Everytime I look at this picture, it just makes me want to cry. This is our first "family" deployment - B was deployed twice before Garin was born, but it adds a whole new element once you throw children in the mix. It's easy for adults to understand and deal with being separated, but children don't understand why mommy and daddy are gone. Living with my sister and her children, ages 6-12, I realize that even being 12 and able to "understand" doesn't make it any easier. My brother-in-law has been gone for 7 months - and it'll be 3 until he's even back for a visit, 8 until he's home for good. As much as "for good" means in the army. It's a little bit easier for B and I than my sister. B is gone for 12 months, not 15, and Garin really is too young to "miss" his daddy. I think it's probably hardest for B. He's so concerned that Garin will forget who he is while he's gone. It's so hard for him to hear me tell stories about what Garin is doing. On one hand, he loves to hear about his son and how much he's doing. But on the other hand, it's killing him that he's missing these precious moments. What keeps him strong, is knowing and really believing that he is doing what God has called him to do, and that what he's doing is making a difference.
I know that Garin won't forget his daddy. When I put the phone up to his ear and he hears his daddy's voice, a HUGE grin covers his face. Hopefully he'll soon figure out that he should talk BACK to his dad, not just listen. He'll pick up the cell phone when no ones on it and chatter like no one's business, but put dad on the other end and not a peep! Fortunately with my computer back up and running, we should be able to do some video chat so he can see his daddy, and B can see him.
It's going to be rough knowing that Brianna will be four months old before B gets to see her on his mid-tour. I think that's going to be really difficult. She'll be almost 9 months old when he gets home. On the bright side, that's the age where they really start to show more interest in their fathers anyways. I remember how disappointed B would be when Garin was a few months old and only wanted his mommy. Hopefully Brianna will welcome her daddy home with open arms.
I just stay strong, praying for my husband. I know it's rough for him there. I don't think we realized just how hard it would be for him to be away from his family so long. On the bright side, this should be the only time in his career we'll be separated for a year - shorter deployments yes, but probably not a year. I feel so bad for families like my sister's who serve in the army, where they're gone for 12-15 months, home for 12, almost half of which is spent at training, before they're gone for another 12 months. It's no wonder that the divorce rates in those units is as high as 80%.
Please keep our military families in your prayers. And thanks for listening.
God bless.
