Deployment Begins...

  A year in Afghanistan is not my favorite thing.  It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do.  On his last day we went to The Garden of the Gods and enjoyed looking at all the neat rock formations.   I swore that one rock looked like two hands, palms together, like they were praying.  He laughed because apparently my imagination is so fabulous since just a few weeks ago in Mexico I swore I could see Scooby Do's head in a rock formation!

That night we went to the Texas Roadhouse for his last meal, along with my mom and Jamie (his first line supervisor/friend).  I must say that my steak medallions and loaded mashed potatoes were yummy :)

Then it was off for a long night of waiting to tell him good-bye.  I felt like I was in a fog all night, constantly holding back tears every time I felt them coming on.  I was pretty proud of myself for how well I held it together.  It wasn't until the guy came up and announced "Five minutes and then you need to say your final good-byes" that I began to cry uncontrollably.  It was the worst feeling in the world knowing that as I held him it would be the last time for a long time.

And here is a poem I love that fits this time in my life perfectly:

I hate to watch

Each time you leave

And I hide from you

How much I grieve

I know it’s your duty

And you will go

But once you are gone

I will miss you so

I know you’ll come home

As soon as you can

But right now you’ll deploy

Like an honorable man

So I’ll keep things together

Till you can come back

But, this is where you belong

Not somewhere in Afghanistan

Yet, I do understand

Why you risk you’re life

For that’s a Soldier’s job

And I’m a Soldier’s wife.