Dearest De, How We'll Miss Thee...

We've been blessed to have some wonderful caretakers for our children these past few years, which is a very big deal. Because whether she admits it or not, I think every mother's biggest nightmare is knowing her child is with someone she doesn't completely trust, whether it's for a few hours, a few days, or possibly months at a time. It was hard enough to leave my kids for work every day even when they were with a trusted caretaker, and the few times I had to leave our wailing little girl in back up care at the daycare on post--in the company of strangers whom I didn't always trust--were by far some of the worst days I can remember. Nothing could assuage my guilt on those days. This is why I'm so thankful that we've had the benefit of some wonderful nannies who have cared for our children in our home, and for the past two years, that "second mom" to our kids has truly been second to none...

New Beginnings

The past two weeks have felt like a time warp, with time both speeding by and standing still as we let go of our old life and began to embrace our new life. In the midst of it, I think I've felt every emotion under the sun. It's an odd feeling to be so excited yet apprehensive about these moments that I've been waiting for so impatiently now for so many years, and surprisingly nostalgic as the chapter I was so eager to leave behind actually starts to fade away. But both literally and figuratively, we have finally arrived, and I cannot be happier with our new life!

Looking back at what the past two weeks have wrought, our crazy schedule went something like this:

Goodbye Army!