Lessons Learned

It is said by someone that "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." I'd have to say that I totally believe that. This deployment hasn't been a walk in the park by any stretch of the imagination, but it also hasn't gotten the best of me...or killed me. I know I am coming out on the other side much stronger than I was when we went into it. In more ways than one.

These are the things that I have learned about myself, life, being a mom, and surviving this deployment:

1. Insects (though disgusting) are really not out to get me. And even if the worst should ever happen - you know, crawl on me in the middle of the night and bite me - I still probably will not die.

2. Weekends are the very worst during a deployment. And long holiday weekends are about 10 times worse than normal ones. It's because seeing everyone else out having fun with Daddy home just makes not having "our daddy" home sting even more.

3. At the end of the day, my kids are my best friends. They love me more than any of you ever can. They know me better than anyone else knows me. We fight, love, play, snuggle, and enjoy each other's company.

4. Every love song makes me want to cry.

5. Sometimes simply locking the doors and windows is not enough to make me feel safe and secure...intrusion alarms and a dog who barks became a necessity. The uncaught serial rapist WAS NOT going to get in my house.

6. Cloth diapers (and the baby in them) still make me incredibly happy. Especially when I get a new one in the mail!

7. Speaking of mail, mail is the best part of my day. Its like a surprise every single day! Bills don't even bother me because every once in a while, I get a card of encouragement from my sisters, mom, or mother-in law. Sometimes we even get packages! Yahoo!!

8. Being in a military town on a military base during a deployment is the very best place to be. All I have to do is look next door or across the street to find someone going through exactly what I am going through.

9. My friends are truly my lifeline.

10. Having my husband gone for the better part of a year is not the worst thing that could happen to me - not having him return home to me would be.

11. It is 100% normal for my kids to drive me nuts. However, I need to stop saying that since the other day, I heard C (age 4) tell D (age 1), "D...I can't deal with this!!" Hmmm....at least I don't curse :-)

12. Having company come in town is like Christmas. Maybe even better than Christmas since I don't even have to load the car and drive 6 hours! Seriously though, I live for company. Please come visit. Anytime!

13. Taking pictures of everything my children do makes me feel like I am keeping my husband in the loop of what is going on here at home. And it makes me feel like I can capture them (the kids) right at this age - and preserve them.

14. My dog hates to go potty. She only goes when it is such an emergency that it is practically eeking out. I don't know why she doesn't understand that dog are supposed to "mark" their territory. She just likes to sniff hers.

15. Muscle really does burn fat! You will NOT bulk up by lifting heavy weights - crazy thought!

16. Oh, here is a good one!! Foot scrub, you know the peppermint one with the microscrubbers, makes an excellent shoulder scrub in the tub when there is nobody here to rub my tired back. I must make do by lathering on some gritty footscrub. Feels pretty good...and takes off any dead skin, haha!

17. I am stronger than I thought I was.

18. But the Lord is so much stronger!!! I don't know how anyone survives this life without Him!

19. Sometimes the Army does come through on its word...B FINALLY got his official orders today! Like the paper copy....like I was able to fax over everything to apply for housing. Like He is officially going to work for the White House Communications Agency for the next 4 years! And not deploy! See....I told you God is super good and strong. He can control the Army!