In prayerfully considering how I wanted to spend this deployment, I decided on five goals--maybe vague, maybe boring (to some)--but goals that will help to keep my focus outward and off of myself. No pity parties here!
- Be a great wife from a distance. I'll send lots of emails, care packages, and any other little thing I can give to Hubby to make him feel loved, appreciated, and supported while we are so far apart.
- Be a great mom to our little ones. Being a militarily single mom is hard and stressful. I don't want to let the stress of our family's situation inhibit the boys' enjoyment of childhood. My goal is to be loving, supportive, understanding, patient, and joyful towards our children.
- Be a great friend. I will spend my extra time nurturing friendships, old and new. Since I won't have date night with Hubby for a while, I'll have the chance to have more girls' nights out, send snail mail to old friends, and talk on the phone and text a lot.
- Be kind to others around me. I have been the victim of more than one deployed wife whose emotions were unleashed on me. The stress of deployment needs a release, but I will not allow myself to take out my life's stresses on others.
- Have fun. Whatever that might be. Yesterday, "having fun" was reading a book in bed and falling asleep early. Today, "having fun" was taking the boys to the aquarium. Tomorrow, I think "having fun" will be sitting in the backyard and watching Boy #1 collect rocks. And who knows what kind of crazy fun we'll have the next day!
These are all wonderful goals! :) I fully believe that still having fun even though you are going through a deployment is so important.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jen! Yes, there's no point in being miserable or bored while Hubby is away! :)
DeleteI think those are great goals! And I know that they may seem simple, but during a deployment they can definitely be a little tough. Sometimes, it's hard to think outside of your box and remain a good friend and kind to others. I'm proud of those goals and I think you'll do a great job! Kick this deployment's heiney girl - you got it!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the encouragement! There will be lots of deployment butt kicking! :)
DeleteGreat goals. I think having something to focus on is the most important thing! Having the blog will help too.
ReplyDeleteNicole
Adventures of a Semper Fi Family
Thanks, Nicole! Yes, the blog is a fun little project for me, too! :)
DeleteThis is a great post! I found it handy to keep my own masking tape w/hand dispenser in the car for care packages, since the tape at the post office was so-so. Also, I love your "having fun" goal, and I hope it becomes a happy and normal operandi in the coming months. Wishing you God's protection and blessings this deployment!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Alexandra! Great tip, especially since the Post Office charges for tape now (I don't think that will fix their budget problem, but what do I know?)! Haha!
DeleteEvery single deployment I've been through, I've come out at the end with a closer relationship with awesome girlfriends and with some new ones. It's cool because most of the time, our husband's don't know each other. We talk throughout the deployment about how fun it's going to be to introduce all of them to each other. In turn, my husband has ended up making lifelong friendships, and the godparents for my daughter was a relationship that happened during a deployment!
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful! I think it will be hard to NOT make great friends from a deployment. Everybody is going through the same struggles...it's only natural to bond! :)
Delete