Another week of this deployment is done and dusted as of tonight, and today, I’m reflecting on the fun scenes from our 4th of July. Living in Washington affords us plenty of options for holiday activities, thankfully, and we had our pick of parades and festivals at our disposal this year. Last year, we were new to Washington, and we were lucky enough to spend the time with family in Gig Harbor. This year, we branched out on our own, and we chose to go into DuPont for their celebration at Clocktower Park. I’d considered going on base, but the idea of going into a huge crowd with two preschoolers and a baby was too daunting.
DuPont turned out to be just the ticket, and the boys did so well. They had a blast getting out of the house, and they really enjoyed running around, nomming on tasty treats and, generally, just being little boys. Best of all, we ran into some of the boys’ teachers who’ve become wonderful friends, and we all got to spend time together.
For some reason, I seem to have hit a bit of a mental wall in this deployment and, much like I shared earlier this week about the nature of deployments, I’m in a rough patch. These little scenes from our 4th of July helped to fill my coffers just a little bit though. Though I’m still exhausted and about 92% overwhelmed, it was good to get out, see the boys having fun with friends, and really spend time with other wonderful adults who understand and empathize with the hardships of this lifestyle.
And, of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that this was Mieke’s very first 4th of July, and she did beautifully! I wore her to the festival, and I think she loved looking around, seeing new sights, and soaking up all that fresh air. There’s something magical about seeing her little eyes take it all in and enjoy being passed from arms to arms as our good friends love on her.
Though this was a different sort of holiday without Ryan, and it was our first without family (I went to Maine with family during Ryan’s last deployment), we made it a good one, and looking back at these scenes from our 4th of July reminds me that we’re doing it. We’re trucking along, and we’re getting it done. Most of all though, we’re savoring the good days, getting through the bad days, and high-fiving ourselves as we prepare for a beautiful weekend ahead.
