if you change the way you look at things,
the things you look at change.
- wayne dyer

i am a firm believer that change is good. and thank goodness b/c my life has to often change, whether i'm ready or not. whether i like it or not.

last week, we were a complete family. this week, we are minus two. kiele left last friday, for a month with her dad. steve left monday, for three weeks in iraq. he will come home and then leave again a few days later, for a week in DC. something i didn't know until a couple days before he left. from now until may 2009, we have five weeks left with steve. and you betcha, i'm counting. cherishing every day that that we have him here with us, at home.

my family...we must be willing to accept change and adapt. we must allow ourselves to say that the change is okay and that we'll be okay. i must assume the role of mother and father. the kids must accept the role of a child without their father around. steve has to be away from his family. sure, some days are tougher than others but through it all, i have to just do my best, be strong and think positive. and teach my kids to do the same.

for the moment, i prepare myself. and i prepare my family. for the inevitable change that is now right around the corner.

.....................................

i close with pics of steve's CT scan, from when he fractured his face. he is now almost completely better except his smile is changed. hopefully this change is temporary (if not, we'll love him the same). hopefully his facial nerve was only traumatized and not permanently damaged. when he smiles, only half of his face smiles. the other half keeps trying to keep up but doesn't fully cooperate and do what it's supposed to do.