Deployment Week One: Our Burdens Made Light

Does this blog even work anymore? I know it's been about forty years since I regularly posted, but have been feeling like I needed to document this deployment we are doing, so here we go.
Short recap: We have a bunch of kids, live in North New York, and my husband is on a nine-month deployment to the Middle East. Also we have a Great Dane who is basically a moronic pony.

And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord. Mosiah 24:15

We have made it through the longest week--week one of deployment. W left a week before he was originally scheduled, and so his departure date was the first day of the kids' winter break week off of school. We literally did nothing this week. Buster and Jody wore the same clothes from Monday until I bathed them Saturday night. Everyone watched tons of tv and played tons of video games, and guess what? It was fine. We were fine. They are fine. It was like a week of comfort and coziness and nobody melted into hysterics or felt overwhelmed by loneliness, even me.

I have been incredibly conscious of the presence of the Holy Ghost in our home comforting and guiding me. It literally feels like I am surrounded by angels who are making things better. When I need help (for example, when Jojo got a gushing bloody nose and I didn't know how to stem the blood) I prayed and knew immediately how to calm him until the blood stopped. I can't explain it any better than to say that our burdens are actively being made light. Part of me thinks "this can't go on the entire deployment so enjoy it while it lasts" but the other part of me thinks "don't tell God He can't do this for nine months, Galan."

Highlights of the week: Sara learned how to manage the remote control. Buster exclaimed "YES! I love this song! It makes me feel like something is going to explode!" when Zarathustra came on. Jody has had very few tantrums and has been quick to love and cuddle me. Jooj has been a tremendous help, and as a reward I let her spend the night with her friend's family at a casino. She's living the North Country Dream. As for me, I bathed TWICE this week and got through about five MFM podcasts.