Single parenting

My husband left for CA for 5 weeks and I am now a single parent for a little while. I don't know how women do this permanently! I can handle them during the day, but I sure love having help putting them to bed in the evening and having a break to go shopping or take a LONG shower. I definitely need to find a good babysitter so that I can get out when needed.

A friend has given me the phone number to a girl who is looking for babysitting work (specifically looking for families with 4 or more kids whose husbands are deployed!) She is 16, a Christian, a homeschooler, and the oldest of 10 kids!! I am hoping that it pans out, because it would sure be nice to have someone I trust to leave the kids with every once in awhile. I play BUNCO once a month with some of the other wives in the unit and we have spouse's coffees every month or two also. I would like to continue to go while he's gone - for my sanity's sake :)

It is sometimes hard being so far away from family and life-long friends. I wonder what life would be like living in the same town with people I know really well. Having family get-togethers and built-in babysitters :) It is hard moving every couple of years and having to meet all new people again. Andy has decided that he will be retiring after this deployment (probably 2 yrs or less from now). That means lots of planning for the future.....but we will finally be able to settle down in one spot and I am actually looking forward to that :)