Faith and Fortitude
I have had a hard time even thinking about blogging today. It’s not that I don’t enjoy writing and chatting with those who read my entries, but I think I am staggering through a haze of exhaustion, post-surgical blahs, and a lot of anticipation.
My husband goes back to MEPS on Friday of this week to see if the Army still wants and needs him. My son called and he will be deploying much earlier than we had anticipated. He has an opportunity to break away and deploy early and fill a different position. It’s a great opportunity for a young soldier who is eying a career in the military. It took me by surprise, but I was not shocked. He will be gone for around 15-months and will leave early next year. He will have only had 10-months state side. At least the chances of he and Mr. Hooah! being deployed at the same time is minimum due to the newest assignment.
So, I am gearing up and preparing myself for another long year. This time will be a little easier since Mr. Hooah! will be home more than not. He will be absent during his BOLCII and OBC after his commission. Outside of that I should only have to say good-bye for a weekend each month and then the week during the year.
It’s amazing to me to look back over the past year and realize all of the triumphs, joys, losses, griefs, and challenges we have come through. I feel overwhelmed to think of the amount of living that we have done in that short period of time. If anyone had told me 10-years ago that we would be living on the edge of deployments, war zones, and tradoc purgatory, I would have told them they were crazy!
Now I am left wondering what next year will hold for us. Regardless of what it holds, I know that faith and fortitude is what will get us through.
November 3rd, 2008 at 8:28 am
[...] have a post up at VA Joe’s today. Come by, and chat with me while I explore the year ahead of us and what it will take to make it [...]
November 3rd, 2008 at 9:15 am
You are amazing Claire. My prayers will be with both you and your men as the new year comes around. Next year will be intresting for us to say the least, comsidering that HUbby has a few options on the table and all could be well worth uprooting again.
November 3rd, 2008 at 9:43 am
Claire~
The anticipation of the unknown ahead is often more difficult than living it… know that we are all here and on your side! Your men are, indeed, an inspiration – and so are you for keeping the strength behind them!
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:05 am
Thanks Reasa (mother of FIVE with a husband deployed!!! Talk about amazing!!) I can’t wait to see what opportunities are there for your dh when he gets back. You all have been through a lot of tours!
Thanks Flag Gazer! The anticipation does me in every time. However, this time, honestly I am not as worried for my son’s safety. The news coming out of Iraq is so encouraging… not like last tour at all when he was part of the surge. That was scary. It’s funny though because then I struggle with being overly confident… feeling like I am jinxing him somehow. Mother’s! Can’t live with ‘em can’t live without ‘em! haha!
November 3rd, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Keep that chin up, Claire! Us Joes will always have your back, and we’ve got shoulders to lean on.
November 4th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
I am counting on that Crawfish!!