Deployments are hell on anyone, & seeing I have been though them so many times ... trust me I am being honest. I have been so busy with my kids I have been able to get on there & say anything.
But now, I am watching something I told my kids "Don't worry, he's in a place that isn't as bad as Fallusa or Baghdad." After all, have you watched the news? The last unit we were with lost so many there ... it tore my husband up.
Guess were he's going ... & I have to sit down, tell my babies that daddy's gonna move to another area. One that isn't like where he's at. The location doesn't matter, the effect it will have on my children does. He's been gone for a while ... they have found they can die because of a PFO, they morned a soldier in his battery, they watch to find out if a dictator will be punished for the crimes he commited ...

They know this is dangerous. They are aware that when he goes why he's going ... they look at everything not just the bull that's on the news. They see the pictures of the children who walk or barely walk away from the bomb attacks (which was NOT meant to happen, they say it on accient). But now they are more open minded about it. "he's my age & they did that to him?" Because he was my son's age ... so we talked, news only when I am here. (Nerve racking to watch them veiwing it, but they learn so much from it.)

Don't get me wrong, they may watch news ... but  I still have kids who play on a trampoline, try new skate boarding tricks, play foot ball, learn to play tennis, learn to play guitar ... they are still my children but with a bit more knowledge than before. They still have that naive, just some of it, but eventually I know they will grow out of it.

Just how do you tell them that dad's going to an area that is still extremely active? "Trust in his ability to do his job..." just doesn't cut it. There are more active terrorist in those area than appear to be any where else ... I state appear, I could be wrong.
I am betting the thoughts going through those sicko's minds "fresh meat" .... and through mine "let them make it with out one more dying."

5 positive things

* 2 are learning to tennis

* 2 are learning guitar

* one is upping his football skills

* we have pulled out X-mas items

* we got stocking for all that with my hubby, they will love it