Deployment Survival

Being a military spouse is probably one of the hardest titles to hold. Trying to manage a household budget that never seems to go as far as you’d like it to, being a single parent during deployments, listening to AND understanding the “jargon” of the military are all tasks you are expected to do on top of being a human being. But the lowest of lows also come with the highest of highs. I still get goose bumps thinking of watching my husband and his fellow soldiers march into a ceremony hall after a fifteen-month deployment, the tears just pouring down my face in pure joy. Having been a military wife for over 4 years now and currently enduring our 2nd deployment, I have learned so much about my true inner strength and determination. I always have people come up to me and say “I could never do it” and my answer is always “You’d do it if you had to.”
I’d like to think I have a very positive outlook on things. Bad things happen, things completely out of your control. So why sit there and wallow in self pity? Either do something about it or shut up. Lately I’ve been extremely annoyed with all the negativity I’ve seen. Yes, some days I’d like to whine and complain all day about my husband being gone, but what is that going to get me? It’s certainly not going to bring him home so why waste precious moments and energy on a situation I cannot change. And while I can’t change it, I can make the best of it. I can stay busy and focus on being a mother to my son and keeping my husband’s spirits and morale up. The LAST thing he needs is to have to worry about me and my well-being. Focusing on the mission at hand and coming home to me is all he should have to worry about.
Just because he’s not here doesn’t mean our lives need to stop. They’ll just be different. Learn to be independent, learn how to mow the lawn and change your car’s oil. Use this time as an opportunity and growth period, not as a time to sit and cry. I can guarantee that at the end of these long 12 months, you’ll be a stronger person and better off and when you’re husband gets off that plane he’s going to be prouder of you than he’s ever been.