Children's Fears

I am already wishing it was a year and a half into the future and Sniper is home. Sniper hasn't told his family or sons he is leaving again. He doesn't want to ruin anyone's Christmas. Everyone is assuming he is getting recruiting orders. I have had a hard time keeping myself together and not letting on that something is up. I also am working on a miniature scrapbook for Christmas for him to take and have been asking his family for help with pictures. I am just hoping no one finds out I knew before them. I haven't told my kids and they don't understand why mom has been a little moody lately. I am not sure of how to tell my kids. My son has been having nightmares and shutting down with the possibility of Sniper going to Iraq, before we knew for sure. My son is Bi-Polar and is being assessed for Aspergers (a form of Autism). A few weeks back his school had a assembly with the National Guard and Air Force coming in to talk to them. My son completely shut down and cried uncontrollably for hours. He curled up in a ball with his jacket over his head, in the back of the classroom and wouldn't talk to anyone. I had to pick him up from school. We called Sniper and got him calmed down. Lego Man is afraid he won't be coming back. He knows Sniper was hurt pretty bad in OIF II. We keep trying to reassure him that it will be okay. He told him, they can't kill him, they've already tried and he came back. He has 9 lives but, if something happens to him, he died doing this for us and his country. He died protecting our freedom and he sent his Marines home safe. Telling my 11 year old son is going to be hard, he still thinks he isn't going anywhere. I am just so unsure of how to handle his fears, along with my daughter, not including my own. I am going to keep reassuring them it will be okay. dyzgoneby