Alaska Trip

I hate October.  I mean, I really hate it.  Oh, there are good things about it - Savannah's birthday, Halloween, beautiful fall colors.  But, for the last 8 years, October for me has meant that I have no husband.  It's Scott's travel month.  He heads to Alaska for 4 weeks, and leaves me at home to take care of the kids by myself.  Don't get me wrong, I am so incredibly grateful for Scott's job.  It's a fantastic job and has provided an amazing living for us, and allowed us to live in this beautiful house, and provide for all these kids, and it has amazing perks.  It really is a great job.  But, when October rolls around, and I have to send my husband to the cold Alaskan arctic, I don't love his job quite so much.  We just aren't a family with Scott gone.  The kids miss him.  I miss him.  We really struggle.  And yet, we always make it through, somehow. 

This year Scott only has to travel for 3 weeks.  We've got the long two week trip down, and this Sunday he will fly out for his final week.  I consider myself blessed that he only has to do 3 weeks this year, because we've got so much going on.  And yet I still want to just sit and cry over the fact that I have to have him gone for 3 whole weeks.  The two week stretch is the killer, and I've got that behind us, so I'm almost done.  I am so thankful for good friends and family that helped me out during Scott's two week trip....

Kendi, who drove the kids to school every morning, and took my two little kids for an afternoon so I could go to Costco, and who offered to come over at bedtime as needed, and who let me have a night away with Scott before he had to leave, and for keeping me sane by visiting me and cheering me up through texts, and feeding me.  I could go on and on about everything she did for me.  She is an amazing friend who is always looking for ways to help me out, and I am so lucky she moved in across from me.  I needed a friend, and she has been a great one. 

Scott's mom, Jo, who spent an entire day here cleaning and organizing.  With all my work on the stucco outside, the inside of my house was falling into chaos.  Jo came over and spent the day pulling everything back together for me.  And she watched the kids while I went to the store and stocked up on some important food storage items (aka cereal).

Randy - I can't say enough about this sweet man.  He first "discovered" us back when Scott was on the PBS telethon.  He was curious about Scott's company, so he went to their website to learn more.  Scott stood out to him, and he wanted to learn more about our family.  Since then, we have come to love this sweet man.  He always shows up on our door with gifts on the days I need it the most.  He's the one who gave Kate her beautiful blessing bracelet.  He sends encouraging notes and brings little things for the kids all the time.  He came over on a day that I had to take Sara to counseling, and babysat the kids for me while I took Sara.  When I got home, Nate and Aaron declared him the best babysitter ever, and Aaron considers Randy his new best friend.  Personalized cards came in the mail for each child a few days later, and that cheered the kids even more. 

I find that when things are the hardest, Heavenly Father always sends help.  I am thankful for all those who helped me during Scott's trip.  Just one more week to go....