If you knew that spending time with your husband was limited what would you do together? If you knew he would be gone for an unlimited amount of time, to a foreign (but safe) country, where he might have internet access and might have phone privileges how would you prepare? Now think about doing this with 1 days notice. Dropping him off only to find out 3 hours later you need to pick him up, and do it all over again in another 24 hours. To go through all the goodbyes again and get the phone call that once more things have been delayed for another 48 hours. Finally 4 days after his original departure date you once again drive him to his destination (this time getting out of the car only so you can hug and have a quick kiss) wave goodbye from the window and drive away, never to see him again (until the Air Force decides that you can.) This is the typical description of a extended TDY. . .
How about this "GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER LIBYA SO MY HUSBAND CAN COME HOME!"
We are extremely lucky as an Air Force family to have never gone through an actual deployment yet. Dave has been active duty for 8 years now and somehow we have never been called to give that kind of service. Which makes this TDY a seriously big deal for us. To make matters worse it all happened so quickly. There was no time to really be sad (although I found a moment or two) there was no organized plan of flying home and visiting with family (my parents had already bought tickets to visit England 6 weeks from Dave's departure) and no way to get a 3.5 year old to understand what was happening.
Surprisingly we spent our last days doing normal things. Dave mowed the grass and changed the propane on the BBQ. I did every scrap of laundry, made dinner and bought him last minute shower supplies. We watched movies in our pajamas and fell asleep on the couch. We tried new restaurants and took a family outing to a petting farm. There were evening walks and playing in the park. We kissed and kissed and kissed some more, every time trying to hold onto the feeling of our actual lips touching. Oh the pride and pleasure it is to have a husband in the military, but the pain and loneliness that sometimes comes with duty is hopefully shorted lived in the Miller family.
The Church Farm Petting Zoo
Trying out a new restaurant in Mildenhall
Last breakfast (turned out to be the 3rd to last)
Final photos (Ava was literally pulled from bed, so she looks rough for a reason)
We love and miss you Pop's, come home safe and soon!
1 comment:
Oh Diane, I honestly don't know if I could do that, you are such a strong women....keep us posted, I would love to hear how your hubby is doing and praying you get to have internet and phone calls. Thanks for sharing.
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