Bite my tongue

Seriously, next time I say anything about "this deployment will be way easier" because such and such, tell me to bite my tongue. Seriously.

I went into this deployment with a totally awesome attitude thinking this was going to be so much easier. I figured that 1) it was so close to that last one that I'd just dive right back into the previous deployment groove 2) it was winter so I wouldn't have to worry about maintaining the yard quite so much 3) the kiddo is older which obviously meant things would be much easier there 4) it was only 1/2 as long as the previous deployment. Ha!

This deployment has had its challenges for sure. Week one was a breeze. Don't get me wrong, I most definitely missed my love, but it just didn't have the same feeling as it did last time I came home after sending him off. What I failed to realize is that my parents being here for that first week of the deployment was a bit of a buffer. Once they left, that heavy weight of lonliness and longing for my husband hit and it hit hard. Then add the unexpected but oh-so-obvious kiddo missing her Daddy and searching for him. Yes, she would wander around the house on her hands and knees saying "Dada?" while looking for his suitcase. Then her sleep issues arrived with lots of wake up calls and then a roulette of sorts of waking up for good for the day at either 4, 5, or 6. Oh fun. If that weren't enough, we then had to add in teething...serious teething which included two molars! Of course those pesky molars hit right as she was plauged with a super nasty stomach bug that took about two weeks to get over. Whew! Not a fun month.