Semi-Wordless Wednesday

"D-Day" (Deployment Day) has come and gone. The Man is somewhere over the ocean right now and I already miss him like crazy. Watching him pack his bags was hard...though it did give me a good laugh. Don't anyone EVER expect me to be able to pack like that!

We could have a problem...

I am feeling overly crafty today. I think it is to take my mind off this pending deployment...but nevertheless I have been awake since 5 a.m weaving and knitting away.

I need to learn to crochette...but that's for later.

So, as I am typing this it is 9:45. I have had to take several breaks from my projects because of my lovely b.r.a.t.s. but Little Miss has 2 new headbands, a finished blanket for her bed, and a new pair of leg warmers (well, they are almost done...it's a new attempt I am trying). And Little Man will have a pair of leg warmers if I can get Little Misses right.

I am doing everything I can not to rush out and buy all the yarn from the nearest Hobby Lobby. I just need to put all my focus and energy into something that isn't this waiting until the day The Man leaves.

So, crafting will be my go to outlet. Maybe one day I will post pictures of some of my crafting skills. I should get REALLY good at it this deployment.

Final Preperations

All that is left is to spend time together. Hug the kids and cherish these moments. The Man will miss Little Man's first steps, his first "actual words", summer vacation, his birthday, my birthday...

So is the life of the military.

Don't get me wrong...I wouldn't change it for the world. We have a GOOD life. But preparing for an extended goodbye never gets easier.

Don't tell him...but I will actually miss when he pokes me to intentionally bother me. I will miss the having dinner ready and him being late for the 3rd time this week. The little things in every day life that sometimes get under my skin...I will miss.

His bag is packed and sitting in the middle of the living room floor. It's real. It's happening. Soon.

I will get the kids through this deployment with dignity and grace. I will make daddy a part of every activity we do. I will make sure they KNOW their daddy loves them more than anything in the world.

So here we go...I'm off to stock up on flat rate shipping boxes. Care Packages are what I look forward to sending while he is gone.

Pre Deployment Woes.

There is nothing fun about preparing for a deployment. I am learning this very quickly as we get closer and closer to enduring our first.

The tensions are high, we are both very quick to anger, and the worst part...Little Miss realizes something isn't right.

As The Man starts organizing his stuff Little Miss starts putting it back were it goes.

She has endured 2 TDYs in the last 90 days...one of them lasting 40 days...so she knows she hates when The Man has to leave.

My heart breaks right now. She is such a daddy's girl. And for 6 months she will have to only hear his recorded voice, maybe a phone call if she's awake, and talk to her daddy doll.

Little Man seems to get something is up too. He may only be 1 but for the past 3 days he hasn't left The Man's side.

I know kids are resilient, I do...but it doesn't make it any easier for me to watch my babies hearts shatter as daddy has to leave.

And of course The Man and I both have our own troubles. I still haven't processed the deployment...and don't want to. He and I are both list people. The typical conversation is "Ok, what appointments do you have today and what is still left?" "I need to make sure this, this, this, and that are done before I leave."

I think we are just trying to keep things normal.

Normal is easier.

But for 6 months I will miss seeing this.

But with technology today, and the wonders of Skype, hopefully this deployment will be easier than I am planning for.

You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you.  ~Frederick Buechner