What's your favorite time of day? Is it early in the morning when the world seems fresh and new in the shy light of predawn? Or maybe it's when you and your loved ones are gathered around the dinner table sharing the events of their day? I am blessed to have many times and events during my day that vie for the position of being my favorite. Chasing my son, the Bubs, around the house and listening to the resulting shouts of laughter that seem to explode from his chest and reading his bed time books while he and I lie in his bed with heads together and fingers following the words on the page are among my absolute favorites.

Recently, my list has shifted a bit to include the times when my husband is able to talk with us. If you've ever had a spouse or close loved one who has been deployed, you understand that it's a huge thing for them to have access to a phone and/or an internet connection...or in my hubby's case, the time to use either one. When I see my instant messenger flash a message from him the Bubs and I drop everything (sometimes literally!) to go chat with him for the few moments he has available.

Being able to have any kind communication with my hubby, sporadic though it is on occasion, is so very precious for our family. The combination of chatting and seeing one another on our newly purchased web cams has made the biggest difference in how the Bubs is handling the separation. He's gone from being anxious and angry to being more relaxed and open about how he's feeling. At the beginning of this deployment he would say, "I don't want to talk about Daddy." I....well let's just say it hurt my heart to watch my little guy try and process all of these very big emotions. Not to mention, my hubby was frantic that he was scarring the Bubs for life by being away and I was caught between trying to comfort them both despite their respective emotional and physical distances from me. But, thankfully, that has changed (insert shouts of "Hallelujah!" and grateful tears here). The Bubs now says, "Daddy is my best friend, Mommy. I love Daddy!"

It's all about feeling that connection with one another that crosses any amount of distance, spans times of separation and breaches any barriers thrown in it's way. To know that Hubby is thinking of us, still knows us, still laughs at our goofiness, and still needs us even though he is thousands of miles away is such a wonderful and vital comfort.