Friends

One of the best things about living in this neighborhood on a military base is the close proximity of kids Amelia's age.

Since Rafe is gone, we're sort of the "go to" house when husbands have duty or go out of town for some reason. There's a kind of unspoken military shorthand that you never really hang out with your friends (unless of course you are invited over) when their husband is home because they are home so rarely - whether its work or training or deployments, they are gone a lot. You don't call to chat in the evenings and you learn their general schedule so you aren't coming by on the days they are home if they have swing schedules. And you don't mind when your friend says, "my husband just came home" - you know that means you say your goodbyes immediately and hang up.

This past week, we've been blessed with having several families over here for playdates and dinner for those very reasons. We've also gone on playdates elsewhere as well. It has helped tremendously the transition from Rafe being here to him going back to Iraq. Amelia talks about him coming back home for a "visit" soon. Overall, she's been handling things very well, but she is much happier with a house full of people and running around with kids her age.

Earlier today she had a little girl friend over, and they played dress up. At one point, as her mother and I were talking, they apparently decided that Baby Wyatt was getting too much attention, so they both took off all their clothes and played "baby". I'd show you the picture but I was laughing too hard to remember to take it. One of the local home-schooled girls came over this afternoon and took her kite flying in the field behind our house; and Amelia was able to play swords and chasing games tonight with a little boy from a family who came for dinner.

Tomorrow we are headed to the park with the same little boy for a little old fashioned rough housing! Yeah for boys! She'll be nice and sleepy when we head home after lunch. There's an Irish festival going on downtown, with arts and crafts and music, so if we can keep the kids awake long enough we'll take them to the puppet shows.