Everyday we hear about something that has happened in Iraq. Every time I hear about a soldier that’s lost his or her life because of the war, it touches me because I know that somewhere someone is grieving because they’ve lost a loved one. Whether you agree with the war or not, we can all agree that it affects all of us in one way or another.
What we don’t read about is how the war affects the families of those soldiers that have been deployed. My husband is in the Air Force Guard and is scheduled to depart for Iraq the first week in December. This will be the first time he’s ever been deployed. I’ve known about this for about four months but the reality of it didn’t sink in until last weekend when one of the men in his unit was discussing their schedule and when they’d be in certain areas. My heart sank.
On the way home from Jacksonville, I kept thinking about the fact that my whole world would be turned upside down for seven months while he was gone. We’ve been married for twenty five years and anyone who’s been married for any length of time knows that you work as a team and each person has their part in keeping everything running smoothly. I take care of the household duties and my husband takes care of the yard, his twenty fruit trees and berry plants that are scattered all over our acre of land, and fixing things that go wrong. The day he ships off, I will become the sole caretaker in our family and all responsibilities will fall on my shoulders. I won’t be able to call him at work and tell him that the air conditioner isn’t working or that my car won’t start or anything else.
I’m faced with the reality that I will not have my husband to comfort me when I’ve had a bad day or support me when I’m dealing with teenage daughter issues and that I will have the responsibility of making sure that everything is taken care of myself. I realize that what I will go through will probably pale in comparison to what he will be dealing with over there but it is still tough.
We won’t be briefed on everything until next month so as of yet, I don’t know how our pay will be affected or what benefits we are entitled to when he leaves. I just know that
for the time being, I am going to enjoy each and every moment I have with my husband.
What we don’t read about is how the war affects the families of those soldiers that have been deployed. My husband is in the Air Force Guard and is scheduled to depart for Iraq the first week in December. This will be the first time he’s ever been deployed. I’ve known about this for about four months but the reality of it didn’t sink in until last weekend when one of the men in his unit was discussing their schedule and when they’d be in certain areas. My heart sank.
On the way home from Jacksonville, I kept thinking about the fact that my whole world would be turned upside down for seven months while he was gone. We’ve been married for twenty five years and anyone who’s been married for any length of time knows that you work as a team and each person has their part in keeping everything running smoothly. I take care of the household duties and my husband takes care of the yard, his twenty fruit trees and berry plants that are scattered all over our acre of land, and fixing things that go wrong. The day he ships off, I will become the sole caretaker in our family and all responsibilities will fall on my shoulders. I won’t be able to call him at work and tell him that the air conditioner isn’t working or that my car won’t start or anything else.
I’m faced with the reality that I will not have my husband to comfort me when I’ve had a bad day or support me when I’m dealing with teenage daughter issues and that I will have the responsibility of making sure that everything is taken care of myself. I realize that what I will go through will probably pale in comparison to what he will be dealing with over there but it is still tough.
We won’t be briefed on everything until next month so as of yet, I don’t know how our pay will be affected or what benefits we are entitled to when he leaves. I just know that
for the time being, I am going to enjoy each and every moment I have with my husband.
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Gosh, Donna, I had no idea! I will continue to pray for your family. I can't say I know how you feel, but I can offer a shoulder or a listening ear. As a family member of someone who has made a couple of trips to Iraq, I will sympathize with you!
ReplyDeleteWhen you find out, I hope you will let us know because my husband is going to Iraq next year and I want to be prepared. It's nice to know someone else is dealing with the same issues too.
ReplyDeleteDear anonymous,
ReplyDeletePlease share this resource with other people you know who may benefit from the ability to discuss what they are going through.