Taking Care of Business: A Celebration of Deployment Victories
A new friend and fellow milspouse just embarked on her first deployment, and she was telling me about some things she had successfully accomplished while her husband was gone.
As she accomplishes a task that perhaps her husband would have normally taken care of, she gives herself an imaginary pat on the back, takes a picture, and sends it to her husband with the hashtag #takingcareofbusiness. It’s become a cute way for her to share what’s going on day to day, build her confidence that she can do this, and also remind her husband that she’s doing just fine.
I thought it was such a great idea, so it got me thinking about the last 16 years of Army wife life and all the unique skills that I have developed, thanks to those Army-ordered times of separation.
Here are the top 10 skills that I have gained during deployments/separations:
1. I successfully jump started my husband’s old truck twice, in the same day, while running errands with a screaming toddler and preschooler in tow without losing my mind… #takingcareofbusiness
2. When the AC went out in our North Carolina home in the middle of 95-degree summer heat the day my husband deployed, rather than have a mental breakdown and die of heat stroke, we bought fans and turned our living room into a camp out, tent and all. It turned out to be the best distraction, and we actually had fun (and a great reason to eat a ton of s’mores). #takingcareofbusiness
3. When my 7-year-old son “accidentally” shot a squirrel with his BB gun in the backyard and came to me with said dead animal, I had to quickly figure out what to do with the thing. So, I called my amazing milspouse friend whose husband is an MD. He came over, and we had an impromptu squirrel anatomy lesson with my two and their four kids. Mr. Squirrel spent the rest of the deployment in my deep freezer in case my son wanted to cook it up when daddy got home. #takingcareofbusiness and also, #gross
4. I mastered the art of flying numerous times by myself with a preschooler and infant. There should be medals awarded to mamas going through security—alone—with babies, toddlers, and strollers! Then, there’s the art of discretely nursing on a plane. Definitely takes some skill. #takingcareofbusiness
5. I discovered a new workout and way to sweat your pounds off immediately: Mow a half acre of grass with a push mower in North Carolina in the middle of the summer. You will look like you just stepped out of a pool. #takingcareofbusiness
6. I mastered the protocol for getting myself and two littles into the bathtub with bike helmets and a crib mattress on top of our heads, snacks, drinks, and ipad within three minutes of hearing the tornado sirens in Alabama. #takingcareofbusiness
7. Just call me Grill Master. My husband used to do all the grilling, but when he was gone, I hated that I couldn’t enjoy grilled meat. So, I taught myself how to marinate and grill to perfection. To this day, I’m the griller of the house. #takingcareofbusiness
8. Power saw operator. I decided that I needed a new hobby, so I decided to make hand-painted wooden signs. I bought a power saw, and after a long safety brief by my husband via Skype while he was deployed, I embarked on a new adventure of sign making. No fingers were cut off in the process. #takingcareofbusiness
9. I learned how to belay so my son could still rock climb when Daddy was gone. #takingcareofbusiness
10. Pro at managing my son’s numerous doctor appointments, blood draws, stool drop-offs at the hospital in the wee hours of the night and consoling a scared, sick little guy in bed with me for three months during a deployment. #takingcareofbusiness
Life is just easier when he’s home. But I’ve realized that when he’s gone, I am fully capable of learning how to do new things, even hard things, and succeeding!
What are some ways you are #takingcareofbusiness while your service member is gone? Celebrate those victories, small or large! I’d love to hear in the comments!
