Met in the wilds of Alaska, married 4 months later, my dh and I have been married for 12 years and we’re still nuts about each other. We’re completely opposite, which means we compliment one another perfectly. Well, most of the time 😉
After 9 years of active duty service, Jared left the Army in 2006 to pursue his Geography degree(which he received in June of 2010). He also joined the Army National Guard. After a 6 month TDY and a 13 month Iraq deployment, we’re on to another 4 month TDY. With an 8 year old, a 5 year old, and a 3 year old in the house there’s a lot of stuff to keep us busy. We wouldn’t want to leave daddy out, so we flattened him! Now we take him all the cool(and boring) places we go and snap pictures to keep him, and you, up to date on all the happenings.
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Stumble It!
A Year with Flat Daddy 
March 23, 2009 at 9:58 am
Not sure how I stumbled onto your blog but I’m so glad I did. My fiance is leaving in October for a year long deployement, with his National Guard unit, and we have a 18 month old son together. You have given me so many ideas thank you so much. I didn’t realize how emotional all of this was making me feel until I started reading your blogs and seeing all the ideas I can use with my son. 5 months till deployment day and everyday is flying by. Tonight I’m going to sit down and look thru your archives. Thanks again for this blog.. You and your family will be in my thoughts…
March 25, 2009 at 10:18 am
Lorie,
Thanks for stopping by!
This last little bit will go so fast. Don’t let the stress get to you because you’ll just spend all of it bickering if you do. Take every chance to spend time together and take LOTS of pictures. It’s hard, some days you’re fine and others you wonder why you’re doing this in the first place. But as cliche as it sounds, if you just take deep breaths you’ll get through it one day at a time. Then you’ll get to stress about how to adjust when he comes home, it’s tons of fun! Feel free to stop by again, and you can always email if you need to vent or have questions. We wish you and your family the very best!
July 14, 2009 at 8:23 pm
I love your Blog! I have followed it for the last few months and love all that you do with FJ and the kids. My husband just started a 12 month deployment and I wanted to stop in and say Thanks for reminding me to have some fun with the kids (and our own Flat Daddy) during the next year.
September 28, 2010 at 10:31 am
Hi Marissa,
I’m working on a story about Flat Daddies for a national magazine, and was hoping you’d be game for an interview. If you’re interested, please drop me a line.
Best wishes,
Brad
November 28, 2010 at 12:41 pm
I just read your story in “Parade.” It brought me to tears. I am a teacher in the Buffalo area, and think that what you have done for your children is outstanding. Great moms like you give their children all the love and support they need to grow. Your husband is a hero for serving this country, but you are also a hero for holding your family together during a difficult time. God Bless you and your family!
December 19, 2010 at 6:40 pm
Well, I wouldn’t call myself a hero, that’s for sure, but thank you for such gracious words. We do what we can for our family, and most of the time it works out well. Here’s hoping we just don’t mess up on the big stuff!
November 28, 2010 at 2:27 pm
Dear Marissa:
What an wonderful story in Parade Magazine today. And I am so happy to hear that Jared has come come safely to you and your children!
My son is on his third tour of duty (twice Iraq and now Afghanistan). His finance, 6 yr old son and the rest of our family miss him dearly and pray for his safe return.
God bless you and your wonderful family!
Thank you Jared for your service….thank you Marissa for being a wonderful example of a beautiful woman, wife and mother.
December 19, 2010 at 6:31 pm
Thank you for your wonderful words of support! Please accept our support and appreciation in turn for you, your son, his family, and all you all do. Merry Christmas!
November 28, 2010 at 7:23 pm
Dear Marissa:
I just read your story in the Parade Magazine and came right up to the computer to find out more information on “flat daddies”. What an awesome, awesome idea that turned out to be. What a treasure you have created for your children.
Thank you Jared for your service to all of us and our great country and thank you Marissa for sharing your family with all of us. God bless and be with all of you.
December 19, 2010 at 5:47 pm
Thank you so much, your kind words are greatly appreciated. I’m glad we discovered this idea or our children, and that it has touched so many other families as well
December 2, 2010 at 11:42 am
Love your story, it is very inspirational in so many ways. You are very strong and I admire that greatly. Now I know what we’ll be getting when my husband leaves. Thank you!
December 19, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Well, I don’t know that strong is the right word, I just do what needs to be done, but thank you. I hope you enjoy your Flat Daddy too!
February 16, 2011 at 3:49 pm
Marissa my dear, I’ve been looking for you! What a wonderful blog, you have always been so creative! Please email me back, I’d love to hear from you and to catch up.
March 21, 2011 at 10:06 pm
Thanks to my mom finding your story in Parade, I ordered our Flat Daddy and he arrived just days after real Daddy deployed with the Navy. My children are 6, 4, 1 1/2 and another on the way. We are so excited to take Daddy with us and SO thankful for the generous donations that enabled us to do this without charge. THANK YOU for being out there – for all of us military families.
January 7, 2012 at 2:07 am
Helli, my baby son and I have a Flat Daddy. We plan on traveling by plane throughout the year and wish not to leave him behind, but he doesn’t fit in any of my luggages without having to bend him. Have you ever travelled by plane with FJ and if so, how?
April 10, 2012 at 6:12 pm
It’s probably way too late to help you out Rochelle (sorry!), but for anyone else with the question, here’s how I do it:
Take the Flat Daddy as a carry on, it may not fit through the x-ray machine so it might have to be screened separately, but no worries, they’ll be careful. I ask the flight attendants to store it and they will always find a nice safe spot for it, either in a closet or behind some seats.