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!
