Suffering

I wanted to write a little about something that I have realized since you have left. It is that while we never want to put the word "suffering" next to the words "my children", I have learned that there is a reason for it. I have at least learned to trust more and put our children into the hands of God and His great plan. I worried and fretted so much about how this deployment would affect the children, I worried they would be damaged. I could not see how anything positive could come out of this. As it turns out, yes, it has been difficult on them. On some, harder than I would have imagined and yet something else is happening at the same time. I am beginning to see leaps and bounds in their growth as persons and in their character. Each one is having their own seperate journey and way of dealing with this, but I am not sure that what is being accomplished in them could have been done without the "suffering". I hope and pray that this continues in the positive way it has been going, but I guess I just want you to know that you can be very proud of your children. When you come home I think you are going to see children who are a little more caring, a little tougher, a little more helpful and a whole lot deeper. Isn't that something that we would all wish for our children? Tonight I am grateful for the blessings that can come out of difficult situations, I am just so grateful...

I am including a picture of Laura who has been so incredible in her support to us. She is like a medicine for the family. Thank you Laura for all of the times you have come into town to watch the children and give me a break! We love you!!

Laura playing Boggle with M. Just a note that how P looks in this picture does not represent at all how she is with Laura, she absolutely could not get enough of her!!