First date/ 5 month Anniversary

I am finding it very hard to leave Brooke. She is such a mommy's baby. I just don't know what we are going to do. Kevin and I left the girls with my parents last night and we went to eat and to a play. We had a great time. Before the play started we went to Guntersville Lake and walked around. It was so pretty and the temperature was great. Kevin and I had our first date since Brooke has been home. I left Brooke with my mom once while we took Courtney to a play, but this was the first time Kevin and I have been by ourselves. It felt so strange with at least one of the girls not being with us. We had a really fun time though. I think anybody who is married and has children needs to have some time to still go out alone. I think it really helps your marriage. Kevin and I used to be more faithful about dates, but things have been so hectic the past 6 months that we kinda let it slip. I know it is not always easy to go out alone when you have children. Especially if you have more than one. I definantly think it is good for couples to have dates. Don't take that wrong when I say that. My children are my world and I love them very much. I love doing things as a family. It is just so nice to be able to go to out to eat and not have to go take one child to the bathroom, or change diaper. It is so nice to be able to talk and not have to say "leave the salt shaker alone" "Don't talk so loud" Etc, Etc. It is so nice to be able to taste your food and enjoy it. What I mean by that is normally if we go out I am having to feed Brooke and so I am not really enjoying what I am eating. Many times I don't even remember what I ate. LOL That is so true. I will be busy trying to get food down Brooke that I don't remember eating. In between feeding Brooke I am having to pick up the fork or spoon that she has dropped 10 times. Kevin is a great help to me, but Brooke seems to eat better when I feed her. It was also nice to be able to talk without a dozen interruptions. We call Courtney Chatter box, because she never is quite. She is talking from the time we get in the van until we have stopped. Some days I tell her to see if she can be quite for just 5 minutes. LOL
All of this to say Kevin and I had a great time.
Yesterday was also our 5 month Anniversary for having Brooke. It seems like we have had her forever. She has brought us so much joy. The past few weeks she has got to be a bigger mommy's girl. She has always been a mommy's girl, but the past few weeks have been tough. She does not want anybody to touch her if I am around. She clings to me all the time. We left her last night and today has been a nightmare. She don't want her daddy or anybody to touch her. If you come up and talk to her she will bury her head in my shirt and cling to me. If I am not around she does O.K. Once she sees me then she goes crazy.
I asked our pastor if I could not teach Bible School this year. I really think it is for the best. I will miss the children, but I feel that more damage would be done toward Brooke if I left her everyday. Nobody can imagine what our nights are like sometimes. Brooke will have night terrors and scream for me. I am the only one who can comfort her. I just don't feel Brooke is ready to be left yet. I know in time she will have the security that mommy and daddy are coming back. Last night I left her and like I said today has been a nightmare. Brooke loves my parents and does good when she is with them. It is the afterwards that is so bad. This happened a couple of weeks ago when we left her to take Courtney out. My friends who are reading this please pray that this will get better. I am so thankful Brooke loves me, but I do want her to share her love with her sister and daddy.
Brooke has shots tomorrow and I am worried sick about them. We went through two months of her not sleeping after the last shots. They really messed her up. I think the shots brought some memories back to her of some shots she had in China. Maybe they used a dull needle on her. I am not sure what triggered in her little mind, but it was terrible what she went through at night after those shots. Please pray for us tomorrow.
Take care, and all you married people with children "Go out on a date" You really need it.
Denna