I’ve mentioned before that Mike and I are fairly new, right? Which means I was not privy to his previous Army life. Nor have I ever been around anyone with any sort of military background. Which means I am 100% new to All The Things military related.
I’m sure I will receive lots of eye rolls when I legit lost it when Mike “deployed” (can you even use that term if he didn’t leave our state?) for – wait for it – TEN WHOLE DAYS. In my defense, again, this is all new to me, and on top of that we had been married for less than two months when he left.
I am a creature of habit, as well as slightly codependent. I don’t even know if that’s the right word.. But I love having my husband around. I like knowing I can snuggle him and talk to him, and that he’ll be present to help me co-pilot our crazy house. So to have him removed was rather unnerving for me.
My coworker Leslie would say that this next part is the Virgo in me, but I researched and read blogs and stories and articles on how to cope. Most of the women were discussing, you know, actual deployments where they didn’t speak to their spouse for weeks – or months at a time. But I needed to know how to survive without my man!
I cried lots. I didn’t know how to water the backyard (which is not my fault – this man has 37.2 steps to do ANYTHING). I thought he would be gone for ever. I totally know how ridiculous I was being, but I absolutely could not help it.
Thankfully, I was insanely lucky and got to talk to him daily. We texted a lot. And I learned the COOLEST part of military separation. The heart DOES indeed grow fonder with distance. A lot fonder 😉 Mike’s favorite phrase was “almost done” which has stuck with us during times of separation.
When Mike left for tech school for the Air Force, our Oliver was not even three months old. I thought it would be a bright idea to return to work, with five other kids at home AND the new baby, for some “adult time”. I’m sure you will find this hard to believe as this was most definitely not my first rodeo in the newborn department, but I for real forgot how hard it was. And how much you don’t sleep. And when you’re doing it 100% on your own? Eek.
Mike and I were lucky enough to have the opportunity and ability for O and I to come visit him almost monthly while he was in Texas, which was good since we are pretty much attached at the hip. It was super hard for me to be away from him so long, and I imagine it was even harder for him to be so far from us – and his new son! Almost done, we reminded each other nightly. Almost done.
You could say I’m getting acclimated to the comings and goings, as we are on the eve of him returning from a three week training and we’re doing pretty good. We were able to talk frequently again and I was able to settle into enjoying my newfound autonomy as well as missing my husband and being excited for him to return. I have to tell you, it’s pretty cool to court each other long distance after you’ve been married for a few years! We are definitely figuring out how to make the best of it – or at least I am. Mike’s been used to this for awhile 🙂
Almost done.
© Copyright 2019, The Snod Life, All Rights Reserved