10. My two year old is very concerned about her daddy getting food on the boat. I told her there are chefs making sure he gets fed and she said, “Ok, well daddy doesn’t need any bacon. He needs pancakes and treats!” I’ll be sure to pass it on to the cooks, sweetheart!
11. We were on vacation in Florida. I took with us my best friend’s son so the boys would have a playmate. They were 12, 10, and 10 at the time. As we were going to the resort pool they were trying to all walk elbow to elbow on the same step. My friend’s son was out of pace. That’s when I heard my boys in sync tell him, “Left, dude! Your military left!”
12. “I was born in Guam and that makes me Guamanian.”
13. We were vacationing away from home for a few days and I totally forgot to bring the boys’ daddy dolls. When we got back home, my almost two year old found his daddy doll and said, “Daddy back!” Soon, baby…you’ll have your real daddy back.
14. We are a few months into recruiting duty. My daughters are still adjusting to daddy’s crazy six day work week. We were standing talking in a group about an upcoming birthday party. Sadly, it was scheduled for a Sunday afternoon and I was telling them we wouldn’t be there. My eight year old over heard and yelled over, “It’s not Sunday anymore. Its daddy day!”
15. “You think your daddy is cool? Well, mine can make himself flat and he lives inside of mom’s iPad!”
16. Our daughter was in first grade and they were having track and field day. She called me and told me I HAD to rush her (kid size) Army PTs RIGHT NOW before they got started, because they “Make (her) run faster and make (her) Army Strong!”
17. Everytime I (mom) go on base, my three year old daughter sees all the Marines in cammies walking around and yells, “Daddy!” She doesn’t understand the uniform concept. She looks at someone up close and her facial expression says, “you don’t look at all like my daddy!”
18. My 10 year old said, “I bet its hard being a teenager and having a girlfriend when your dad is in the Air Force, especially overseas. You’d have to leave them eventually. I won’t have a girlfriend until dad is out, ok? When does he get out?” I told him, “Well, it could be another 10 years, so you’d be 20.” He thought and then said, “Well, then I guess I’ll just have to get a girlfriend sooner, like when I’m 13, and just have to say goodbye to her. Maybe she’ll go to the same base as me next…you never know!”
19. My 13 year old told me, “Mom did you know I still sleep with my daddy doll?” I said, “No, why do you ask?” Her reply? “Well, mom… I know daddy’s here to protect me even when he isn’t home.” Even though my husband has been home after being medically retired two years ago. Children get so used to the military life it’s always a part of them.
20. We recently PCS’d to Europe. Our five year old says, “People in England speak our same language…but it just sounds more important!”
21. “I’m brave too…why can’t I go fight like daddy?” our four year old daughter recently asked.
22. To her recent kindergarten teacher, “So you live here all the time? You don’t move…EVER!?” Our kids are the greatest to think moving is a normal part of life – at least theirs!
