My husband comes home TONIGHT after being away at training for the past month! I am SO glad. It has been exhausting, and I am ready to have our family complete once again! I realize that 1 month is nothing compared to a deployment, especially since I have some friends dealing with year-long deployments. But sometimes these training missions are even harder, because you never actually get into a deployment routine. Things just go on hold, and you forget to pace yourself the way you would during a longer period. I don't have that marathon mindset right now, so if this were the first month of a deployment I would be in bad shape!
Unfortunately, my excitement over his return is tempered by the fact that we ARE getting ready for a 7-month deployment. The month of May is all we have left together, and then he has one more long training mission, immediately followed by deployment departure (schedule subject to change, of course). So I want to enjoy the time we have, but I also feel a ton of pressure to get all of our pre-deployment to-do list taken care of. And I know all he wants to do is relax and enjoy his final leave periods before deployment. While it will hopefully be a fun month, it will also be a stressful one, and I am not looking forward to what lies ahead of us. :-( Anyone have any good pre-deployment tips about dealing with stress or taking care of projects around the house?
I understand what you're talking about training wise. My husband is gone a lot for his job and it really throws things out of whack... especially when he's home for three days gone a week home a week and gone again.... and its like this allll the time.
ReplyDeleteIs this your first deployment? My advice is to go with the flow, go day by day at the beginning. Have a list of what you want to accomplish during the deployment and just check it off as you go. By the end you'll feel accomplished. Also, let yourself have "sad panda" days, it helps to keep emotions in check and then you don't have to worry about it all just crashing down on you.
Hi Manda, thanks for the comment. No, it isn't my first deployment. It's the 2nd of our marriage, and his 5th since we've been together, so I feel like it should be easier! But with our 3rd baby due during the deployment, I guess I still feel nervous and scared. Last time I had an incredible to-do list, even though our 2nd child was born just before the last deployment. I was almost TOO busy moving into the houses and making changes while raising 2 little ones and doing potty training, etc. This time, I am trying not to overload myself with chores, which is why I have so much I want my husband to do before he leaves! :-) But I guess no matter how much he does, problems will arise, and I will handle them, even with the 3 kids. It is just so great to have the support and encouragement of other spouses!
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