Why didn’t you tell me that our first deployment would make me do such strange things? Like, why didn’t you tell me I would start taking my phone to the bathroom with me? Or that I would strategically prop my phone up against my bathroom sink so I could see the screen light up when I’m in the shower–just in case he calls?
Why didn’t you tell me that my weekly grocery bills have decreased so dramatically that I could start a vacation fund with what I’ve been saving.
Why didn’t you tell me I would start saying things like, “My husband has only been gone two months.”
Why didn’t you tell me I’d rather eat snacks for dinner than cook for one.
Why didn’t you tell me my date nights would take place on Skype–and they are technically morning dates for my husband?
Why didn’t you tell me that sometimes I would rather stay home alone with ice cream then see my civilian friends. No matter how supportive they try to be, truth be told they will never understand.
Why didn’t you tell me I would have a countdown on my phone or that I would tear up whenever I hear the Star Spangled Banner?
Why didn’t you tell me that seeing soldiers whose names I don’t know come home from deployment lifts me up to a place of pure joy?
Most of all, why didn’t you tell me that I wouldn’t trade this life for anything?
Kelly Leigh is a new Army wife now stationed at Fort Campbell, KY. She was raised with Navy ties but is now living in an Army world. When she is not spending time with her husband, she is either working, reading or playing chess.
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Air Assault and congrats, may your loved one be safe and return soon. I also was at Ft Campbell and my wife was a new military spouse with your same points of view. The first duty station and deployment are the hardest but be sure that with time it gets easier. The Screaming Eagles have great family / spouse programs and I strongly suggest you get involved and be a part of a team that helps one another through these times. Thank you for both of your sacrafices.
I am also new Army wife in Fort Campbell,Ky. We were married and given pcs orders to KY. in May, 2012. My soldier deployed advanced party in August..Nobody told me that I would freak out when my GPS shorted out, while trying to discover the new city around me. LOL :()
Well written post. I usually post a pizza recipe on Fridays, and today's post is My Deployment Pizza–one of the ways I handle a deployment.
And everything else you said (well except for Skype, we had no face opportunities but I love those chats!). http://www.farmfreshfeasts.com/2012/12/my-deploym…
I'm sorta dealing with deployments from a different point of view. I'm a retired USMC MSgt that sorta runs a "bubba" msg fwd'ing deal for folks that are deployed in strange time zones ……. I fwd msg's when wife / GF / mom ……. whom ever isn't available……. drives my wife nuts……..
Wow couldn't have said it better myself. After 3 1/2 months of dating a man in the Army we got married and he deployed for a year. He just got back (yeah!) but I did all those things. One thing I'd add is I started sleeping with my laptop just in case he skyped me and if I woke up in the middle of the night I'd jump on my email to see if he had emailed me.
For me it was the last two months that were the hardest, especially when people start asking me when my soldier was expected home. And telling a civilian 'I don't know, when the Army sends him home' always gets funny looks, they just don't understand how the military works sometimes. You never want to get your heart set on a date because it can always be changed, I didn't know when he was scheduled to come home until about 4 days before his plane touched down, and even then I wasn't holding my breath until he e-mailed me from an airport layover that was actually in the US with only one more leg till he was home. Unless you've lived this life you will never know how difficult yet how rewarding it is, all wrapped up in one. I wouldn't trade my soldier for anything in the world, and that makes all the inconveniences of military life worth it!
I am a brand new military spouse (we've been married for 1 month!!) and my husband is set to deploy in about 90 days. He got off of Active Duty Army in May of 2012 and immediately joined the National Guard (I guess he just couldn't stand to "sit idly by"). We got word soon thereafter that he would be deploying…(I THOUGHT WE WERE OUT OF THE WOODS with deployments). I am very eager to learn about things to learn in preparation of his departure…I loved this article…!!!
I couldn't help but giggle because this is SO true. I am nearing the end of my first deployment experience and you hit the nail on the head! Thank you for making me feel "normal"! :)