Homecomings...

It doesn't matter how long he is gone for, the kids and I always make a big deal about Trav coming home.  When he is gone, we count down every single day.  Its helps us to see we are plugging away at the time.  When the kids were babies we used homemade countdown chains to keep track of our days.  When we got close I would start to really talk a lot about daddy coming home soon.  Now that the kids are older and have modern technology we used a countdown app. on our iphones/ipods.  The kids could check the countdown app. whenever they liked and could see to the second how much longer we had.  We have enjoyed watching the countdown go from months, to weeks, to days, to hours.

When 1/4 of your family is gone and you are living very far from everyone else time apart feels huge.  You think about the void in your life, what is missing and you think about how long it has been missing.  I've thought about my Trav being gone every single day.  While I was working, chaperoning the kids all over this town, on the weekends when we were trapped inside our house due to weather and on the walks we would take when the weather would break.  Its been a long time, I am glad to have my better half back home.  I am glad that the kids have their dad back and that there is someone else to talk to and make decisions. Perhaps now I won't have anyone talking to me constantly behind a closed door in the bathroom, while I shower, while I try to go pee.  Someone else to talk about homework, someone else to pick up a kid from an activity, someone else to decide what is for dinner.   Now when I come home at the end of the day I will know that another person, my best friend will come home, share a glass of wine with me and I will have someone to talk to.  Adult conversation is a good thing!!

I have missed this man.

Here are a couple of things I can tell about my Trav being gone.  Him being gone definitely always confirms that "Absence Does Make The Heart Grow Fonder."  Trav ALWAYS reminds me when we are preparing for an extended separation that other married couples who never endure separations don't get the opportunity to understand what it is like to truly miss their spouse.  They don't get the opportunity to think about if they are taking their spouse for granted.  They don't get the chance to reflect on how much they miss not only the person but the persons essence. Even though I hate when he gives me that speech and I roll my eyes, he is correct.  I know what he does for me and I know what is missing from my life when he is gone.

Also, I always learn a great deal about myself. What my strengths are, what my weaknesses are. Over the years my perspectives have changed and my tolerances have changed too.  Who I am now after many years of this lifestyle and it's challenges is different then the person I was at 21 years old or 27 years old. I am stronger, more patient, more tolerant but I have some of the same weaknesses I have always had. I don't thrive in these situations, I still miss my husband and my weaknesses show more when he is away.  

I am glad to have him home.  Back were he belongs.  He makes me happy and I see a sparkle in my children's eyes that isn't there when he is gone. I took Monday off and the kids aren't going to school.  We will be able to catch up, enjoy one another and daydream about being in Maui together on a well deserved vacation.