Deployment

I can hardly believe that it's been 6 months since my last blog entry.  It seems like a lifetime ago and at the same time it feels like yesterday.  Our life since last December has been a whirlwind.  We began to get ready for our move and then at lightening speed it all took off.  Where has the time gone.

We knew back then that Jim would be deploying soon after our arrival in Hawaii.  We arrived in April and thought that we had so much time since he wouldn't leave until late June or early July.  Was I ever wrong about that.  Between In processing, the pre-deployment prep and our move into our house, the time moved quickly.  It seems like we were barely into the house when it was time for Jim to leave.

Back during Dessert Storm Jim was an NCO with an MI unit.  He went on several missions of which I had no idea where he was.  Those missions would last only 1-4 weeks.  This deployment is a year long.  It's only been two weeks and I'm feeling pretty bad at this point.  Now I'm not saying these things to make anyone feel sorry for me. While I dislike him being gone and I feel incredibly lonely, I wouldn't change this life for anything.  I'm so proud of my husband for obeying our Lord and Savior and following his call.  The Army Chaplaincy is a perfect fit for him and for our family.  I just can't wait until he gets home. I'm also wondering how long it will take until I don't have to remind myself to breathe :(

I've always been a morning person and that's when I've had the most energy and when I've been the most outgoing.  These past two weeks have been very different.  Now I feel like it's another 12 hours of trying to pull myself through the day.  Some of my new friends here have said that the first two weeks are the most difficult.  I suppose that is because it is a huge adjustment.  My heart is in Iraq and I'm learning to live on my own with our son.  Our 19 year old daughter was here with us from May until just the other day.  She left within one week of Jim leaving.  I felt as though I had to grieve all over again.  Perhaps this is why I'm still feeling sad.  I know I'll pull myself together and get out but I have to do it in my own time.

                                                                   My heart in Iraq

Now for Hawaii.  This is paradise!  When I imagine what Heaven will look like, this is it!!!  We've seen so many things since we arrived and haven't even touched the tip of what there is here.  I'm planning on taking advantage of the time I'll have over the next year to get out and explore with Cody.  One of the things him and I want to do the most is go to the big island to see the volcano.

We miss our friends back home and we miss our newer friends that we made while we were at Ft Jackson.  Army life is a good life and we are all like one big family.  Thank you all who have prayed for us during this journey.

I'll try to do a better job with blogging in the future.  :)  For now, here is a poem that was sent to me by a good friend (a military wife of over 18 years)  This poem sums up our life during deployment.

A Military Wife in the Army of One
You aren’t issued with the uniform, boots and weapon,
But you are one lady no one should step on.
It usually goes “With this ring, I thee wed,”
But add in “Even if it means me in an empty bed.”
“and the weeks in the field with many late nights,”
“which will at some point lead to fights.”
Yes, a military wife is courageous and strong,
Even when the days seem so long.
When you feel like you’re at your wits end,
You “Suck it up” and start to mend.
You learn the Army language,
All those acronyms, “How can I manage.”
PX, AAFES, LES, MOS - the list goes on and on,
All those letters would make an ordinary woman yawn.
But those letters are part of your life,
The life of a proud military wife.
You move too much and decorate too little,
Because you always seem to leave in the middle.
Don’t get too settled and make lots of friends
Because home is wherever the Army sends.
And then one day the orders come down,
Your husband soon will be leaving town.
“Up to 365 days or until mission complete”
You know your heart just skipped a beat.
You stare at the orders in front of you,
This was a possibility you always knew.
Now life takes on new meaning
And the tears start streaming.
You hug each other tight and kiss farewell,
How you feel, words could never tell.
You go back to an empty home,
And try not to sit by the phone.
You wait, wonder and worry,
And hope this year goes by in a hurry.
Things are different now.
You’ll do things you once did not know how.
Yellow ribbons are a new accessory,
You make your outfit match- it is a necessity
You cry when the National Anthem is played,
And you get your child that much needed band-aid.
You have your daily chores, as always,
Except now you’re the only one to sweep the hallways.
You’re “IT”- the only one
But you do it and try to have fun.
You say your prayers and wish on a star in the sky,
When he’s back in your arms, you’ll forget the year that went by.
And you’ll think how strong you had become,
When you were truly the army of “one.”

~Letisha E Wheeler October 16, 2005~

 Jeremiah 29:11