Clearly disappointed, she accepts the stand-in kiss and heads off to sleep.  Raising military brats is hard and emotional work.  Though I am certain that being a military brat is even harder.

...And they know it.  Last night I was having dinner at our friends' house and their six-year-old daughter said to me (very matter-of-factly), "You have two to take care of, all by yourself.  It's hard to do it alone."  Such a grown-up thought for such a little girl to have.

I feel for my girls.  We're just over two days into this separation and they've been a long couple of days.