Engage. Educate. Encourage. EMPOWER.
I’ve been writing about deployment and reintegration a lot. It’s my life right now, and it’s harder than I anticipated. I thought it would be magically easy, since my husband and I had some key conversations to prepare us for the changes that occurred for all of us while he was gone.
Read more
When I wrote my previous post, my husband and I were preparing for homecoming and reintegration.
The homecoming day (that only changed a couple times) has come and gone. We’re now in the trenches of reintegration.
I say “trenches” not because it’s bad, but because there are highs and lows, including some I didn’t expect. (Silly me, thinking I could plan for everything.)
Read more
A few weeks ago, my husband called to give me his anticipated homecoming date. I was ecstatic to hear that; while still a ways off. the date was earlier than I expected. Time to prepare for reintegration
I’m not letting myself write it down until he’s on the plane though… I’m too accustomed to plans changing.
Because…military life.
Read more
I heard about all of these things and more. But there is one thing that I didn’t hear enough about: hitting that deployment wall.
What’s the deployment wall?
It’s when you are drained from all the things—the responsibilities, missing your loved one, the emotional roller coaster. When you are just over. it. already.
Read more
As I write this, tears are welling in my eyes. You, my military child, are 4. Where did my little guy go?
You are none the wiser. You fell asleep a couple hours ago, the words, “I love you, too” barely out before dreamland summoned you.
Read more
My husband is a cook in the Army, which means a hit time before the sun comes up on most days.
Because he also values every bit of sleep he can get, he gets everything ready the night before, so to facilitate his streamlined morning routine.
This includes a morning shave.
Read more
In my previous post, I wrote of the challenges that I have solo parenting during deployment, and the ways I overcome them.
It’s time for the flip side: the joys of deployment.
Read more
When I learned that my husband was going to deploy this year, their relationship left me nervous. It would be our first longer separation and the first my son would remember. I couldn’t help but worry, not only for them, but also for me. How would I connect with my son the way he connects with his dad?
My 3 1/2 year old son is a daddy’s boy, through and through.
He loves playing cars and dinos with Dad, matching clothes with Dad, and helping Dad with all the household tasks and projects.
Have you heard the song, “Watching You” by Rodney Atkins? (If not, you can listen here.) That’s them, in a nutshell.
Read more
During deployments and other separations, the spouse or significant other holds down the fort at home.
All the resources and blogs say that you don’t have to do the fort-holding alone.
You can and should ask for help when you need it, they say.
Read more