PLEASANT GROVE — When a soldier leaves to fight in a far-off war, it can create a huge void for spouses and children. Coping physically and emotionally with the separation is often difficult, and some parents don't realize the impact it has on their children.

A Utah County woman going through this experience decided to help her 11-year-old son cope with the absence of his soldier father and, at the same time, accomplish a senior project for her college degree.

Linda Nelson, a mother of six from Pleasant Grove, went back to college after 25 years away from the classroom. Last fall, she found herself facing her graphic design senior project.

Nelson decided to write a book titled "Operation: Grown-up" to help her son Josh learn lessons from his father serving in Iraq.

"My son was having trouble with his dad being away," Nelson said. "For my project, I was told to find something I could really sink my teeth into so I decided to write a book."

Nelson started the book after her husband, Lloyd, a Blackhawk helicopter pilot with the National Guard, left for Iraq last September.

She chose three life lessons to use in her book, with a father teaching a son through words and illustrations.

"The first lesson teaches courage," Nelson said. A father takes his son camping and the son becomes afraid of the dark. The boy is left alone and prays for courage to find his father.

The father then teaches the concept of catch-and-release fishing, emphasizing that instead of catching your limit, you should limit your catch.

In the book, at a parade the son notices year after year that his father gets tearful standing at attention when the flag passes by.

Nelson used a patriotic quote — "Freedom isn't free — someone has to pay for it" — to bring home the father's need to leave and serve his country.

Nelson, who did her own artwork, used a computer program that makes photos look like oil paintings. Her son modeled for the boy, but with her husband away, she sometimes used her brother-in-law as a stand-in for photos. And while her husband was home on leave in January, they took many photos for the book.

"I needed some summer pictures, so we had to go somewhere warm," Nelson said. The family headed to Southern California and Disneyland.

Josh's favorite photo was taken at Thanksgiving Point.

"I like the one where we go fishing," he said. "We went in a building where they have a little pond."

Linda Nelson chose to alter the art from photos to an oil paint-look because of cost but also so anyone could relate.

Perry Stewart, Nelson's faculty adviser at Utah Valley State College, gave advice during the creative process.