Honey, I'm Home

It has been an entire month without...

...anybody stealing my covers or nudging me to roll over so I stop snoring.
...anyone filling up the DVR with their shows and all of which start at the same time so MY shows don't record.
...anyone complaining that I have been spending more time blogging than with them.
...anyone saying "I don't know, whatever you feel like making" when I ask what they would like for dinner.
...an alarm going off (other than the house alarm which I forget I've set and walk downstairs to set the alarms blaring-sorry, neighbors).
...having someone to talk to whenever I feel the need.  At least someone who answers back in something other than toddlerese.
...having a partner-in-crime by my side.
...sleep because I am hypersensitive to every little noise that I hear at night.

...my husband

Today, he returns home. 

I couldn't be happier.

Madison now stands for a few seconds at a time.  Emmy can open the refrigerator (which I have learned is a very bad thing when she took out the ranch dressing to eat for a snack).  The two of them will have conversations with Emmy talking to her little sister in her big girl voice and Madison just babbling away happily. Madison more than ever wants to do whatever her big sister is doing.

I was happy about these things but in all honesty, a little melancholy to in my heart.  Whenever I relayed our day and all the new things they were learning and doing to my husband over the phone or face to face on Skype, I could feel my heart hurt for him.  He wasn't there to see these things.  Hearing and seeing them over the phone or through a webcam just wasn't the same as being there and being able to reach out to them to hug them or to exclaim over their achievements in person.

There were days where all I could think about was how tired I was or how much work there was to do on my own around the house.  There wasn't a lot of free time to just sit and relax especially when Madison was up at night teething or when the stomach bug paraded through our house.  I can't forget when I left a gel ink pen in the living room when I was doing bills late one night and the girls found it and decided to decorate the ottoman and chair with their artistic flair.

Yet, I realized how much harder the separation was on my husband.  A hundred times harder.  Yes, he had a great opportunity with his work, a chance to help get where he wanted to go in his career. The nice hotel room, the nice dinners, and the quiet weren't home.  I had the comfort and familiarity of our house-our space.  I had our daughters to hug and laugh with. I got to see them continue to grow and they did in such a short time. I was the lucky one. 


Emmy excitedly told her grandmother yesterday that her Daddy was coming home from Cal-e-forn-ne-yay. Later, she told me he was bringing her a dolphin carriage and gummy bears.

Uh...I hope he knows that. If not, I think she will forgive him.

All that I want him to bring me home?  Just himself.

Have you ever been away from your spouse for an extended period? 

How did you cope?