Our Favorite Books: For Deployment

If you know me, you know self restraint in the children's section of a bookstore is not something I possess. Filling Eloise and Harvey's library with meaningful stories and vibrant illustrations brings me such joy. Fortunately, I am blessed with a husband who replies with, "one thing they can never have too many of is books" when I come home with another new stack. 

I set out almost as soon as we knew Brad was heading overseas again to purchase a collection of books that will be helpful in explaining the emotions of deployment to our kids. It is a tall task at ages two and four, but I really believe books is one of the best places to begin. Hunting for the perfect deployment library has honestly been therapeutic for me as we anticipated the big see you later. Children's literature has a beautiful way of boiling down big, important lessons into basic terms. So much of what is written in the pages of these nine books are things I need to be hearing every day too as we journey through this year together.

In all honesty, I was pretty disappointed with most of the books suggested to me by fellow military spouses when I asked for deployment book ideas. The "standard" deployment books for kids, if you will. Most of them were incredibly cheesy and over-the-top patriotic. Of course I want my kids to know Daddy is a hero in our hearts and sacrifices so much for our country. But even more so I want them to know that it is okay to feel sad, confused, scared, impatient, and even mad too. I wanted to find books that would make them think, make them laugh, make them ask questions, and, most importantly, books that would bring them peace in knowing how much Brad loves them. Even from a far. 

I have these awesome books on display on our deployment wall in the kitchen. They sit on a shelf low enough that Eloise and Harvey have access to them at all times, and we often discuss favorite books or ideas from what we have read that day again together during meals. I really think it is the perfect placement. I am so excited to share these with you! Mostly because I know how valuable this list will be in the coming years for so many dear friends. I pray that these are a source of strength and comfort to you and your kids as you face the heartbreaking separation of military life. 

Happy reading!

1. The Invisible String by Patrice Karst | A useful title for separation of all types, not just deployment. Introduces the idea of an invisible string connecting two siblings to their mom as they are scared in bed during a storm. The story ends with the idea that we can never be alone as we are always connected to the ones we love, even if they are in another room, on the moon, or even in Heaven. 

2. I'm Sad by Michael Ian Black and Debbie Ridpath Ohi | I found this gem in a dreamy bookstore in downtown Aspen, CO on a trip last fall with our beloved neighbors. Even just the memory of where I first stumbled upon a book is enough to cure some of my own deployment blues. It follows three characters, flamingo, potato, and a little girl, as they navigate flamingo's sadness. What is it? Will it last forever? They discover the best way to cope is to allow the time and space to fully feel it. It approaches a tough topic in a lighthearted way, making it a must for a deployment library.

3. The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn | This one is great for a back to school bookshelf and is how it first joined our library. I think the theme is perfect for deployment too. Brad gave each of our kids a big kiss in the the palm of their hands to hold tight while he is away.

4. My Daddy is a Hero by Hannah Tolson | If you have never explored Usborne books before, you definitely should take a peek. They are some of my favorite books we have for our kids. I hosted an online party when Eloise was a baby and ended up with $300 worth of free books it was so successful! Clearly my friends and family share my Usborne obsession. This was a new release last year that my mom picked up for the kids. It discusses in simple terms the logistics of a handful of specialties within the military, perfect for explaining what a soldier's job actually is without the fear factor. I know I struggle with that question from Eloise. I love this one a little extra because it comes in a "My Mommy is a Hero" version too. 

5. Waiting Is Not Easy by Mo Willems | The beloved duo Piggie and Gerald are back again. This time Piggie has a surprise for an impatient Gerald. It makes my kids giggle to see Gerald getting so antsy wondering what it could be. The last page is a beautiful starry scene that was indeed "worth waiting for." I like explaining that Daddy's homecoming will be just as worthwhile even though we may feel just as frustrated as Gerald some days as we wait.

6. My Dad is Amazing by Sabrina Moyle | Just a silly, fun one to balance out some of the heavier topics on the shelf. Always necessary to talk about how Daddy is "cooler than a million popsicles" and "tougher than a rhino wrestler." Super cute illustrations and a My Mom is Magical option (that we actually own and put out on our Mother's Day shelf) make this a must have.

7. I'll Love you till the Cows Come Home by Kathryn Cristaldi | A variety of animals travel to far away destinations where love still exists. The outlandish situations make the kids laugh while explaining that love knows no boundaries. 

8. When Sadness is at Your Door by Eva Eland | Brad and I found this one together perusing bookstores together leisurely on our pre-depoyment, kid-free getaway in Boulder, CO. Another memory tied to a book that makes me smile. The overall theme of this one is to let Sadness in and sit with you awhile instead of hiding from it, even if it "sits so close to you, you can hardly breathe." Give it a name. Find out what it likes to do, and just as it appeared it will be gone one day. I particularly love the illustrations of the cute green blob that is Sadness petting a cat, doing yoga, and eating ice cream to find happiness again.

9.  I Love You Near and Far by Marjorie Blain Parker | I am sucker for a good rhyming book, and this cat lady gives out bonus points for portraying cats as a sweet military family on the cover. This is another good one for not just military families though. It talks about the love between family members who are miles apart for any number of reasons - divorce, deployment, or just grandparents who live far away. I like to explain that Daddy is far away for work just like Grandma Sue, Papa, Nana, and Mickey live far from us. I think that helps it seem less scary to little minds because they already know what it feels like to miss their grandparents, but they also are familiar with the happiness of being reunited. It will be the same way with Daddy before we know it. 

10. Lilla's Sunflowers by Colleen Rowan Kosinski | One more title not pictured because I forgot it as I was creating my graphic (oops). It is too good to leave out. Lilla is heartbroken when an entire season with her sunflowers in bloom comes and goes before her dad gets a chance to see them in person. The page with dead, wilted sunflowers and a tearful Lilla WILL make you cry. You have been warned. I am preparing myself for some big tears over why Daddy can't be here to see the things our kids are proud of, first on deck being Eloise's dance recital. This book will be so helpful in working through that disappointment together. And power through the pages, because this tear jerker does have a very happy ending! 

Save it for Sunday

The Highlights

Some of the happiest memories we have had as a family this winter have come from playing outside in the snow together. Harvey finally thinks it is fun instead of pouting and struggling to move in his snow pants the whole time. At the beginning of the week we had a beautiful snow fall, but life got busy and we did not get outside to play in it. I had been kicking myself all week for the missed opportunity. In true Colorado fashion, it melted by the next day. With 0% chance of snow in the forecast I had no choice but to get over it. Saturday morning we woke up to...surprise! A respectable covering of sparkling snow! I could not help but smile knowing mother nature had graciously delivered a second chance just for us. I am so hard on myself in these final days of anticipation. I want everything to be as perfect as possible. I want Brad to eat all of his favorite home cooked meals. I want to capitalize on as many opportunities for family fun as possible. I want all the smiley pictures of my crew together in one frame. I want Brad to have as many comforts of home packed to take with him as possible. As silly as it may seem, this last frolic in the snow really felt like a gift.

Dadford is an expert snowman builder

After Eloise's 892 dates, Harvey finally got his moment in the spotlight! Donuts with Dadford and a brand new set of wheels. It does not get any better than that in Harvey land. Our favorite local donut shop has a little donut mobile for sale that Harvey is always swooning over. Move over Lulu the school bus as the fan favorite. Guess what is now zooming around our house? One can never have too many cars. And thanks to Grandma Sue, I got to enjoy one last date night with my best friend too. I ate my feelings in carbs. Brad ate two cannolis. Success.

During our last deployment, I started my own little hashtag and posted a picture a day on my Instagram account. They were numbered with what day it was all the way to the happiest day when Brad returned home safely and met Eloise for the first time. I have to admit, capturing and posting them became kind of daunting. I made a mental note to maybe skip it next time around. But fast forward a few years as we started prepping for Brad's departure this time. He asked me if I was going to do the picture a day thing again because he loved it so much. UGH. As I grumbled on about how I didn't want to, he encouraged me to go back and look through those days now as a history. It was THE BEST. So good in fact, that I ordered a Chatbooks flip book composed of all 266 days right away. Chatbooks is worth checking out if you are looking for a quick and easy way to turn your Instagram pictures into high quality photo books. When it arrived in the mail this week, I immediately knew #wittdeploymentdays would be making it's grand return soon. I am still debating how to go about it this time since I am usually off of social media for the most part until Sundays. Do I take and label my seven pictures and post them all on Sunday? Allow myself a set amount of time on Instagram each night after bedtime to do a catch up scroll and post that day's picture? What do you think?

The Small Moments

Eloise is big into her doctor's kit Aunt Whitney gave to her for her first Christmas again. It comes and goes in waves, and when the wave hit, no one is safe from her frequent check ups. Naturally, Harvey is her favorite patient as of lately. He is actually such a professional actor now that I caught him earlier this week bouncing his leg up into the air and exclaiming, "oh!" every time she pretended to check his knee reflexes. It was the cutest thing and had Brad and me rolling on the ground laughing.

My best childhood girlfriend Aura gave me my first piece of Brian Andreas artwork probably over a decade ago. My collection has since grown with both Aura and Brad contributing pieces from time to time. A few weeks ago I finally got three of my favorites hung on our entryway wall, and ever since then they are constantly making me smile. I found out that the artist does "A Story Every Day" email each morning. You all know I have been trying to step back from social media and set boundaries for myself, and this email subscription has become one of my favorite new morning rituals instead of immediately scrolling. There is always a piece of his art attached with a motivational paragraph or two about it's origin or what it means to the artist. His words somehow always hit home in some way and motivate me to start the day with a positive attitude.

Newest addition and favorite from Brad

The Ways We Grew

Eloise is unbelievably close to earning her starfish badge at swimming. Mark my words, one of the next save it for Sunday posts will have a picture of our proud little fish with a medal around her neck. I am a little bit heartbroken that Brad won't be here to see her earn it, but it was so fun to watch him geeking out on Saturday watching her do her flips, dives, and floats so successfully. We are hoping to FaceTime him in for her award ceremony. Eloise's lab work came back and is still off. The goal is to get her TSH between 0.5 and 4.0. It is now up to 0.14 from 0.04, so we are moving in the right direction at least. They dropped her dose again and we will be back for more blood work in a month. In other Eloise news, her ballet teacher announced that they will be dancing to "You'll Be In My Heart" from Tarzan for their recital in June. You can imagine how that song news hit my heart. I will need five boxes of tissues at a minimum nearby for the actual performance.

Harvey's vocabulary is continuing to explode. This week his favorites are "you did it, bubba" to congratulate himself on a job well done and "oh my gosh" not in reference to anything in particular. He learned it and just loves to say it. His protest of all blankets on his big boy bed has finally come to an end. Ever since he moved out of his crib he has thrown a huge fit any time we try to cover him up. Well our frigid temperatures this week changed all of that. He discovered the glory of burrowing under the covers all by himself, and it is super adorable to see him snuggled up. Eloise isn't the only one with dance news this week either. Harvey has been doing shuffle steps and digs galore as well as his signature move: "shake a booty." A year of studio brother life and he is picking up the moves. This dude is ready to dance! Unless he is at Lowes too close to naptime...

The Witt-isms

"Hear the bells?" -Harvey
His way of asking me to roll the windows down as we pull into the parking lot at Eloise's preschool so he can hear the bells. They play Amazing Grace every morning right at nine as all of the preschool families are arriving. It is one of my favorite little moments of the day and apparently one of Harvey's too.

"We live on Mercury." -Eloise
"No, we don't. Can you think of what our planet is called?" -me
"Mercury is the closest planet to the sun. It is VERY hot during the day and BBRRR FREEZING COLD at night!" -E
"Wow! That is so cool that you know that. But is our planet called?" -me
"We will definitely need sunglasses when we visit Mercury." -E
"We would need more than sunglasses. We'd burn up!" -me
"Oh yea, true mom! We'd be like POOF and turn into a poof ball!" -E

Looking Ahead

The Oscars | 0 days --- The Oscars are on tonight! Every year Brad and I make it our mission to watch as many of the films nominated for best picture as we can together before it airs. Even with everything going on, this year has been no different. We watched Bohemian Rhapsody, A Star is Born, BlacKkKlansman, Roma, and Black Panther. The other three are either still in theaters or not available to rent yet. It makes it so much more fun to watch the awards when you are rooting for someone.

Family dinners | 3 days --- A few of my friends here have husbands deployed on the same timeline as ours. We all agreed it is when evening arrives that we usually miss our spouses the most. Beginning Wednesday, once a week we are going to rotate cooking/hosting responsibilities and share our own twist on family dinners together. There are so many things I am looking forward to about these nights. A few less dinners to cook for one is a huge perk, but being together with strong women and mamas who are feeling and going through all the same things as me is simply the best.

DiBiases visit | 7 days --- More visitors on the calendar! The more the merrier. Who is booking their trip next? One of the best things to come from our time at Fort Campbell was my friendship with Lauren. She has a genuine heart of gold, and her husband's school event in Denver has impeccable timing. I am so glad they will be in town for a major mood boost.

Save it for Sunday

The Highlights

I do a big eye roll every time I hear someone complain about Valentine's Day or refuse to participate because "we should appreciate our loved ones every day." Well of course we do! But try to hide your bah humbug and just enjoy the flowers, chocolate, and feel good vibes, would you?! I personally look forward to the opportunity to love my biggest loves a little extra every year. Our first married Valentine's Day, I woke up early and knocked my new hubby's socks off with an extravagant breakfast feast. This year we decided to wake up together and do the same for Eloise and Harvey. We kept the menu simple (and sugary): heart shaped cinnamon rolls with sprinkles, fruit parfait, and mini donut stackers. Brad picked up tulips for the table, made strawberry milk, and meticulously molded blueberries into a heart surrounded by raspberries and strawberries. I loved seeing him so willingly dive into planning the event with me. I, of course, was in charge of a table design that would make Pinterest proud. A basket full of small surprises I had gathered (new slippers, Love Monster and L is for Love, our favorite Wunderdough, light up bouncy balls, treats, etc.) was waiting for each of them. Everything was a huge hit! Harvey thought it was his birthday all over again and proceeded to sing "Happy Birthday" to himself at various points throughout breakfast. I think that says it all. We made them feel as celebrated as birthdays do. Mission accomplished.

Harvey with his new I "lava" you Wunderdough 

Not pictured: cute matching Valentine's Day jammies (see below) due to massive blowout

We got our family pictures back that my friend Laura took of us last weekend. Truly talented photographers are wizards. Plain and simple. Trying to capture genuine smiles on a two and four year old in February wind and cold is near impossible. Not to mention I got my first ever Colorado nose bleed right in the middle of the shoot. Perfect timing. I will let just a few of our favorite images (there are SO many) speak for themselves. Wizardry, I tell you. I am beyond thrilled to have these beautiful memories to cherish and hang in our home.

 

On Friday we left the kids with Nana and Mickey (Brad's parents) who flew in to graciously give us a weekend away together. We ventured north not too far from home to a quaint little town right between Boulder and Denver. Our AirBnb was divine, a tiny house renovated and decorated by a local singer/songwriter and his artist wife. Saturday morning we rolled out of bed late and down the street hand-in-hand to a coffee shop, new books in tow after leisurely perusing the bookstore we stumbled upon along the way. I cannot tell you the last time I sat at a coffee shop and read a book! That afternoon we explored Pearl Street in Boulder. We have loved this area before, but the patience of our small sidekicks has never allowed us to wander in and out of every interesting shop. That is exactly what we did. We bought bath bombs for the kids and cute, new books for their library and talked about how much we both missed them. I am convinced parenthood is wanting desperately to get away but then dreaming of being back home where your favorite beings exist. Saturday night we splurged on a very fancy dinner at a highly esteemed and awarded Italian restaurant. I always love eating at places like Frasca with Brad. One of us will undoubtably make a fool of ourselves, causing the other to giggle uncontrollably. Will we ever grow up? Probably not. Every night was spent fireside in our cozy oasis watching movies, reading, and playing games. It was amazing how totally at home we felt there. I wanted to stay tucked away together, hidden from what is coming, forever. We are looking forward to returning at the end of the year with a deployment in the rear view mirror. I am so thankful for the time shared to clear our minds, recharge, and reconnect.

The Small Moments

On another Valentine's Day note, holidays have really become fun on such a different level now that Eloise is in school. On Wednesday night we worked together on her donut themed cards to give to all of her classmates. She took such care in making sure each googly eye was adhered perfectly, and she wanted to write her own name on the back of every one without any help. Some were better than others, and she declared with great exhaustion at about the halfway mark that she needed a break. Signing autographs is hard work. We sat down again together after her party at school to sort through the Valentine's she received. All day long she was singing a song from the Valentine's episode of one of her favorite shows, True and the Rainbow Kingdom. 2/10 would not recommend. Brad says the opening jingle makes his ears bleed. Nevertheless, hearing her little voice belting these lyrics was the icing on the cake to a truly great Valentine's Day.

It's happy hearts day. Happy, happy hearts day. It's a day that always makes us feel...HAPPY! I give you a happy heart. You give me a happy heart. It feels good to make somebody happy!

I may or may not have been humming said obnoxious opening jingle Brad hates while making dinner one night. I turned around and was immediately misted in the face with the spray bottle I use to wet Eloise's hair when I am styling it. Brad sprayed me in the face, scolding me for my poor choice. We used to do this to our cats as kittens when they were doing something naughty like jumping up on the counter. I have not been so surprised by something or laughed so hard in long time.

The Ways We Grew

Harvey is making small but steady strides towards feeling relatively okay about being away from me. Eloise has always been so independent. The first time I dropped her off at Fort Leonard Wood's hourly care when she was about his age she barely even looked back to wave goodbye as I cried big, fat tears in the parking lot. Harvey is such a different story. If I even leave him in the living room to walk to the kitchen where he can STILL SEE ME he will often cry. I am officially a member at Burn Boot Camp now after loving every workout of my free trial. We go three times a week, and while I look forward to the sweat, I dread dropping Harvey off at the childcare center. He runs after me, and I can hear, "wanna go home" through his sobs. I have been pushing through because carving this time out for myself is such a huge priority right now. Because repetition is so key for kids, I always kiss him, tell him I love him, and say, "Mommy always comes back" before I leave. It must be working, because guess what I heard from the backseat as we were pulling into the Burn parking lot on Thursday? "Mommy comes back." When I repeated our mantra to him before I turned to leave he said, "okay" in a voice that said he was nervous but trying to be brave. No tears! I practically skipped out of there. It has been such an interesting challenge for our kids to have such drastically different personalities, attachments, and worries. I am super proud of our Harv man.

The Witt-isms

"Do doin'?" -Harvey, asking "What are you doing?"

Every time we listen to The Greatest Showman soundtrack:
"Oh! It's Daddy!" -Eloise
"No, that is the greatest showman. Remember? From the movie?" -me
"Nope. I am sure that is Daddy." -Eloise
Brad does not hate that she thinks he is Hugh Jackman.

Looking Ahead

Grandma Sue's visit | 3 days --- I don't like the reason she has to come, but I do love that she will be here to lift me up at my lowest. 

Queer Eye Season 3 | 26 days --- A handful of my favorite TV shows and artists all announced release dates for new seasons and albums this past week. Perfect timing! Even the small sources of joy are worth counting down to. There are few crews I can think of that are better suited to fill my lonely nights and make me laugh than the fab five. 

Bray family visit | 34 days --- Our first round of visitors will roll into town to save the day (and my sanity) near the end of March! Ashley and her three kiddos are coming to Colorado, and Eloise is ecstatic to be reunited with her self-proclaimed future husband Levi. I cannot wait to see them all play together again, and I am equally as excited to have Ashley on the couch next to me after bedtime. Looking forward to her bubbly, joyful presence will turbo boost me through month one.

Save it for Sunday | 2.10.19

The Highlights

On Super Bowl Sunday we got to meet the newest member of our Army family. Our friends Harrison and Rose welcomed their daughter and second born last week. Usually I am only in attendance at Super Bowl events for the food and halftime show, but this time it was all for Mary. I cannot think of a better way to spend the time pretending I care about the game than snuggling this sweet girl. She and I discussed the importance of chips and queso and Adam Levine together. It was a night very well spent. I am very much looking forward to watching this little lady grow during our time together at the mountain post.

I am seriously getting a little jealous of the number of dates Eloise has gotten to go on with Dadford lately. Friday night they attended Fort Carson's daddy-daughter dance, and the way Eloise looked at Brad when he came downstairs in his uniform was definitely a prince charming, knight-in-shining-armor moment. I think it was the same heart eyes I still have for him every time I see him in his dress blues. The way she came bouncing back in the house wearing a purple crown bubbling over with excitement about cupcakes and pink balloons and new friends said it all. I think they had a good time. I promised Harvey he will get his man date with daddy very soon.

The Small Moments

Harvey is obsessed with school buses. He named the beloved yellow bus from the wooden vehicle set my mom got him last year for Christmas Lulu, and we do not go anywhere without her. He has another pull back bus that is named Bus (original) who plays second fiddle to Lulu. He will accept Bus if we can't find Lulu. On our trip to Breckenridge a few weekends ago, the kids each got to pick out a toy from the toy store. Eloise picked a little hot pink Ferrari. Harvey picked a school bus with monster truck wheels. I can only imagine his glee someday when he gets to ride a real life Lulu. His sweet, silly obsession is something I don't ever want to forget.

Fifteen months we have been in this home now, and we finally got both of our college diplomas on the wall! Our master bedroom here is huge and even has a little office corner. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears at West Point and nursing school went into those beauties, and for some reason we have neglected to get them up at our previous posts. It is a small thing, but I am so glad to see them in a place of honor now. We also mixed in a few new truck prints for Harvey's big boy room with a few of the baby animal prints from his nursery. The other three animal prints went to my friend Lindsey from our time at Fort Campbell. Lindsey and her husband are now fostering babies and wanted to create a sweet space for them. I love the way the new prints mix with the nostalgia of the old, and I love thinking of all the smiles the others will continue to bring on the littlest faces.

Finding a new, trustworthy and talented hair stylist is probably my least favorite part about moving so often. I still had not found my person here. In fact, last year I tried and miserably failed. I did a ton of research and paid a ton of money for what should have been top quality service. Well, she over processed and fried the top layer of my hair. Many tears have been shed over the chunks of broken off hair all over my head, but I finally decided to put my brave pants back on and give someone else a try before our family pictures. Woah baby, did my hair ever need some serious TLC! Check out this embarrassing before and after. I am so glad I took another leap of faith. Colorado Springs friends, Kayla (should have known she was the best) at House of Color does incredible work and is a true artist. You won't regret booking an appointment with her.

The Ways We Grew

Is it possible that I can admit my precious baby boy is not without flaw? Oh boy, did that boy ever test me this week. At dance class on Wednesday he stayed right in the doorway and did this total stinker grin back at me until I turned my head for two seconds to talk to another mom. And then he would zoom right into the studio! Stomping and laughing through all the little girls in pink tutu's practicing pirouettes and pointed toes. After class he said, "Mommy sad. Harvey naughty." He also discovered how to unplug the baby monitor in his room this week. So there is that. Once I knew he had given up the nap fight, I snuck in to plug it back in and this is what I found:

Also this week he continues to love to put his dishes in the sink and help me clean the table after meals. He also has a newfound love of throwing away his own dirty diapers. Also smile on command now too. Well, it is some form of a smile I suppose. It is a very scrunched, squinty eyed, clenched teeth Harvey version of a grin, and the first time he did it a few times in a row I cried I laughed so hard. Clearly it is a bittersweet kind of love with my Harvey man this week. Getting smarter every day and certainly keeping me on my toes and laughing!

On Thursday we attended our first parent-teacher "conversation" for Eloise. Apparently they are no longer conferences, they are conversations. It was heart warming to hear her teachers talk about what a joy she is to have in class. They said she is a vibrant, life-loving little girl in a classroom of shy students. She is always the first to volunteer, never afraid to try new things, and, in their opinion, a natural born leader. All things we already knew, but it was still fun to hear someone else dote on her the way we do. She is ahead of her age group in all of the preschool knowledge and skills. She is the only one in her class who consistently insists on writing her own name on her work and does it legibly. My proud mom heart could burst.

The Witt-isms

Pointing to the Old Navy storefront sign:
"Does that say Beat Navy?" -Eloise

"What am I made of?" -Eloise
"Cells." -Me
"Also bones." -Eloise
"True! And muscles too. You are so smart." -Me
"WANT TO SEE MY MUFFLES?!" -Eloise, flexing

Playing eye spy on a family walk:
"I spy with my little eye something that is white." -Eloise
.02 seconds pass
"I'll give you a hint." -Eloise
0.05 seconds pass
"Rocks." -Eloise

"We can never run out of love." -Eloise

"Zooooom. Beeeeep. Chugga chugga." -Harvey, all day, every day

"I love you! I so proud a you!" -Harvey

Looking Ahead

Nana and Mickey visit | 4 days --- Along with our weekend getaway comes a visit from our babysitters, Brad's parents, also known as Nana and Mickey. They will be watching the kids while we sneak away for two nights. We are looking forward to having them here. They haven't seen the house since Christmas 2017. A lot has changed!

Eloise's labs | 8 days --- It feels weird to look forward to yet another blood draw for Eloise, but I am looking forward to finding out where we stand with her levels now. We have seen a small improvement since her last dose adjustment, but my mom gut says there will be another one coming next week. We shall see. Every poke is one step closer to getting my girl feeling like herself again.

Care package planning --- Gotta seek out and cling to those silver linings where we can find them. I LOVE to plan and put together monthly deployment care packages. I think it will be even more fun now that Eloise and Harvey can help me plan themes, hunt for items, and decorate the box.

I hope you all have the happiest Valentine's week with the ones you love most!