Day 165: Breakthrough

12/4/2011

Today was a pretty good day. We got up this morning and all went to breakfast. The kids all had a blast and I enjoyed the adult conversation with my best friend and her husband. Ian called during breakfast and we all got to talk to him, which was super awesome. After breakfast we went shopping, mostly just for a reason to get us walking around. After shopping we came home and relaxed with the kids.

I have to tell you, my oldest is 9 years old, and she is really starting the pre-teen attitude pretty fiercely at the moment. I know a part of it is because Ian is gone and then there are issues from kids at school, but in my book, that doesn't give her a right to back talk me and be mean to her siblings. It does give her the right to talk to me about it and be upset. I understand that outbursts happen, but this has been constant for the past few months and it is becoming hard on both of us. Today, it happened again. This time she back talked my friend and I sent her directly to the corner and talked to her after her timeout was done. I was frustrated because it was something that I have said to her a hundred times. This time though, I sent her to my friend to apologize and my friend had a talk with her. She said everything that I have said, but Emily seemed to listen because it wasn't coming from me (I know you all are shocked!). Long story short, I entered the conversation after a few minutes and we all talked about it calmly and Emily and I really had a heart to heart and set out some times that we can ditch the little ones to have some mommy-daughter time. Her behavior for the rest of the afternoon was a lot better and I am really hoping it holds.

I am writing a little earlier tonight because I am heading out to the concert. My best friend and I are heading out to see Lady Antebellum courtesy of my way-too-amazing husband. He bought these tickets while he was home on R&R and told us about them. I asked him if it was my Christmas present or, jokingly, my "husband just left and I am sad" present. Ian rolled his eyes at me and said, "Neither. It is a just because I love you present. I knew you wanted to see them in concert and since I can't go, I figured taking your best friend is the next best thing. I love you." Yeah, I cried a little. I told him how awesome of a husband he is, how lucky I am to have him, how much I love him, and how much I wish it were him coming with me.

So now, we are off to the concert. I know it will be fun, because it is my best friend and me together. I also know I will be thinking of Ian because it is country music, and that is unavoidable. That is ok, because I know I am another day closer to seeing him again and that as soon as he comes back, we are going to a concert together.