Well, we are just a few days out from saying our goodbyes and hello to another deployment cycle. It was so beyond wonderful having Daddy home over the holidays for a little break in the big deployment. I feel like I’m coming from a place of strength this time ready to take on the challenges and get into our routine in our new digs. Sort of like childbirth the second time around. The first time it’s all unknown and scary. The second time it’s still scary (at least it was for me) but its not new. I got this.
And like always…I’m thinking about the things I do love about deployment, ever trying to be positive during that period where it’s just ugly. (If you are a military spouse you already know what its like; it’s the two weeks or so before they leave where we tend to bicker, run around trying to get everything done and tend to become emotionally distant from each other because we know separation is coming.) We try to laugh about it when it happens, because it happens every. single. time.
This time around my favorite things are a bit different, as they are each deployment. This is to be expected considering the kids have grown a bit, we moved, and I have one deployment-with-kids already under my belt:
1.) I am loving being able to see the water in both directions from my driveway. (Not this close, but you get the idea!) There is just something about the ocean that I love. Can’t describe it to any justice, but it calls to me. The Olympic mountains framing the view is just icing on the island cake!
2.) Playgrounds within walking distance. Playgrounds. As in multiple (3!) It’s one of the things I adored about living in base housing before. My kids have a lot (A LOT!) of sillies to “get out” and the playground (with a good jaunt to and from) never fails to do the trick! Plus, as my friend Katy taught me, it’s a great place to pick up chicks. Er, I mean meet other moms.
3.) The ipad. Yes, we broke down and got one. I have mixed feelings about it with all my “tech issues,” but we do limit usage. I ADORE the fact that my two year old can count and trace her letters and numbers. That is, in part, due to playing the learning apps on the ipad. It’s incredible how fast they learn. Somehow it seems wrong that they probably won’t use pencil and paper the way we did in school, but they are millennials and it’s just different. I can’t decide if it’s good, bad, or simply different. I remember when I learned to type, I could type faster than I could write, so it only made sense to type my homework as opposed to writing it all out. At the time, I got funny looks from classmates (although that could have been because of my awesome hair) but it worked. I think the way that this generation learns will be different. It’s bound to be with the rate of change in technology…but perhaps that is better left to another post!
4.) A smaller yard to maintain and container gardening! The mowing/edging will be confined to only the back yard, it’s about a quarter the size of our last yard. As much as I do enjoy mowing, it will be nice to keep it under an hour! In keeping with our “teach the kids where food comes from” plan, we will continue gardening – in containers. We did a small garden last time and it was a LOT of food to eat with just the 3 of us, so limiting to just a few items will work better.
4.) SPRING and SUMMER! I can smell it! It’s coming! Not soon enough, but it’s on the way. The joke in the pacific northwest is that summer doesn’t start officially until July 5th, and after that Eric will be home. Just when it’s really gonna get nice weather-wise, this whole deployment will be over! Yahoo! And with preschool off for summer break in May….NO SCHEDULES!
5.) New Running Routes! My friend Nina once said, “There is no better way to explore a place than with running shoes.” She was exactly right! I love feeling the gravel crunch under my feet as I look around at some new scenery. With the Whidbey Island Half Marathon coming up…I’m gonna get a LOT of running in!
6.) A big garage. AKA, my new gym! There will be room for my equipment and the 4 bowling balls and other misc. crap we haul all over the country every time we move!
There you have it….my Positive-Polly spin on the next deployment cycle. I am grateful, but like always, I look forward to his return so we can enjoy it all together as a family.
I can’t wait.
Life and Other Stuff 