He's a soldier

Day 2

My friend told me something yesterday that helped get my perspective straight, "He's not a father or a husband now, he's a soldier." What an epiphany that was. He is a soldier, a full time devotee to the president. It's ok though I've already got another man of the house, so Gabe says.

Heard from a friend of Terry's who is working at Abu Ghraib prison. It was nice to get encouragement from someone who is already there. Terry called again today. It's almost akward. How do you squeeze in about a thousand emotions into 10 or 15 minutes? Well you don't. We just tell him how much we love and beleive in him and try not to cry.

Of course, everyday life doesn't stop when your partner's gone. Today was a good reminder of that.

I'm trying to get back on a running schedule (that marathon's looking like the Tour de France right about now) so I squeezed in a 20 minute "I'm back in the saddle again" run, and what do I hear above my wheezing and the blaring television? Glass. Breaking. Children. Screaming. Wonderful. I stumble off my treadmill and force my jelly legs upstairs to see if my kids are alive. They are. But Asher is holding a broken glass in his hand (happily I might add) and Gabe is frozen in shock and awe at what kicking a ball in a small home can do. Two of the glass covers to our very 1980's dining room hanging lamp are broken, shattered all over the carpet. I gently remove the lethal weapon from Asher's baby hands and as camly as I can, interrogate Gabe as to how this happened.

Holding his breath a little he says, "I just kicked the ball over there," he points about two feet past the light. "And then it came back," he rattles off quickly, as if he can say it too fast for me to understand. Of course, I live with Terry so mumbling, speed talk is my second language. Gabe is grounded for the day (he's been told many a time not to kick or throw balls in the house) and actually looks RELIEVED at the punishment. Hmmm. I'll have to remember that. Since the reaction was a bit muted, I ordered him to get his allowance from last week and give it to me. After school we took a trip to Home Depot to replace the light covers. Again, no reaction from the perpetrator - no thanks to the young, male, cashier who chuckled at Gabe, "Oh I broke many a lamp when I was a kid." Thanks buddy.

We also had tball tonight. Gabe's swing is amazing. Seriously, for only playing about three months out of the year I'm impressed. Asher precludes me from ever really enjoying the game like I used to, but I still had a good time wearing them out for bed. One more day down...