A New Normal

I can't believe that Daddy has been home for 1 month!! Time is a funny thing. It seems like yesterday that we were getting ready to send him off to the academy. I remember specific times that we were in the car talking about how our lives would change when the baby arrived and Brian was finished with the academy. We thought we would never get here. It's funny how when I look back to those conversations, time seems to have flown by in a blink. Time seems like it was crawling by, however, when I think of the time I spent without him caring for the baby and everything at home. The best thing is that no matter how I look at it, we have arrived.

This last month has been filled with adjustments and transitions, sometimes stressful and overwhelming for all three of us. While my husband was away, we both just wanted our lives to be 'normal' again. We both knew it would be different, but were uncertain about how it would be different. In the weeks after he came back to us, I was unsure that we would ever be able to relax again and we both just wanted some sort of certainty. I am happy to say that I think we are beginning to find some of those certainties in our lives and we are settling into a 'new normal' that still has many bumps, but many smooth stretches too.

When he was let out on shifts alone, his demeanor was able to begin to return to the man I remember (although he is still getting some academy out of his system at times). They really re-program a person at the police academy and, understandably, it takes a person some time to re-re-program themselves. My husband is now able to do those simple things that help a person relax such as listening to the music he wants in the cruiser, adjusting the heat to HIS desired temperature, and simply feeling like he is in control instead of feeling like someone is watching over his shoulder at everything he is doing. These are the things he is thankful for.

Another part of the 'new normal' is our schedule that is becoming easier. We only need a sitter (Aunt Chrissy - love you!) Wednesday through Friday, which allows for nice bonding time alone with Isaac for both Mommy and Daddy. Also, my husband joined a Martial Arts class on Tuesdays and Thursdays and I am able to go to the gym Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. It's nice to be with Isaac as a family for at least a few hours every night, but it is also really refreshing to have our own hobbies and self-reconnecting time.

All in all, we are settling into our 'new normal' and enjoying it for the moment, because as we all know a 'new normal' is always around the corner. How exciting!