Advance Warning: I’m taking on a deep subject today; you’re welcome to click away and find pretty quilt pictures on another post.
The big D has been brought up in my household again, slated for later this year. It’s a topic I normally avoid here, and almost everywhere in social media. Frankly, it’s frowned upon in some circles. But THE Jacqiue Gering asked me at Quiltcon if hubby was deployed. My answer? “Not right now.”
And that’s what we can count on. For right now, he’s at home, and that’s enough. Do I know beyond a doubt that it’ll happen again, and according to schedule, later this year? Of course. It’s normal for us, a way of life. Mr. Wonderful is a contractor now, although he spent 15 years in the military, jumping out of airplanes! We have 8 deployments under our belt, and it’s become our life now. Ten years of war.
I don’t often stop to reflect what this means, and get all deep about how it impacts my family. I’m thankful he has a job, and that he’s putting food on the family table. Do I feel like I’m about to drowned somedays while he’s gone? You bet. When the washer and the car break at the same time, and I have to find a way to fix it cheap, I get a little grumpy and put out! Doesn’t mean I’m sinking, just means I’m busy and tired. I’m not setting any Olympic swimming records, but we all eat, sleep, do school, and stay clean.
Sometimes, that means I don’t blog a whole lot. Sometimes it means I take on a weird or slightly off tone in my posts. That doesn’t mean we aren’t all ok. It usually means it’s within those first few days or weeks.
Now, please don’t bother sending emails with a healthy dose of pacifism. We know, more than anyone else, what this war has cost us personally, what it’s costing our military and their families, and how we all need to retire and get away from it someday soon. We know it’s been a long war. You aren’t saying anything we haven’t heard a million times on the news. Except when you say thank you……
Someone has to go do it. I know, there’s a lot of cool political activism going on in our country, and lots of opinions about how this war should be won/managed/fought/whatever. I have a few of those myself. But when you’re a cog in the wheel, you just want to do your little part well. You just want to continue to have employment, even if the job is hard. Sometimes especially when the job is hard.
Maybe this one is our last rodeo…..
This American is very grateful for the sacrifices made on our behalf. It is a tough road your family has chosen. We honor you for it and hope to make life just a little bit better each time we see you.
Thank you, Sean! That means a lot to me and hubby!