Jonathan has been out of town for the last two weeks. He’s been away for his MBA program and gets home late tomorrow night. I can’t begin to tell you how happy I am to have my husband back home. Like so, so happy. Our little world just doesn’t function the same without him.

While he’s been gone, I’ve done a lot of thinking about playing the single parents. And I have just a few thoughts to share…

1. Single parents are rockstars. Like seriously. Rockstars. It doesn’t matter why you’re a single parent, if it’s permanent or temporary, but if you’re flying solo on the parenting front, you deserve way more praise than you get. It’s hard work and you are so not getting the break you need.

2. I have so much respect for military wives. I heard a story about a military wife who hadn’t spent more than just a few days with her husband in two years. Two years. And yet they were still going, still serving our country. That’s incredible. Much applauding needs to take place for those spouses who stay behind.

3. Jonathan is incredible. I probably don’t give Jonathan enough credit, but that man does way more than I even realize. I mean, if nothing else, he wakes up with the kids 4 days a week while I’m out training for my race. I know that may not seem like a big deal, but for someone who is so not a morning person, it is a big deal for him to get up on those mornings.

4. Girlfriends are invaluable. I have some amazing, wonderful friends. And I love them so much. They push me, encourage me and make me laugh. And if it weren’t for them {and our continuous string of text messages} I might just loose my mind.

5. Coffee, grace, wine. Repeat. That, my friends, is how I survived two weeks of solo parenting. Lots of coffee, even more grace, and some wine to finish off the night.

*I do have to give bad props to my brother, Fletcher, who has helped with the kids in the mornings so I can keep my crazy training schedule going. Just over a week till my marathon.