A new year year and a new journey

Ok, so the title of this post might sound corny but that's how I feel today.  Call it hormones but there's a constant knot in the back of my throat today and I'm especially weepy.  I try not to get sad in front of Kennedy but after our Skype date with Chris earlier it was useless.  I'm thankful she's so nurturing...a little arm around my shoulder and a needed "it's okay mom" helped tremendously.
The Running girls weren't anything close to party animals for New Years Eve.  The last time I looked at the clock it was about 9:15pm.  Friday night is slumber party night at our house so Kennedy gets to sleep with me.  It's something new since Chris left and she's good about keeping it to only Friday nights.  Dont' get me wrong, she asks multiple times throughout the week what day it is because I know her little mind is hoping for a Friday.  We made homemade pizza and stayed in for New Years this year.
We have become great friends with our next door neighbors and it's a perfect situation for our kids because they are so close in age.  Kennedy (3) and Payton (2 3/4) are good little buddies and Marissa (6 mos) and Charlotte (10 mos) will become good buddies I'm sure.  The adults have a really good time together as well and they have already been more than wonderful to me since Chris left.  The big girls had a play date yesterday and it was so nice to visit with Jen for some adult interaction.  We are staying busy today cooking meals for the upcoming work week and even baked cookies to take to Grandma Jessie's after nap time.

Chris begins his travels to Afghanistan tonight with a few stops along the way.  We won't hear from him until they are settled and he is up and running with Internet access.  Having him actually leave the country and arriving there just adds another layer of worry for me.  In honor of his travel Kennedy decided to wear her "Army outfit" and Marissa sported her yellow ribbon pin.

She dressed herself which is good practice for her but it made me laugh.  The overalls are from her summer box and are a size 18-24 mos and she chose a pink shirt because "white doesn't match green".  The fact that pink is her favorite color may have helped.

Marissa's hair dried sticking straight up from her bath last night...silly girl.

My new journey this year will be filled with many things involving these two little girls.  Selfishly I'll have them all to myself....but selfishly I'd rather have their dad here too.
Happy New Year to you and let's get on with 2011 so we can look forward to next New Years as a foursome again!