Dear Sleep, I've Missed You!

Sleep and I have been busy getting reacquainted this past week, and it has been grand!

The downside, is I've neglected everything from emailing and blogging, to sewing and eating and counting days on the calendar until Jack comes back.

Sleep has eaten up so much of my attention it seems that it's in short supply for the remainder of our stay here in beautiful California. It's now only a few days left before Quinn and I fly the Grandparents' coop and head back to where Jack will be meeting us in nearly a week!

It's hard to believe 50+ weeks has dwindled down to just one. In fact, I'm so doubtful of this new reality that I find it hard not to ask Jack if there isn't something I could send him (it's been weeks since shipping off his last care-package, which leaves me feeling rather delinquent).

In between intermittent rendezvous with sleep, I've been packing up all my belongings and the more useful baby stuff. Nearly all of it is already en route to greet us in Tennessee. My poor brother-in-law, Paul, (who has been taking care of our place) might second guess if I was the Octomom once the boxes of stuff arrive. It will seem not only did I go forth and multiply, but so did my crap!

To spare Quinn the experience of driving across the country twice (I'll explain later), and keep me from losing my renewed sense of sanity, she and I -- and the cat -- will be flying back, just a few days ahead of when we hope to welcome home Jack. It's very exciting, and very surreal.

It's been an ongoing adjustment to this "new normal" of being a quasi-single Mom, but overall, it has come feel comfortable. To change things up yet again, even in such a great way, is still a bit scary.

Neither Jack nor I have a need to romanticize what it will be like. We're not expecting to see something like Northern Lights shoot through the sky as he steps off the plane.

Besides, (in case you haven't noticed) I'm weird. Considering that it took me ten of his 14 R&R days to adjust to him being underfoot, and that after having only been deployed a few months; it might be a bit before I can fully relax into yet another "new normal." So, I know that, and don't expect it all to feel like roses and truffles -- or for my taste, orchids and sushi -- at least not at first.

Sounds silly considering how much I enjoy sharing Quinn's development with my parents, but in some ways I'm not eager to share her with someone who has equal say in how to rear her. Guess it's no shock to some that I'm a bit of a control freak, and don't mind being the boss, especially when it's something (or in this case someone) I've been working hard to take care of (ever since she was back in the belly).

All that being said, I'm certain it will be fantastic to have Jack back. The closer that time gets, the more real it feels.

And, just in case we're under-romanticizing it, I'll bring my camera to catch those stunning "Southern" Lights when his smile lights up our memories of how incredible it is to be together again.

Much love and sweet slumber,
J & and Miss Quinn