Mommy is....

Mommy is ticked. No, scratch that. Mommy is frustrated. And angry. And perturbed. Not at your father, but at a situation that has been caused by your father's job. 

My off again, on again, off again and resulting disdainful relationship with the Marine Corps will probably not be a secret by the time you guys are older. I respect your father and most of the people that I meet who are Marines. I can appreciate the core values of the Corps and the excellent leaders they develop and the difficult missions they accomplish.  What I don't appreciate is the way they screw with my life. 

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not going to bite the hands that feed us. Sure, I pointed out a few idiotic things that the USMC does with the National Military Family Association (your mom is such an anonymous rebel) but your father loves his job and I'm going to support him. And I do mean LOVES his job. That is rare in this world.  And while the Marine Corps has it's negative quirks that are unique to it, I am fully aware that employment elsewhere or self employment would also hold different challenges. 

That being said.....

Mommy is frustrated. Six weeks ago Miss Beth and I started planning an evening with Santa at her house.  We did it last year and got to skip the traffic at the mall, the waiting in line and the rush, rush, rush.  Foolish me, I was lulled into a false sense of security by the fact that I checked every one's schedule, put it on the home calendar, called in and put in on your Dad's schedule and have been talking about it every week since.   Unfortunately, the almighty Marine Corps has called on your dad to be part of board for two weeks and is now coming home around seven, seven thirty every night. Not only do we have a naked Christmas tree because I'm loathe to decorate it without him (again) but he hardly gets to see you girls. This also means he is going to miss the party. 

He's promised that he is going to try and get everyone motivated to leave at five on Friday but that is no guarantee. All it takes is one guy to want to push through and work and your dad is stuck. I understand. Really I do. But that doesn't change the fact that Mommy is ticked. Or angry.  And frustrated.  How many more years until he retires?