So I don't know about you all but I know that my LEAST favorite part of winter is the fact that it gets dark at 5:30.  Five thirty?!! I'm not even off of work yet.  And that's just this month... the days are going to get even shorter before they get longer again!  I'd be perfectly fine with winter if the days were as long as summer days.  I have no problem with the cold (you can always put more layers on!) especially since 9 times out of 10 the days are nice, and the nights are cold.  At least here in Kansas that is. ;)

But the other thing I don't like about winter is that depressed feeling that can sneak up on people when they go to work right after they wake up and come home after dark.  Do that four to five times a week.. and you start to get down.  I'm terrified that this year that will be an issue for me since Rob is gone.  I can't say I've ever battled with depression or anything of the likes, but I can say that I have battled feeling really lonely since Rob deployed.  It's only natural I assume.  I'm not the biggest fan of living by myself.  Granted, I do have the dog.  But when you eat all 3 meals alone during the day, and have no one to talk to BUT the dog... it gets to you.  Reminds you how lonely you truly are.  I don't know how the wives do it that go through multiple deployments AND have to be the strong one for their children.  My hats off to you ladies.

This winter I vow to make plans with my friends and family so that those feelings don't sneak up on me.  I vow to make the most of my lunch break.. opening the window shades, taking Piston for a walk or cracking the window just a tad in the car.  I vow to laugh when I feel like crying and to make the most out of this adventure. I vow to never forget that although I think I have it bad, someone almost always has it worse.

And I am ever so thankful for those that do check in on me everyday.  Especially my parents.


Well.. Monday is over, and cheers to the rest of the week.
I leave you with a picture from this weekend:

P.S. I am happy to inform everyone that Piston has gotten better since this weekend.  He had to go without food for a bit, and then eat some yummy rice and hamburger mixture, but he survived, I survived and more importantly things are pretty much back to normal.