Stephanie Howell

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I'm here. Just not feeling it. No ideas on what to blog…I'm not really making anything so I don't have anything to share. Just concentrating on taking care of the girls and staying busy. But I'm here. 🙂 Hopefully I'll be back to regular posts soon.

Determined to get through the gray and on to the sunshine.

I hope you all have a beautiful and blessed weekend.

S

clinging to the moments when we get to talk to him…or even better SEE him.

comforted by his voice, his handsome face…his familiar mannerisms. that clearing-his-throat-thing? that he does here? that drives me NUTS??? is music to my ears. his smile is a life preserver.

and the looks on those sweet little faces?

those are the things that get me through another day.

we've been very technilogically blessed this time. 2 skype dates (NEVER done those before this time), a few phone calls,and one gchat.

when harper typed "i wont too b wif u" during the gchat i had to go hide so i could cry. but she saw anyway and typed "mome is cryng!". hahaha!

thanking the Lord for technology. what a sweet gift it is.

xoxo

*note* this is an updated post. the previous post had an incorrect link. 🙂

With great sadness and a heavy heart…I introduce you to Tanner Higgins. Tanner was 23 and he was a Ranger. He was one of Jimmy’s brothers in arms.He was killed Saturday.

This is a link to the story. The previous link went to a random video, do not go to that link unless you feel like listening to Tupac. 🙂

This is my friend Shelby. She was married to Tanner for six months. I can tell you that she is one of the sweetest, kindest, most innocent,most faithful women I’ve ever met.

I believe in the power of prayer. Will you please pray? Pray for Shelby. Pray for Tanner’s mother Patti and his brothers Dillon and Noah.

Please pray for all of the men still overseas who still have a job to do. Please pray for all of the wives,girlfriends,and families who are home waiting and praying.

Thank you-

S

April is the Month of the Military Child. It is the month that we celebrate the bravest, most resilient children I know.

Here’s a few things that make my “military kids” different from other kids.

✷ One was born without her daddy here.

✷ They yell “DADDY!!!” when a helicopter flies over.

✷ They say things like this: “Can I throw grenades and flip tires in skinny jeans?”.

✷ They have answers like this:

✷ They move every 1-2 years.

✷ The four of them were born in three different places.

✷ Since Harper has been born, her daddy has been gone for over 25 months.

✷ They are pros at making “welcome home” signs.

✷ They can tell you what RLTW means

✷ They sleep with daddy dolls, build a bears with their daddy’s voice inside,and posters of their daddy on the wall.

✷ When you ask them what their daddy’s job is, they say “keeping us safe”.

✷ They know big words like “Afghanistan” and “deployed”.

✷ They know to say “I love you” and “I am proud of you” and “Be careful,Daddy” every chance they get.

✷ They can plan and pack a mean care package.

✷ Among Sadie’s first words was “work”. As in…where is daddy? “uk”.

✷ They have a HUGE family. Not just sisters and mommy and daddy and grandparents…they have an extended “ranger family”. Friends that are like siblings. Women who are like second mommies, who love them and admonish them gently.

✷ They make countdown paper chains several times a year.

They

are

amazing.

Brave, strong,vulnerable, honest. They shoulder more worries and fear than children should have to. I think of the fear,anxiety,and sadness that I have in my heart sometimes. Then I imagine those emotions in the body and heart of a child, and it kills me.

Here’s to the month of the military child. And to my military children. The strongest of the strong.

xo

s