"I'll make it up to you"

I'm sitting here watching Army Wives, with Em in her bed asleep, still running a fever and suffering through strep throat.

I just watched the part where Trevor had to leave the bowling alley and he promised Roxy that he would "make it up to her" as he raced off to do his job.

How many times have you heard that?  After a spur of the moment staff duty or CQ, a long deployment, JRTC, NTC, field time, TDY, PCS, and eventually one day, when he puts in his retirement package and there's finally an ETS.  I'm not even sure how many years Gunner has left in the Army.  I used to know at least how many years, but now it just seems par for the course.

When he calls from Iraq and I've got three barfy kids and am sick myself, he promises to make it up to me.  When he misses birthdays, anniversaries, and pregnancies, he assures tells me that he will try to make the next one (besides pregnancies, those days are over!).  He sends letters and cards.  He calls when he can, and he thankfully, does make up for it when he gets home. 

This weekend I left Gunner with all three kids while I headed off to the Great American Beer Fest with a good friend of mine.  He sent me off with a hug and a kiss, and assurances that everything would be fune, and I should have a good time.

I had a great time!  I went to my friend's house and then we met a friend for lunch and then my friend and I went to the GABF.  When you walk in they give you a small glass with a 1 oz mark.  There are thousands of beers to sample!  We tried a few on the way to find my sister's booth.  Met my sister and she gave us a list of beers to sample.  We headed out and tried those out.  We had our pictures taken in those photo booths, got a free tshirt, and met some interesting people.

We met friends again for dinner, hung out by the pool and went to bed early.  The next day we hit a Russian spa and had massages, body polish, and got hit with leaves in a steam room.  It was absolutely the best massage that I have ever had.  We ended the weekend with my first taste of Pho and I headed back to reality.

The house was a mess, Em now has strep, we're out of food (but he bought extra ice cream!).  The kids were happy though, had a good time, and I am ready to face the next week, but this time he's home, and he kept his word and in two days made up for the last year away.  It's the little things....