What can you do?

This is a question I have gotten from people wondering how they can help while Aaron is gone. Of course my quick answer would be, ‘bring him home early…’ but since they won’t really be an option, I’ll keep you posted with ways you could love us.

A few ideas of what you can do:

Some of the best ways you could help (if you want to make yourself known) is to not be silent…to both me, Aaron, or our kids. Many people probably think…Ahhh, she’s got tons of friends to help her in Corpus (true) so she doesn’t need me to bug her with a phone call or email or text (not true). Or they think…Aaron is in a different time zone and will be busy (true) so I don’t want to bug him by emailing him to figure out if we could set up a Skype date or see if there is anything I could send him or do for him (not true).

Please pick up the phone and call/text or sit down and email to see how we’re doing…we’re going to need that. And not just the first month. We do adjust to the new normal of separation, but it’s still not normal…and we need support.

Most, if not all of you, have smart phones with alarms. If you forget things and need a reminder to pray for us, set an alarm for once a week (or every day if you’d like) to pray for us. I have to use these reminders myself…the day slips by to quickly or not quickly enough sometimes.

You can come see me and the kids (unless you’re up for traveling to Bahrain). We’d LOVE to have visitors and its breaks up the monotony of routine. We have people coming every month up until June so get on the schedule. Seriously, don’t delay…I’m depending on some of you! Please book a ticket and come enjoy humid South Texas…I’ll even put you up and feed you!

If you’re somewhat nearby, you could cook us a meal (4-6 is the worst part of the day), come watch the kids for a few hours, take them to the park or the pool, or just stop by and let them crawl all over you. They’ll be grateful. I’ll be grateful. {If you’re a male and love to wrestle, come on by…Sam will give you a run for your money.} Come hang out with my kids for an hour so I could run to the grocery store or go swim.

Email Aaron or send him a package. If you need ideas, let me know…we’ll be figuring out what he wants/needs once he gets there. But emails are best…always great to hear from others and sense a bit of normality.

A few things we ask you don’t do:

Email or call me about serious happenings in the Middle East. Remember the news can be skewed and I’d prefer to hear it through Aaron or the proper chain of command. They are doing their best to take care of us.

Tell us you understand what it’s like to have your spouse away for work. Not to be harsh, but trips to New York City for work is very different from living in the Middle East, for a year. Please be sensitive.

Think you have to have the perfect thing to say or do. We know it’s a hard situation, but we still need people. Sometimes just being around or just calling to let us know you’re thinking of us can be very powerful. Lots of words aren’t always necessary.

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I have a friend setting up a care calendar for us and if you’d like to be a part, let me know. (It’s an online sign up for ways to help us out.)

It’s nearing the end of week one. It feels like a month…the days have been loooong. But I’m getting the morning off tomorrow to do whatever I want for a few hours, for which I’m thankful. Aaron heads to South Carolina tomorrow for more training for about 3 weeks. For those of you who have have emailed, called, texted…thank you. It means a lot to know we’re not in this alone.