The life of a part-time single mom

My day started like most days. The pitter patter of a miniature size nine feet down the hallway to the darkest room in the house, my bedroom. Awaken by a simple, quiet, "mom it's time to wake up now," my three year old dashes out of my bedroom announcing, "I have to go potty momma," as I shift and arise to the side of my bed, legs not nearly long enough to allow my feet to hit the floor, I hear a faint laughter coming from a closed door down the hallway. As I barley get out of bed a door handle and a crash seconds later and I hear a giggle and one of the cutest greetings ever, "Hello handsome boy!" I believe without a shadow of a doubt my three year old daughter has just invited my son to be awake for the party I had no idea was going on. Still trying to get my thoughts together and ignore my very full blater, I mosey down the hall to have a smiling baby boy greet me from his crib which by now only has a sheet and mattress in it. I mindfully take him out of the crib before picking up his pillow, blankets and all stuffed toys that were thrown out. Yep, just another day. Dirty diapers, children being playful, rowdy, and loud. Would I want it any other way? A part time single mom's life.....
My husband has a job as a traveling fiberglass repair specialist. He leaves my children and I for usually two to six weeks at a time, traveling around the country to repair water slides. Most friends and family members say, "it could be worse, he could be over in Iraq for a year, think about that the next time you complain!" I completely respect all aspects of the military. However, they sign up knowing any day could be "their day" to leave their loved ones behind. My husband and I never signed up for that.
We wanted a life similar to Ozzy and Harriet. Go to work by 8 or 9am and home at 5pm for dinner by 530pm. Although that is not a valid picturesque thought for this moment in time, in society, I dream of that schedule for my family.
My day as a part time single mom never seems to just fly by. I can't imagine me time, let alone quiet time. Some days I just wish for a hot shower without an Innocent intruder watching. Between the children, dogs, and the terrible thoughts of burglars, or fire breaking out, there is always one eye opened, wishing to join the other in closing. The first time my husband left was only a week, just enough to get our "feet wet" if you will, to introduce this new way to earn a living. It was horrific! I literally only slept 28 hours out of the entire 7 days(or 168 hours) Alan was gone. I guess the average of 4 hours a night is very respectable considering all the times I was jolted awake by a dog scratching my face, the children crying, the sound of the refrigerator turning on, or the sound of the heat turning on. I really never understood how those sounds could be so surprising when only days earlier I hadn't known they existed. How odd that these sounds just appear when you are in a house with no heroic man to slay all of these dangerous things. Which by the way, my husband would be of no help if any or all of these things happened at one time even if he was home. He sleeps like he's dead. Just the thought of another adult though, next to you, even if only as body heat in my case, makes you sleep more restful. The week dragged on sleep deprived, and completely overwhelmed. By the end of the week however, it almost seemed like a relationship refreshing. It seemed like we meant to be apart, so when we were reunited again, our love was stronger and more passionate than before. The children seemed to love their daddy even more. My husband returned home and all was placed back to our somewhat steady, "normal" lives.
That was short lived. Two weeks later my husband was on his way again. This time for a whopping 17 days. Could I handle all the pressures of home life by myself for 17days, which also included raising a 3 year old and an 18month old? I had to be up for the challenge. No one else was going to take my place.
The first week Alan was gone was similar to a toddler taking a few steps, falling, having to go to bed, and waking up trying to remember how to walk again. Coffee became my best friend! It was a little easier knowing I had to be mom and dad, but only for a short time. Knowing he was coming home in only 17 days was relief. The kids and I counted down the days and nights together. Week one, over. The start of the second week was a little more rocky. A tearful phone call of I miss yous was more than heart breaking. So, I, being the fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl, decided in a mere two hours to register for a hotel room minutes from my husbands job site, packing and setting an alarm for 3am to travel with two small children some eleven hours by van away. I am crazy! I think the first 3 hours of the trip I was actually still sleeping. I stopped off for a 20minute snooze, only to be unkindly startled by my son throwing his pacifier at my head. The children whom I had taken from their cozy beds at 330am to their cold uncomfortable car seats had both woken up needing food and bathrooms. Thank god my babies are awesome travelers, if they weren't I would not have even attempted that long of a trip on such wee ones. They were going to be awake for the remainder of the trip so luckily I had thought ahead and packed obnoxious amounts of snacks, drinks, toys, books, and movies for the DVD player. 8 Hours later we arrived safely to our destination. My children were ecstatic to see daddy, and mommy was too! Because of the weather Alan was able to have a "rain day" which meant a day off, just to spend time with us. We went to some local attractions, swam in the swimming pool at the hotel and went out for dinner. The day was gone in an instant and me and my babies were saying goodbye and were back in the van a mere 48 hours from when we had left home, to get back home. Again I woke up at 3am, quietly packed the van and the children, said one last goodbye and drove back the eleven hours home. It was more than worth spending a day with my husband being a family. The kids loved the reward they received for being such great travelers. A day with their daddy in another state, miles from home and a story I will never forget.
All this to say, I have so much more respect for full time single moms, military personnel on leave with children back at home, and my husband. With the ever changing economy, he was able to be morphed into a more usable employee so he could keep money in our bank account. However, I would trade being a part time single parent any day to have my husband work closer to home.