Nora 11 Months

Nora turned 11 months yesterday. We were hoping that she
would walk before Michael left, but no such luck. Hannah took her first steps the day after she turned nine months and was walking everywhere within a week. Michael missed that by 2 months during his first tour in Iraq. Nora is still just not interested in walking. I stand her up and let go and she just squats down and crawls off. She can hold my hand and toddle along, but she doesn't want to. She'd rather crawl. Even on the laminate floors. We've been joking that she'd start walking as soon as Michael left, so we'll see how long it takes.

Nora may not walk, but she does talk! She says: Hannah, Momma, Papa, cat, outside, night night, bye bye, banana, Grandpa, Nana, Oma, all done, eye, thank you, and amen. Along with a slew of other things that I can't understand and a handful that I'm forgetting.

Speaking of Nora's "Amen". . . She prays, too. At Bible time every night, she folds her hands with a big smile on her face while we're praying. And of course says, "Amen," at the end.

he's gone

We saw Michael off today. He's headed to Iraq for a third time.

I feel different this time. I hate to have him gone. I'm not looking forward to being the lone parent present for 7 months. But I know I can do it. I've been here before. The only thought that makes me cry is "What if he doesn't come back?"

God, please let him come home to us.

I don't mind so much that he's gone, just as long he comes back.

Hannah took everything in stride. No tears. I don't think she fully grasps the situation. She knows Papa is going to Iraq for "a long time." We told her a couple of days ago that Papa should be back by Easter, and she kept asking if Easter was here yet when he hadn't even left. She loves traveling and was excited for him to get to ride on buses and planes. When we got home she spotted all the free Priority Mail boxes we got for care packages and said, "We must send those to Papa!"

Nora actually seemed to know that something was up. While we were waiting she kept fussing in my arms and reaching out to Michael. She'd even cry when he gave her back to me. She's very much a momma's girl and the situation is usually reversed. She slept through the actual send off, though.