My Birthday

My Birthday, August 30 th, for some reason a day the Air Force loves.  It has become a joke with us because it is rare that Travis will be home on my birthday.  So this birthday was like so many in the past.  He is gone and actually started his travel to Afghan on my day.

The day before my birthday was like any other day, I got up got the boys ready, was all set to leave early so I could make it to Crossfit after dropping the boys off at daycare.  But Bacon, our pig, had other plans.  She was out of her pen again, luckily she just hangs out in the horse corral and doesn't wonder off but we couldn't just leave her out.  So I donned my mucking boots and went out there to help Chloe get Bacon back in her pen and reinforce the weak spot.  This took a while.  By the time we were done I had to take the boys to daycare and then come back for Chloe and take her to school, no Crossfit workout for me.  I left dropping Chloe off and headed to town to get coffee and to look at new daycare for the boys.  CYFD wanted to move them closer to town to make it easier for pick ups and visits.   After I left there and ran by hobby lobby I headed home to work on organizing the garage and hunting down some things for Trav.  No such luck - Daycare called and Ethan, our youngest kiddo, was sick.  He had a fever and runny nose and had had 2 yucky diapers.  So I headed to get the boys from daycare.  The kicker was that since he was sick he couldn't return for 24hrs - meaning he would be home with me on my b-day.  The day I had been looking forward to, the day I had nothing planned but just doing whatever I wanted and enjoying some peace and quiet.  Maybe going shopping with no one whining at me or saying I am hungry and I need this or that.

I will not lie, I was upset, I was angry, I shed tears.  All I had wanted was one day, one day with no lists, no errands that had to be completed, one day alone to do something for myself.  Now logically I knew it was not the end of the world, but I had been looking forward to this day, building it up, telling myself I know my husband is gone and most of my friends have moved or live else where but I can still have a good day.  After I spoke to my husband that night he reminded me that things happen for a reason, kind of has been the theme of this deployment.  So I sucked it up, I was determined to have a good day and knew only I could control that.

I woke up got everyone ready and took Kayden to daycare and Chloe to school.  Ethan and I spent the rest of the day working in the garage and then going into town to drop something by UPS, pick up race packets and we ended up at the mall.  He was wonderful, sleeping on and off, smiling and laughing even though his little eyes were red from allergies.  And even though it was a bit more work loading and unloading him and the stroller and all the things that comes with babies it was a good day.  We picked Chloe up from school and went home so that her and I could work on our shirts for the Dirty Dash (5k mud run) that we would be doing the following day.  We tie dyed them and came up with a design and finished them up.  Then off we went again to get Kayden and pick up dinner - I wanted a chicken and cheese enchilada with green chile and chips and guacamole for dinner.  Once the boys were in bed we enjoyed our dinner and watched a movie and had some quiet.  My day had been wonderful in its own way.  I was able to go to town and enjoy some shopping and enjoy my dinner and some time with my daughter.  I received some flowers from a wonderful friend and I even got a call from my sweet husband that evening.  I have not given up on having my day but for now this was good enough.

To finish off the birthday celbration Chloe and I participated in the Dirty Dash on Saturday and had a blast.  At first Chloe was nervous and actually said she didn't want to do it any more.  I laugh because that girl is too much like me, we both like to know what to expect and what is going to happen.  So we actually ended up going a bit early so she couldn't have any more time to think about it.  First off we had to run through a mud pit and we slipped and splashed and laughed and we continued on.  She did awesome, we ran a bit and she attempted all the obstacles, only one got the better of her, the monkey bars.  On a positive note I conquered those bars - my personal triumph.  I have never been able to do those things and I did them all in one motion and without falling.  A good end to this birthday.

Before

After