Conversation

"So I started to illustrate a new comic strip. About chickens." Tad tells me after reading tonight while he positions his new hat on my head.

"Yeah? How is that going?" I am truly interested in this.

"Well, it became to gruesome. I will spare you the details." He fastens the hat up by its snaps on one side roughly against my head.

"Oh, well. Thanks I think." He nods his head with raised eyebrows. I guess thanks is in order.

My sister and husband bought a hat for him for a birthday present, Uncle John calls it an ice road trucker hat, Tad calls it a bomber hat and I personally think it looks Russian. I told him this and he said should he have a staff as kings have staffs, and I said no Russia doesn't have kings. Oh he was saddened...

"What is a bomber anyways?" He asks

"Someone who flies planes that drops bombs on people and towns."

"Oh! That isn't very polite." This is the same boy who was illustrating/writing gruesome comics according to him.

"Well its a hazard of the job." They both laugh at this answer of mine.

We read and play games most nights, I say most because some nights I am exhausted and we don't make the games. If this occurs I try to play extra the next morning, even if it is something as simple as Go Fish. My kids really look forward to games, we play a lot of them when Frank is home but even more when he is gone. Evenings are especially difficult for both of them, more acutely Nathalie. She has a hard time with memories, they are all about everything being better with daddy home which is true, but some of her memories or thoughts are that we "played tons more games" or "went out to eat more." Technically, we play even more games when he is gone and we don't go out to eat often when he is home OR gone.

I do not mind these "memories," as she is eight and I know she is suffering. So rather than correct her we just try to make a lot of fun memories for now and I often mention old memories that are good, or bring up funny conversations they had with him on the phone if she is feeling bad.

Okay so that went beyond a simple conversation! My children have come out of their room (room time nightly from around 8 pm-10pm) and they are running about, "having a go" with mamas ankle brace. My ankle is having a rest which means its best for me to hop about instead of walk... They are very loud and I think bedtime is in order!