Mush

We have arrived at that point in the deployment when I get all mushy about my husband.

I have forgotten that he leaves books and mail everywhere. I remember only the fact that he washed all the dishes and the laundry.

I have forgotten how he is ALWAYS late for EVERYTHING and he dawdles. I remember only how much I love to ride in the car with him.

I have forgotten that he bites his nails and jiggles his foot when I am trying to sit still on the couch. I only remember holding his hand...(actually he holds my two fingers...it's this cute little special thing we do.)

I have forgotten how he can't stay home an entire Saturday, and drags me around running errands that aren't really necessary. I remember only the ease and comfort of being together, no matter where we are.

I have forgotten his habit of assuming that because he WANTS something to be a certain way, then it IS that way. I remember only how enthusiastic he is about life and how much fun he makes it.

This, my friends, is in my opinion, is one of the causes of post-deployment troubles. (There are other causes--I'm working on that book as well!) We get all starry-eyed and rose colored glassy eyed, and all the other puppy love blindness cliches in our heads, and we forget the reality of living in the house with another grown up.

The fact that they put the toilet paper on the roll upside down and the forks in the dishwasher upside down and never put their shoes in the closet. Those things seem so trivial when they've been gone a long time. Those things ARE trivial--until they get home. And then, honey--look out. Those things become monumental, fight inspiring catalysts for territory battles.

There are ways to plan for it and deal with it. We learn them in AFTB and in conversations with our Army sisters as we sit around tables planning welcome home celebrations. . .or we don't, and we have to bungle our way through it as it arrives and pray we come out the other side intact. Maybe in a later post I'll collect some of the experts (meaning, my Army sisters) best advice for dealing with these issues.

But, for now, I am living in the dream world. Thinking of my husband, whose every flaw has been erased by 8 months of separation. I'm smiling as I picture him in his backwards baseball cap and crying a little as I sing his favorite praise and worship songs at church.

As it turns out, I am an "absence makes the heart grow fonder" kind of girl. That's a good thing, because "out of sight, out of mind" wouldn't serve me too well in this lifestyle! The trick will be holding on to that "fonder" when he gets back, and not letting the trivial annoyances erase the appreciation for JUST HAVING HIM HERE that I developed while he was away.