Unsure...

Okay...I know this sounds crazy since a mom of two small kids, husband deployed, living in the Mojave desert and far from family is actually about to complain that time has gotten away from her...How the heck is Thanksgiving next week? How is that possible??? Even worse I am super nervous and stressed about packing, driving, flying to NC for the holidays and then the holiday time itself...always trying to have fun and enjoy family and friends while avoiding drama, fights, chaos, meltdowns and hurt feelings...when I can't see some friends I feel guilty, making time for the ones I want to see and adjusting schedules to do so...keeping the kids happy and Zach on task...and praying neither one gets sick because no matter what the freaking brochure says, traveling with Tricare is not fun, easy or accessible. It is a pain in the _ _ _!!!!!
And to top that off...I have Christmas cards...lots of pretty cards I bought and no letter, no photo and not sure when I will have time to address the darn cards much less write a letter and get a photo taken...oh Lord...too much really to cram into the next three weeks. I have to get SO much done and I am just now realizing and making a list of it all. My mail? Sally needs to get shots and then off to the kennel for a month...poor dog! I have to get Zach's preschool prepaid for the time he will be gone and miss...ship Christmas presents to NC and then go buy presents when I get there...I dread the packing for the trip...temps here have been in the 70s, so I am so not even sure if the kids winter wear fits...me either for that matter...I have been pregnant and post pregnant my last two winters here. So...I am stressing a bit...this week is hard and stressful too with the holiday time off...Zach has school Tuesday in town and that is it....School in the public school system here are closed all week...his speech is cancelled because her daughter is having a baby today...so that leaves us with a lot of time and not a lot to do. I had thought of going to the zoo in Santa Barbara, but I am worried to be on the roads with all the travelers in an area I don't know at all....ugh...okay...I vented!
I think as the days grow near to the beginning of a deployment and the end of one you just start to go a bit nuts. Anticipation wins over. I have no idea of Brandon's return date, just an idea of the time line...We bought him a ticket to return from NC to AZ with us ( I am actually driving my car to AZ, staying the night with a family friend and then flying the next day to NC with the kids and Pat is taking us to the airport and keeping my car at her house for me....so long travels for me!). SO we bought him a ticket in hopes he will get back to the states in time to head to NC and at least come home with us. Keep your fingers crossed for us all. I can't think of better Christmas gift for the kids than that.
So...any thoughts on my Christmas card this year???? Would love any words of wisdom....
I am off to give the cutie pies their baths...I have let the TV parent them for a while now and I think I need to do my job! Slumber party on the agenda for the night for Zachary so we will see if it all works out for us.