Waiting....

I have to say the hardest part about deployment for me is waiting. Waiting by my phone all day and night for a phone call. Waiting to hear if their return date has changed. Waiting for my husband to come home. But as all Army Wives know the Army's motto is, "Hurry up and wait". And as much as I hate waiting I have become accustomed to it. I have learned to use it to my advantage.

Meaning:

Instead of sitting around the house and crying, feeling sorry for myself and eating tubs of ice cream gaining 100 pounds; I am using this time to better myself and preparing for my husbands return. I am working on getting a new wardrobe, something a little more sophisticated than my high school clothing choice. I am trying to lose the weight that I have gained since I got married. I'm saving money that otherwise would have been spent by my husband on stupid things. Now instead of living pay check to pay check. I have a budget, money in savings, all the bills payed, plus extra money to spend. Now of course with deployment we are getting more money, but at least with this I will be able to better budget when the extra is gone. I'm even working on my marriage.

Now for people that know me it was no secret that my husband and I were having a lot of problems, but I have to say that this deployment saved our marriage. It has given us a chance to see what we really have. It has giving us a chance to learn to be adults so that we no longer play childish games. Because before this deployment we didn't have a real marriage. We got married at 18 and although we both loved each other we both were so young and a bit immature. But This deployment gave us a second chance. And for that I am thankful.

Ladies it comes down to this:

Deployment is not the end of the world. It is what you make it. of course it will never be easy and it will never be the greatest situation, but it does not have to be a tragedy. It can be a learning experience. It can save your marriage. But it is only what you make it. Army Wives are strong. They are survivors. and thats what deployment is about. We are not doing better without our husbands, we are surviving to the best of our ability.

Well until next time. Be well and for those surviving deployment stay strong and think about if you are making the best of your deployment.

God bless.