The kids love to play with two brothers who live across the street.  They check throughout the day to see if the boys have returned home from school, run out of the house to play as soon and as often as they can, and are very much enjoying these warm evenings playing outside till bedtime.  When Matt is gone and our usual family time is out the window, I’ve been letting them run free, enjoying the space for myself and the occasional evening spent visiting outside with neighbors.

It is good, and it was especially fun for the kids to take the playing out to the beach recently: We joined our neighbors (who also have a husband/dad deployed) to spend a Saturday enjoying the sand and water.  Truthfully, weekends (our usual family together time) are difficult for me and I felt very sad to not have Matt with us– this is going to be a big journey for me, but I’m learning and adapting.  The kids, on the other hand, had a marvelous time and were completely tired by the end of it.  I am thankful to have this beach.