EVERY day...there were definitely periods of time where I was more enthusiastic than others, but that was to be expected. If I skipped a day (or a week) I would rack my brain to remember what we did, and try to capture a picture that had at least something to do with that day, after the fact. Mainly so I wouldn't have to face my oldest sister who constantly let me know how behind I was!
To be perfectly honest, I had initially intended to use this blog as an outlet to get through this deployment. To vent, or cry, just be an open book for my family back home. But as it turned out, I am just not the "open book" type. I used this blog more to highlight the fun, or funny, things that happened to us during our days here, and not to focus on anything negative. I had my moments, of course, but I thought I was going to treat this blog more like a diary. If I decide to continue this blog into 2011...I am going to try and be more open about everything and really use this blog for what it was intended for. I think having my husband home will help me do just that, with him around I always feel more comfortable in my own skin!
This isn't the best "farewell 2010" picture, it doesn't really capture what I wanted it to...but of what I took, this is what I got! I really didn't do much for New Years, I sat on the couch by myself while my kids went to bed at their normal time. So instead of having that depressing though end my blog (for now) I decided I would take the kids outside on these nice sunny (winter) days and get some pictures of the kids. Cael was playing soccer in the yard, and just looking at him, and seeing how much bigger he is than when we first moved here was really emotional for me. It breaks my heart that he, and all kids with military families have to grow so much during the years that their parents are away. But on the plus side, I know that in a few weeks Cael is going to be able to kick that ball to Derrick, and he is going to kick it right back! So that's why I chose this picture to end my blog, because it shines a little light on what we have to come.
Thank you everyone who kept up with me this year, and cared enough to peek in and see how we were doing! It means a lot to me how much love and support I have in my life, and it really was brought to my attention after we moved away. When you are right down the street from someone, you don't think to tell them how much you love having them around, probably because you don't have to imagine not having them. It was really a comfort to me to see how many people in my life made this move with me, maybe not in person, but definitely in heart!
And another thank you to everyone who I met while here in TN and really made this year tolerable! Faith, Amber, Tiffany, Eryn, Christy...just to name some of you. Thank you! I cherish our friendships, and even though circumstances keep changing, I hope we can always keep in touch!
Love you guys!
-Darci
Darci, when you and your husband decided to move thousands of miles away from your family, I asked you why, and were you sure? You looked right into my eyes and said very bravely "If I don't move away I won't grow up. I will always be the baby sister and the baby of the family." I wasn't sure that it was the right decision, but then, it wasn't MY decision to make, was it? You were a grown-up and able to make your own choices. I also wasn't sure I could handle it very well. After all, you were the last to leave home, you were my baby. You stayed in touch by phone, and we sent packages. I even got to come and visit you twice! When you decided to start a blog to scrap a picture every day. I remember thinking "How cool will that be?" But I was thinking that as a scrapbooker, you know, the whole picture a day thing. Your blog turned into much more than that, though. It was a window, just like you said, into your life and your world of being a single mom for a year. I remember reading it every night before I went to bed. It was my routine. And I also remember the actual moment while reading, with tears running down my face, when I realized you were right. Your dad looked at me with a question in his eyes, and I just bawled out "She was right. She moved away and grew up. She did it! I don't have a baby anymore....." He held me and soothed me and said what I already knew. It was meant to be. Even though your family questioned you, you did what needed to be done. Your sisters and I (and all your back home friends) have read this blog religiously every time you took time to type it out. We were with you through it all. The move, the deployment, the helmet, the skyping, the Drs. appointments, the park outings, the flood, the geo-caching adventures with Faith, your game nights with all of your new friends, the sadness of those same friends moving away, and every other adventure you've had while down there without us. Know that because of this blog, we missed nothing!!! And we loved every minute of it. I can't think of a better way that you could have stayed in touch. You're amazing and your blog was amazing and if you choose to keep it up, we will all continue to read it. If you choose to end it today, that's ok, because we'll keep in touch another way. I love you very much, and I want you to know that. Unconditionally. I'm proud of you. You and your sisters have made your dad and I the proudest parents ever. All of you have overcome obstacles that I never had to face. I am posting this on my wall, because I want them to know that everything I wrote to you just now, I need to say to them also. Different circumstances of course, but the same heartfelt love. (I just don't want to write it all out 4 times!) LOVE YOU BUG!!!
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