I can’t believe it’s over. I’m watching my neighbor and her family packing their truck from my window when I see my daughter hug her BFF and run inside our home.
Okay – I’m ready.
“Hey, mom!” Abby yells as the screen door slams.
“Yes, honey, I’m up stairs in your room. ” I reply, preparing for the worse.
She dances up the stairs, gives me a huge hug and starts to pack up her Barbie Cruise Ship and all of her Barbies, including accessories and shoes. Oh no!
“Why are you packing up your Barbies?” I ask quietly, ready to console.
“Because, I only play Barbies with Amelia, she’s my best friend and she’s gone.”
There is it! She knows.
I start to breakdown and sob in my hands. I’m heartbroken for her. I sit at the edge of her bed and launch into the ugly-face cry. That’s when Abby shuffles over to me with a look of such concern on her face – but wait, she is concerned for me.
“Why are you crying, mommy?” she asks so sweetly that I want to bottle it instantly.
Through my tears, I try to sound grown up, “Because, your best friend is gone and you are packing up your Barbies. I’m sorry this life is so hard on us. I’m so sorry this is happening to you, Abby. I’m so sorry.”
She grabs my face with those cute little hands and cups them around my cheeks. She smiles and instantly brings me back to reality.
“Mommy, don’t worry. I’ll make new friends again. And when I do, we will play Barbies together. Don’t worry, it will be ok.”
And there IT is. My five-year old, Barbie-loving, dress-up-playing, tea-party-having daughter just taught me the lesson of the Military Spouse Mother Motto. The ugly-face cry is inescapable as military spouses. However, it will be okay because our military kids understand it better than we think they do. She will make new friends at our next station and so will I.
She’s so resilient and wise, I can learn so much from her. I’m the luckiest mom in the world.
Thank you sweet military child.
