It’s only 4 weeks!

Yesterday my husband left for the annual training with his National Guard Unit. This summer the training is 4 weeks! Most summers it is just 2 weeks. For some odd reason, I am really struggling with it this summer. It is only 4 weeks! What is my issue? I have been through a year-long deployment, while pregnant with a toddler. Why is 4 weeks seeming impossible to me? I am an army wife. This should not be difficult!

Yesterday after hubby left I packed the kids up and took them to the lake. The 3 of us were having an extremely hard time and I figured that a trip to the lake would distract us for a few hours. It worked! The kids ended up making some new friends and I was able to have a break from the tears and asking where daddy was.

While watching my kids play I started to ponder. When do we lose the ability to make friends? All that kids need are some buckets and shovels. Add in a lake with a beach that has rocks and sand and they are best friends. They have no problem asking if they can play together. No problem sharing their toys and food. They can laugh and play like they have been doing it for years when in fact the met 5 mins ago. When do we lose that ability?

Why is it so difficult to make friends as an adult?

Well, I actually have a point with all these questions. As I was watching my kids play yesterday I realized why I am freaking out about these 4 weeks. For the firs time since the firefighter was born 5 yrs ago, I don’t have friends to get me through this training. Before I always had friends that I could plan play dates with and do things with. Well, I don’t have that here. We have been here a year and I am still as lonely as I was the first couple weeks. I miss having friends to hang out with.

How as adults can we get back the ease that kids make friends?