Daddy works on an airplane..

I told Niko all last week as I pushed him on the swing and looked at the clouds, that his Daddy was going "bye, bye" on an airplane. He was going to work far far away in a city named Atlanta, Georgia. I told him that we won't see him; and Niko and Nathaniel are going to be staying with Mommy alone all week. I told him that Niko needs to help Mommy take care of Nathan, and I told him that Nathan will help me take care of Niko. I told him that Jesus will take care of us all, even Daddy and even at the same time as He's caring for us. Every airplane that flew by all last week I reminded Niko that Daddy will be flying an airplane for work.

I like to prepare Niko for what's to come. I am not a huge fan of surprises and I feel as though when I'm surprised, I am not prepared to deal with my feelings. I like to prepare for having to deal with my feelings. This probably doesn't make any sense to those people who love surprises but well... everyone is different! :) So I like to prepare Niko. Even though Niko is only two years old almost three.. and has no sense of time quite yet. He doesn't know his days of the week, although this week I made it an opportunity to count down the days till Daddy's arrival. He is now saying Friday... Saturday - Daddy! All to say, Niko was ready for Tuesday, the day Daddy left us for a training in Atlanta. He was ready and I acted ready, of course until the minute that he grabbed his suitcase out of my pathfinder and kissed me goodbye, I lost it... and the tears just rolled down until I came home and saw his plane fly over our home; then they rolled down more :)  I know many families who have spouses who either leave for business trips, mission trips or are in the military and after a week with my boys I have total respect for those families and single Mommy's out there. Mikey left on Tuesday of this week and is coming back tomorrow Saturday night. It was only 3 days, 4 nights but it felt like 3 years, and 400 nights.. This was his first time leaving me and the boys, and I'd like to think that with each time he may have to go out of town, it'll get easier on me. But then another part of me just feels like, this is how I am supposed to feel.. I am supposed to feel like my other half is gone. Right? When you get married, you become one. You depend on each other, support each other, encourage each other, spur each other along especially in your faith, love each other, look out for the best interest for each other, lean on each other, be with each other etc etc... It should feel wrong to not be with each other. And this week I missed my husband and the boys missed their Daddy. Niko all week kept saying "Daddy is at work on an airplane"

Dads play an amazing role in a child's life. I think about my Dad growing up and I use to watch him closely. How he fixed things around the house; especially how he wired our entire house so it had cable and speakers inside and out. I use to watch him closely on how he spoke to my mom, how he loved my mom, how he supported my mom, how he and my mom dealt with conflict. I watched him closely on how he related to other people strangers, family, friends, neighbors, police officers, store clerks, in laws, his own family and my brother and I. I watched him as he dealt with death and hurt in the family. I watched him how he dealt with his own physical pains and illnesses. I saw how he ate, what he ate, what he drank and how he took care of himself. I saw his attitude towards people who were hurtful. Now that I am getting older, I am remembering how I use to observe my Dad so closely. I looked up to my Dad and I realized that there was a desire forming in my heart in finding my love of my life to be like my Dad. I am thankful that the Lord gave me a Dad who loved me, my brother and my mom so well. It helped me realize that I wasn't going to settle for anything less. I didn't settle for anything less, and because our Lord is such a wonderful provider, He blessed me with a husband who not only fit my list of requirements for being my "perfect" husband, but He gave me more! 

This weekend is Fathers Day! What a wonderful Father we have in our Lord Jesus Christ! He is our Perfect Daddy! Many of us didn't have the blessing of having a daddy like mine, but know that our Lord Jesus Christ loves you! He knows what's best for you! He is your ultimate provider! He will tell you truths about how precious you are in His eyes! He will bring you comfort in days that are hard, and so much joy all your days! We are so blessed to have Him!

Happy Fathers Day to all the Daddy's out there! May the Lord Bless you!

And now to add some pictures of our week without Mikey...

Roll the film!!!

Next post should have videos of Nathan playing catch with a ball. :)