Build-A-Bear, Saying Goodbye to Daddy (for awhile)

Scott was to report to Radisson Airport Hotel on Monday, January 17th.  He just needed to check-in but then was free to go spend a few hours with his family.  So we wanted to do something fun with the kids, and something to help them be able to remember Scott while he was gone.  We went to the Gateway and got some dinner and let the kids play on the toys there, and then went to Build-A-Bear.  The idea was to build bears and put them in Army clothing to help them remember that Daddy is away at the army but will be coming back.  We did get the army clothes, but once the kids say all the options, princesses and Woody, they were not that interested in the army clothes.  Eric thought they were cool and just wanted them as an option for his bear.

So we ended up with Belle and Woody bears that could also dress up as soldiers.

A ride on Clifford before dinner.

A turn in the rocket ship.  Maybe she is a future astronaut.

What toy came with this meal?  A Bacugon!!

Chicken nuggets--Yum!

Daddy, how about a real pony?

Cleaning and fluffing the fur.

Stuffing Rubie's bear.

Placing the heart inside.

Woody is ready for his costume.

Belle and Woody Bears.

At the end, you register your bear and it gets its own "birth" certificate.

We had a fun time together.  It was much harder for Scott to say good-bye to the kids than he thought.  He immediately broke down in tears.  Rubie was confused and just kept saying "Daddy's crying." Over and over.  Eric realized that the time had come that we kept talking about that Daddy was going away for awhile.  The whole way home he kept telling me to go back and get his daddy.  That we couldn't leave him.  Over and over.  That was sad.  When we pulled into the drive way he saw that I wasn't going to go back and get Scott, then he really started to cry.  We went in and talked about Scott being gone for just a few months--again.  He was okay after a few minutes.  

On Tuesday I got to go back up to Salt Lake and spend some time with Scott on my own.  We went to Temple Square and had some dinner.  It was very nice.  We definitely miss him, but I can't discount that the Lord is watching over us and helping us every day.