European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 20, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Agazine single military father it s a Busy balancing act Story and photo by Wendy Bourland staff writer the lady s touch missing from in apartment is the one thing staff  Luster teels his daughters Nee the most. But i m working on it he says. Sunday Marks Luster s second father s Day As a single father to Tabitha 5, and Frances 4. The 29 year old Soldier and his wife also a Soldier were divorced in december 1985. Eighteen months after the Divece Luster says he and the girls Are doing line Bui the first year was Tough for Luster an armament inspector assigned to the Usa eur aviation safety standardization Board in Wiesbaden Germany. It was really rough he says. They were in the process of getting another evaluate on Board to help me out. Until i showed could handle  it was a Lough time Tor the girls too. It took every bit of nine  Luster s face twists into a Grimace to Comfort them to explain to them that their Molher loves them that i love them too but we could t live together anymore Luster s Job requires frequent temporary duty assignments throughout Europe with an average of 15overnigh1s away from Home a month a neighbor baby sits Tabitha and Frances in her Home during the workday and keeps them while he s gone. I be got a very Good baby Siller he says. She understands the situation and helps As much As she  when away Lusher Calls his daughters every night. He knows they re afraid he has left Tor Good. You should see my phone Bill every night from the hotel to says smiling i reassure them that i m still  Luster is adept at balancing a Busy life. To goes to school free nights a week. Free weekday evenings Are spent with the girls. He takes them out on weekends to the zoo to amusement Parks and out to cat. I ask them Friday if they be had a Good week and whal they want to do he says. If Lay be been Richmond lunar during a rare moment of quiet at Home with daughter to Bettia lat France. Good Tor the baby Sitter i Lake them to Piz Jia  he Rolls his eyes. They always want  Luster recently resumed his social life he has a steady Girlfriend he met shortly after his divorce. She is sometimes included on outings with Luster and his daughters. He enjoys gelling Oul again. I went to Frankfurt to a club last month for to first Lime in a year he says. Not thai he does t enjoy being at Home he a learning to be both father and Mother to Tabitha and Frances. It s rough to raise them i m thinking i be got o do their hair " he says. The Babysitter put in the braids for he photo Rapti. But i can do practically All their Mother could do Luster Calls himself a strict disciplinarian. He says he s harder on the girls than he would be if there were iwo parents supervising them. They re Well behaved he says. I Don t constantly worry about it. At die baby Sitters they do things like i m  but he discipline is linked with fear on his part. I m overprotective. I m scared. I went through one loss. I Don t need another  Luster s three bedroom apartment in Wiesbaden s Haine Berg housing area is Lidy and sparsely furnished. The Small round dinner table seems lost Adell in the dining room. A 10-Speed bicycle is parked in the living room next to a Large console color to pictures of Tabitha and Frances some taken by their dad hang on a living room Wall. Tabling and Frances sleep in one bedroom and play in another. The Laller is Wall to Wall toys. Shouts and squeals of laughter Drift into the living room. When Luster Calls his daughters they immediately come tumbling out of the playroom and snuggle next to him on the Sola. Frances Burrows into the Sola Between her father and her older sister. Luster blows them kisses. They turn their faces up to him smiling and giggling. They be grown up faster than if there were two of us he says. Tabitha vacuums the apartment and puts the dishes up after a meal. When i bake a cake t Fel her run the mixer. She tries to Cook  Lusher Days every Inch the proud papa. She needs very Little  a sighs. I can t wait until she learns How to Wash  both girls pick their own clothes out each Day with a Little help and put All the toys in the extra bedroom away after playing with them. Expenses such As children s clothes Aren l cheap especially on an e-6 s salary but Luster also receives child support my his sex wife. Tabitha grows too fast he complains. I bought her a pair of jeans last month and she s outgrown Hern. Already to have to count every Nickel and dime he says. Most of the time i have to sacrifice for myself because i Vegol the  but he can t imagine Lile without them. If it weren t for them.," he pauses. I want them to have a Good  i try to play the role of the Molher and Fie father and the Friend also. Sometimes it gels hard he says. Sometimes they won t let daddy rest. Look at this look at this sometimes i Send them to their playroom so i Don t taks out my frustrations on  then he Heads for the gym in the basement of his building. Luster wants to organize a single Parent support group by August when his next toy is scheduled. He says there Are plenty of single parents in the area male and female. But support group or not he thinks he s Gol the hang of being a single father. I be overcome the hard part. Now ii s smooth  a saturday june 20, 1967 the stars and stripes Page 13