Pulling on my big girl panties

To all you single parents out there, I start off this post with saying, "You are amazing. No one in the world is tougher than you. You are the epitome of muscle, hard work, and superhero-ness all rolled up into one."

 I had a single mom. My parents were divorced when I was ten. Although I was blessed  with two great parents who were both involved in my everyday life, I did get a first hand view of what it was like to be tough as nails. 

Both my parents did it. So this is not by any means meant to leave out all you rugged dads out there wearing just as many hats!

I'm about to step into the arena of "single parenting".

I'm using air quotes right now because really I am not doing it alone. We just have to do it from a distance for a while. 

That does mean, however, that dear old mom will be picking up the pieces at the end of a long day. 

It's on me. 

(Be prepared to see many more of these photos documenting my slow, but steady road to insanity.)

I know I need to suck it up and get those big 'ol panties on, but let me just sit here in my hole for one more minute.
This will be our first time all apart since Molly died.
This will be the first time Clara will realize Daddy is not here. (His last deployment she was only one.) 

This will be the first deployment where Samantha will be old enough to email her father. (Someone help me with all this growing up. I can't deal. But that's for another day...)
This will be the first of many. 

I'd love to sit here and say, "We got this. We are military. This is part of the life we live." 

Part of that really is true.

 But there is another part of me that just wants to crawl into bed, pull the covers over my head, and wish away the dreaded day. 

It just doesn't work that way though, does it? 

We all have got to suck it up at times and get things done, whether we want to or not. People depend on us. We have commitments. We have obligations. 

So to all of you out there that is struggling with the thought of "adulting" today, I say, "You are not alone.

I'm right there with you friend. And if those before us made it, certainly we can." 

(Yes, this is all just me giving myself one big pep talk, but humor me here.)

So ladies and gentlemen, wave that flag of surrender for just a moment. Take a deep breath with me. And then let's hike up our pants and get this day done! If anything, we can say we tried!