My husband is in the Navy. The picture I attached was from the actual night he deployed to Iraq this past March 2009. This is our second deployment since being married and our first one with a child (now 7 months, a girl). We've been married for a little over six years now. Honestly, the most difficult thing about the military life is having to send my husband off to war. I struggled with our first deployment because my husband was fresh out of a Navy school/training & had never deployed doing his current job. To make matters worse, about a month before he left in 2007, a friend from that same Navy school/training was killed in Iraq. I was still mourning the loss of our friend as I watched my husband climb aboard the large aircraft carrying him to the same destination & job! I suffered with anxiety and had a few actual panic attacks while he was away. It was mentally exhausting! I finally got myself pulled together about a month before my husband came home from that initial deployment with the help of God, my church, other military wives, and a counselor to deal with grief and anxiety.
In 2007 I was so nervous about having children when my husband returned because I knew I just couldn't be the "mess" I was during that deployment with small children to care for in future deployments. I am happy to share that I have found and made my peace with deployments. It is possible to make peace with deployments. Honestly, all the glory goes to God. He saw & still sees me through every single day, whether my husband is home or deployed.
Our current station is in California. Another challenge in the "military life" that I've recalled, is that my husband doesn't like me to share specifics about his command/job in public forums. It's difficult to "cheerlead" for your husband when he's the reluctant hero.
Sincerely,
Amy
No comments:
Post a Comment