I'm so glad when daddy comes home

Dave was out of town for a month. That's right, an entire month without coming home. First he went to a conducting seminar at the University of North Texas for a week, then he went to Southern Oregon University's American Band College for just over two weeks to work on his Master's Degree, and from there it was off to Chicago to attend Northwestern's Wind and Conducting Symposium. So while he had fun eating out, going to the movies, playing his trumpet, hanging out with fellow band geeks, staying in a hotel, (supposedly studying, working hard, ; )) etc I stayed home with the three munchkins and tried to retain that shred of sanity that I so dutifully protect. I mean, if I lost it, what would my family do? Anyway, I shall tell you how I survived that month later on, to get to the point, the boys missed Dave like crazy.

S3 noticed the second day that Dad hadn't shown up like usual and started asking "Where's Daddy?" S1 didn't seem to notice or care and S2 understood what was going on. Plus, S2 and S3 would talk to Dave on the phone or Skype with him. S1 just wasn't interested. Well, fast forward one month. Dave got in at about 2 am so obviously the kids were dead to the world. But the next morning I woke up to S3, who has the sweetest little voice in the world, standing by my bed and saying, as usual, "good morning mommy". I cracked open an eye and said, "Good morning S3, go around to the other side of my bed." Being the obedient little child he is, he did so and exclaimed, "Good Morning Daddy!" He then proceeded to give dad hugs and kisses and climb up into our bed. S2 heard the Good morning Daddy and came barreling in jumping on top of dad and shouting, "Dad you're home!' before bestowing his own kisses and hugs. After the main excitement had died down one of the boys let S1 out of his room. When S1 came in he made a beeline for the TV, but Dave said, "Good Morning S1!" S1 immediately stopped in his tracks, looked over at me, then stood up straighter while looking over me to find the source of the voice. When he saw Dave, the smile that lit up S1's face was worth a million bucks! Dave got up and they spent the next few moments giving kisses and hugs and S1 just grinning the funniest grin. We were dying to know what he was thinking. S1 would look over at me as if to say, "Hey, is he really back? I was wondering what happened to my dad." Cutest grin ever. So Dave had a good homecoming all around.