The First 2 Weeks

Well, it has been two weeks since Jacob left for Afghanistan and what a doozy it has been. It has definitely been the longest two weeks I can remember for a long time. A couple of days before Jacob left Rachel got croup and was probably sicker than I had ever seen her. She got over the croup just after Jacob left (or as he was leaving, I can't exactly remember) and she had a super bad cold. I'm talking fevers, a cough that would make her throw up because she couldn't stop coughing, buckets and buckets of snot, you get the picture. I actually wonder if we had RSV. Poor little girl was miserable. Then, my little girl who is so good at sharing, shared her cold with her brother, who shared it with me. We have all been super sick. The worst part for me was the fevers. They made me feel dizzy and confused and tired and they made it really hard to know when my kids had fevers as well. Rachel was the first to get better. Kent and I are on the verge of being better, but we are well enough to start getting out of the house. I think the reason we all got sick is because now that we have dealt with being sick and with out Dad, just being with out Dad isn't quite as hard.

It has been rough, but I can feel that we are being blessed too. I have had many texts from people checking up on us. Also, I feel like I have been blessed to be more patient. Usually when I get to the end of my rope, Jacob is there to help me and to pick up the pieces. I have been praying for more patience to be a good mom and not to get angry at Rachel when we are having a hard day and Heavenly Father has been helping me. I also had a sweet fried from church bring us dinner one night along with a few other miscellaneous goodies to help us til we could get out of the house. She was one of Rachel's primary teachers. Also, I have been doing a good job keeping up on housework, despite being sick and not having Jacob to help me, and housework is something I always struggle with.

We have had some hard days, but we have had some good days too. I can tell Rachel misses her Daddy a lot! She talks about him all the time and she pretends she is going to work in Afghanistan multiple times a day. She asks for daddy to come home. She also asks all day long for kisses from Daddy. We have been eating one chocolate kiss from daddy every night, and he has been eating one chocolate kiss from us every night too.

We  haven't been able to hear from Jacob quite as much as we would have liked. We have FaceTimed a few times, but mostly we have been using email to keep in touch which I think is hard especially on Rachel since she can't read his messages.

Here are a few pictures from the last little couple of weeks:

Missing Dad

Trying to drink water. 

Rachel going for a ride in her "car". She has been so stir crazy and keeps pretending she is going to the store or going to get gas.

Kent happy despite being sick.

Painting a picture for Daddy.

Being silly

Rachel putting me down for a nap because I don't feel good.

Rachel found this mirror and and been using it to "FaceTime" everyone.

Sleeping in my bed when he was sick.

Playing while mommy makes dinner.

Oops, its sideways. This is a picture of our flat Daddies. Rachel carries them around and sleeps with them and loves them to pieces. 

Wishing Daddy didn't have to go, or that we could go with him.

The aftermath from eating ritz crackers.

Being an Angel

Getting ready to go to Target. (She picked out the flower)

Some things Rachel has been saying the last couple of weeks:

I want Adam and Eve to come play with me.

I'm taking Adam and Eve to the store.

An angel came to me just like he came to Mary and Joseph. He told me that Mary was going to have baby Jesus.

I'm making a painted lady. (from Avatar)

When Piggie was falling off a cliff, a monster ate her. I wish Piggie could come to our house. 

Me: Today is Presidents Day!

Rachel: Oh! Can we have presents?

Me: Pres-i-dents day.

Rachel: Oh! Can we have presidents?

I want Daddy to come home.

Mommy, I am texting Daddy. 

I want Grandma and Grandpa to come play at my house.

I am going to work in Afghanistan to fight the bad guys.

I have a baby in my tummy and her name is Baby Elizabeth. The Grinch has a baby in his tummy too and her name is Cinderella.

Mommy, it is hard that I can't do things by  myself. (She said this when she couldn't get her socks on by herself.)

Mommy? Don't cry while I do this, okay? (I really haven't cried much, but I guess the times I did, it made an impact because she tells me this all day long.)

I want Heavenly Father to come play at my house. (Can you tell she has been wanting to see people?)

On Thursday, I took the kids to Target and the whole way there Rachel sang a song about how we were going to Target to see people. She has been going a little crazy stuck in the house with no people.

While FaceTiming with my mom she asked to see Grandpa. My mom had to tell her that he was at work to which Rachel replied, "Oh. Is he at work in Afghanistan with my Daddy?"

I know there have been tons more funny things she has been doing and saying, but now that I sit down to think about them, I honestly can't remember them. It has been a long too weeks. I'm glad we are getting better now and can get out of the house! We miss you Jakie!