Week without Dad or Weak without Dad?

This week has gone by fairly quickly considering our favorite person is not here. Tom left Tuesday morning early to go help his parent move from Billings to Ogden. He will be coming home early Monday morning. We are very excited for his return and are very glad he doesn’t have to leave us very often. I know he is working hard and having a wonderful time visit with his siblings, parents, nieces and nephews. And I am very happy he has had this opportunity to get away from the every day for while and get back to the West and to his family. I know he has felt a pull in this direction for a while now and I hope he knows how much I support him in being able to serve his family and build his relationships with them.

I have also thought about how much I rely upon him even though he is gone to work for eleven hours on the week days. His presence and support is more than I have realized. And I have come to admire those who have spouses who travel, who are in the military, or that are single parents. This is hard work doing it on my own. I don’t know how others do it, except with Heavenly Father’s help. And I know that I have a reprieve when Tom gets home in a few days, where others don’t have the same thing to look forward to. I am understanding more keenly the plan of our Father in Heaven and that His plan is so good and so amazing. Fathers are such an integral part of a family.I see how much influence Tom has on our children, how much they rely upon his love and acceptance. Lucy said the first night he was gone, “It feels like there is a hole in our house when Dad is gone.” Definitely. It feels like a huge important piece is missing.

Since he has been gone, I see how his presence and support of me gives me energy and hope for the little things. Making meals means more, knowing that he will eat them. Getting up early to see him off to work is something I have missed this week. Going to bed is lonely without him. I am not as funny or even as fun as Dad. So yes. We have missed him. And we are extremely blessed to have him in our lives.

A few things that have happened while Dad has been gone:

It rained a lot.

We went to a cool new park where Taivan loved the swing and the big kids climbed a stone wall.

Jenny has been finishing my kitchen island. She’s been begging to have a project like this. Why not start now?

Okay. So this is not what happened after Dad left. But this is one of the bajillion reasons we love him. This did happen since the last time I posted, in all fairness. Taivan had strep and needed a nap on Sunday. Before this picture, Taivan had thrown up all over Tom and my bed where they were originally going to take a nap. Tom cleaned up the mess and threw everything in to wash and then went and helped Taivan get to sleep in his own bed. Amazing. And now I am understanding how much I take this wonderful man for granted. This is the biggest reason I am writing this post. To remember to appreciate him more all the time, not just when he is gone.