Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Saying Goodbye To Daddy

“I don’t want to say goodbye to my Daddy. I love him,” Natalie informed me on the day that Tom was leaving.

“I know. But he has to go,” I explained.

Natalie puffed out her lip. “I hate this.”

She’s a total daddy’s girl. She had his heart from the second she was born. When she was an infant, she refused to sleep unless she was being held. She slept many hours on her daddy’s chest and as she got bigger as learned to crawl, it was HIM that she’d eagerly crawl to.

Natalie clung to him the entire morning before he had to go.








“I love your face, Daddy.”


Before he left, he was telling her that he loved her very much.



“I don’t want you to go.”


It’s tough for her. It’s tough for everyone.

That night as I tucked her in bed, I recited a poem that I got from an old movie. Remember The Little Princess with Shirley Temple? When her Daddy has to go away, he told her to repeat this:


My daddy has to go away
But he’ll return most any day
Any moment I may see
My Daddy coming back to me



I hear her muttering it sometimes.


She can see him online at least, which is something.


It helps.

24 comments:

  1. Sending hugs and love. I am sure he misses you all too...but he will be back! Perhaps to 'ease the pain', instead of counting the days he had been gone, start the countdown on when he will be back.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think it's tougher on the kids than on us. Bless her little heart! Praying he returns safe and soon! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh, I'm in tears.
    I'm so sorry you all have to endure this.
    Please know that all of your sacrifice for this does not go unnoticed and unappreciated.

    You are in our prayers always.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Daddy's girls are so sweet! I'll be thinking of you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I cannot even imagine what it must be like for the families of our service members. I am so grateful for all of the sacrifices you make. I watch Welcome Home Blog videos sometimes and inevitably end up bawling my eyes out. You and your family are in my thoughts!! Wishing Tom a safe and fast deployment.

    ReplyDelete
  6. ...and yuo hve me in tears.
    Hugs to both of you!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Aw, sadness. Poor little one.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh sweet sweet thing. Glad she will be able to see him online at least

    ReplyDelete
  9. So sweet. Seeing people online isn't the same, but it's great that it's possible.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I knew clicking over would make me cry!

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a sweet relationship these two have ♥

    ReplyDelete
  12. It had to be so hard when they don't really understand.

    ReplyDelete
  13. It must be awful to say goodbye. Good luck to everyone.

    LisaDay

    ReplyDelete
  14. This is sooo hard. I hope time passes quickly!

    ReplyDelete
  15. couldn't imagine how hard it would have been to be married to a military man or being the child of a military man 30 years ago before cell phones and computers

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh, this is just heartbreaking. The pictures of her clinging to him just gut me. :( I just can't imagine how difficult this is for all of you. She is so lucky to have you. You are so in tune with her and her needs. --Lisa

    ReplyDelete
  17. *tears!*

    We had a close call with a possible deployment, but it got cancelled due to budget cuts. About the only GOOD thing I've seen with that mess. I dread having to go through this with Bella now that she's older and understands.

    Big, big hugs! For you and the kids!

    ReplyDelete
  18. So heartbreaking. I sure hope the time goes fast or all of you. I can only imagine how hard that was for Daddy. Hang in there Amber

    ReplyDelete
  19. Big hugs to you and your girl!

    ReplyDelete
  20. This is heartbreaking! I just said goodbye to my man and I can't imagine trying to do it with a little one. I hope you're both able to Skype him often.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Poor little girl. It's hard saying goodbye when a father has to travel for the job on just small trips, but when your daddy is gone for MONTHS, sometimes over a YEAR at a time, that's got to be hard to take. Thank God for Skype, facetime, etc, to keep close.

    This has also got to be hard on you and Tommy. Hang in there. Thinking of you. :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hang in there. I hope time goes by quickly and that she gets to talk to Daddy often!

    ReplyDelete
  23. *sniff* you ARE so strong...

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for the comment!

Share This

 
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...