Deployment. The one word no military spouse wants to hear but sooner or later it'll probably come.
My husband went into the Navy after we graduated high school. We've been through boot camp, schools, a deployment, and many, many, underways. And now, a week before Christmas, he has left for another deployment.
As the days close into the day of deployment, the depression starts closing in.
I could feel my anxiety getting worse as our days got shorter. It's painful watching someone you love to pack their belongings and feeling like you are losing your best friend. It becomes stressful as you become alone, in charge of everything from the house to taking care of your children by yourself. The person who you turn to the most is thousands of miles away with limited communication and you have to learn how to live without them for a while.
The first few days are the hardest. You have to face your feelings and do whatever helps to get through that rough patch, whether it's crying it out, watching rom-coms, or eating junk food in bed.
It doesn't get easier, but you get used to it, and you get stronger.
When it comes to dealing with deployment, it becomes a battle of being alone, overwhelmed, and frustrated, but you hang tough. You have to stay busy to make time go by faster, setting goals for yourself, focusing on yourself and getting things done helps, just don't overwhelm yourself. Call on friends or family when everything gets too much and you need to vent because it is hard and you don't deserve to handle it all alone. There will be good days and bad days, and if you feel like crying, cry. Nothing is ever set in stone in the military, so if things change it's hard not to be frustrated, but remember not to take your frustration out on them, they miss you as much as you miss them. It'll slowly make you stronger and you're relationship stronger. Just remember to trust each other, talk as often as possible, and stay positive through it all.
It doesn't matter how long you live and deal with military life, it never gets easier.
The distance is no test to the love you share and it'll surely be worth the wait when they return.
