330 Days have passed since my husband left off to serve our country yet again and Ive been at home with our 4 kids everyday missing him since. What are some things I've learned? Ive learned before the next deployment to make a list and have already lined up and talked to at least 10, yes 10 babysitters. Because I never know what life will pop up and throw at me or when I just really want to go shopping for my sanity alone every once and a while. I truly underestimated how much help I needed when it comes to babysitting. Ive also learned I'm quite sure I'm super woman with God in me. I come across people everyday still and they just cant even fathom how I do it. I honestly haven't a clue either I have learned when I receive these compliments to always say with Gods help, or assistance, or whatever the only way I can explain is because God has been here to help me make it through every single day weather its a great happy day or stressful emotional day the only way I make it through is with his help.
I started stressing out a couple weeks ago which I thought was odd at first. Shouldn't I be over the moon and excited? But no I was mostly just upset at myself with the house that I see my husband walking back home to and its not this perfect picture that I have in my head for him to come home to. Then after I realized my stress was causing physical signs to show up I realized, that was ridiculous. I stepped back and reminded myself this is the house that he left, there was laundry piles when he left and the floor wasn't always swept 24/7, or the carpet immaculate, or the counters shining bright. This is reality. This is ok. I realized he will be perfectly happy when he comes home because he will be coming home to our life resembling still what he left, a happy house full of kids and love who are comfortable in their home and enjoy each others time. I realized I had put this big heaping dose of expectations for something that was unrealistic on myself and it was not ok. I am happy to say that while new furniture has been added and of course old furniture rearranged quite frequently I'm happy hes coming home and I'm ok with the house that we live in and all its glory. :)
I kept his dog alive while he was gone which is a big feat seeing as how I'm allergic to him. That was one of my biggest worries was what if he got out ran away and then he came home and his loyal companion was gone. But once again even though the dog has escaped the yard numerous times and even been shot at...yeah that's a story.... God has brought him back time after time because I know I sure didn't!
I think one of the most important things Ive learned is how great of a relationship I do have with my husband. I mean what would you do if your husband who you are madly in love with walked out the door 330 Days ago and even though you love him, and miss him, you cant see him again for a year and have to carry on your life without him immediately available. I don't know what you invision when you think of this in your relationship, but I invisioned we would become distant, be kind of like strangers again, etc. But honestly with us this is not the case. I feel like he never even left when it comes to our day to day routine and feelings for each other. I do not feel distant from him, He does not feel alienated or like a stranger walking back into my life I really feel hes just been right beside me yet somehow invisible day in and day out and it feels like hes never left my side. I am so grateful for that. This doesn't happen often but it has happened in our case and I thank you God for that.
Day 330 is a great day its a day that signifies hes close to coming home and what makes me smile the most is to be able to see that smile on his face when he gets to see and hug and kiss on our kids again. I have all cameras charged and ready to go because I want to get those memories on film and pictures so that I can remember those moments forever and show the kids them when they get older and let them see how great the love was when their daddy came home to see them. :)