blogger mom

October and April have always revolved around one thing in my life...furniture market in Highpoint. This probably doesn't mean much to most of you reading this (except for Taylea who grew up in this crazy business as well!), but it's been a constant in my life for as long as I can remember. As a little girl it was when my daddy was gone for two weeks at a time. As I grew up my mom often went with my dad and it was the time we were with my grandparents for market. This was okay until middle school and high school...my grandma has a tendency to invade your personal space and that gets a little annoying as a teenager. In college it was the time of year when I had to try and make sure my brother didn't kill himself...literally. He had a tendency to drink too much and then drive while my parents were away at market and he was left alone with my grandparents. Many of his DUIs and car accidents can be tracked by the Highpoint market schedule. Then there is the market I was pregnant with Riley and was working for my dad so I had to go to market. 12 hour days in heels in your third trimester...it sucked. Needless to say this is not my favorite time of the year. Now, Eric and my brother work for my dad. My dad left Sunday and Eric leaves with my brother today.

This date has been in the back of my mind for a couple of months and now the time has arrived. I'm more than a little nervous about being alone with these kiddos by myself for the next 10 days. I know we'll make it, but I want to make it through without losing my mind or my patience. I don't want to be crazy irritable with my kids until their dad comes home. I've been praying for strength all morning. But, the real reason I've been dreading today is that I'll miss my friend. My husband is on my team, we tackle each day together and there is no one on this planet I would rather be with than him.

We will all miss him. Trey, my incredibly sensitive child, was a wreck this morning when it was time to leave for school. He was sobbing. I'm sure Evan will miss him too, but he has no concept of time yet and doesn't understand how long daddy will be away. He's been asking all week if daddy can leave now so we can eat the treats in the pantry. We stocked up on easy food for the next 10 days and it's killing him to see all the fun stuff in the pantry that he can't eat until daddy is gone!