You may not know how much a Hurricane can disrupt my life…
...or more so that of my Children…
…We live in Colorado Springs…
…We don’t have Hurricane's here.
You would be very surprised though how much my Children’s life and sometimes even mine is affected when, now, a National disaster strikes.
Note…I am no longer a Military wife but I still deal with ALL the upheavals that Military Spouses deal with, last minute TDY’s, working late and such.
My Ex works at USNORTHCOM and is active duty. He’s kind of a big deal…I’m not talking about Leather Bound books (that’s an allusion to the movie Anchorman).
Yesterday was my LoveBug’s 8th Birthday…Hurricane Irene at the moment is thrashing its way up the Eastern seaboard.
My Ex has Our Children on Thursdays, Fridays, every other Saturday and Sundays.
Note…He has them on Sundays because he is in charge of their Religious instruction;)…and we all know having a Witch raise your Children probably isn’t looked upon with delight by a very Religious Christian Man. I do however teach them every thing I know about ALL religions to include singing Hebrew Songs and explaining the finer nuances of Judaism, all different paths of the Christian Religion (of which there are many), Islam, Shinto, Buddhism and the such…Religions are one of my favorite subjects and I know more about them than many people.
http://behindthebookscover.blogspot.com/2010/12/love-spell.html
I love digressing…I’m done now.
Thursday I picked up the Children from school and later got an e-mail from my Ex…
…’5pm meeting…’
Me…’I understand…’
He called later that evening, around 7:20ish…
…”Hey, I have to be at a meeting early in the morning. Do you have plans for tonight?…”
Me…”It’s all good. No biggie...”
I hadn’t fed them yet so Kat and I threw dinner in the oven and I had to explain to my Children that they were going to stay with me for the night, their Dad’s night and why…
To my Children...
Me…”Hey guys, listen your Dad is really, really busy at work right now and has to be up early in the morning so you guys are gonna stay with me…”
Then I went on to explain what was going on with the Hurricane and showed them video and told them…
…”Your Dad is really important and all the people on the coast need him to organize things so they all stay safe…you know your Dad saves people…”
…He came over at about 7:45 to give the Children a hug and a kiss…I know it’s hard on him too.
Last night we were all going to have dinner together for LoveBugs Birthday…I E-mail my Ex around 5:30...
…'I know you are bogged down…yada, yada, yada…anything I can tell him? I have told him you are very, very busy.’
He called me back almost immediately and said he had to have a dinner break anyway and would get away and meet us at 6:45.
Thankfully for my Children he was able to take them for the night after our dinner and he dropped them off at my place this morning at 6:45.
I can’t tell you how often I’ve explained why he had to head out of town last minute or had to work late…or early even...
…The disappointment of my youngest when he sees me at the school when he expected to see his Dad.
He get’s mad at me…not his Dad.
While we were married I had to illustrate in terms young Children could understand why he would be gone so long…
To Save...
…The Sand People…(Afghanistan).
…The Water People…(Sri Lanka and New Orleans)
…I think you get my train of thought and how I handle their fragile minds and psyches…
...while instilling support and respect for my Ex-husband.
It affects my life as well…
…I cancel plans, I leave people waiting for me…
…For the most important reason in the world…
My Children.
…To be there when they need me no questions asked.
Note…My divorce is like a Rose…most people only see the pretty petals not the thorns…this is not one of the thorns but the petals...
I know it’s difficult for Military Spouses (Police, Fireman and such…) to explain the harsh realities of life to their Children…at all ages…
The most important advice (I know you didn’t ask for it though) is to always stay positive and never ever show frustration or let them know how you are really feeling…no matter how scared you are.
If you are scared, irritated or frustrated you call a friend and share with them…
…never ever let your Children over hear you…
…It will keep them sleeping better at night which will in the end help you too.
Good on you for being so good wrt being so supportive in your relationship with your ex. Very nice - w/o your support he wouldn't be able to be so big where he works. And he really sounds like a good dad too.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, he is a good Dad. As for me being supportive of him well, I hope people look to me as an example of what divorce SHOULD be. I despise hearing about one parent, or even both, pitting the Children against one or the other. They should be ashamed of themselves.
ReplyDeleteIt’s not always easy, we got divorced for a reason, but that season is over in my eyes.