Military Life - Back To Reality

It has been just over a year now since we moved to base.

Our first official posting.

When my husband joined the Military in October of 2008, I had no idea what to expect.

I knew that our lives would change drastically, but I didn't realize how much.

After he finished his 14 weeks of Basic Training in February 2009, he was sent off to Battle School, and graduated in June 2009.

Needless to say, I was very proud of him - and still am!

We were both thrilled with the news of our first posting.

I was pregnant with little A, and couldn't wait!

It was right where we wanted to be.

We were told it would be months of waiting before we could get into Military housing, which was devastating. After 9 long months apart, all I wanted was to be "home" with my husband.

While he was in basic training "we" moved. "Our" new place was never really ours. He never got a chance to see it as a home, and I really needed "home" with him.

The thought of being apart again for months was mind numbing.

A few weeks later, I got the call.

They had found us a house!

A 3 bedroom, 2 story row house.

We had a house!

Bliss.

We moved in on the 5th of August, 2009,

and here we are!

In January of this year, Jonathan requested and was granted parental leave when our daughter was born. He didn't want to miss anything.

(For my American followers, Parental leave is an employee benefit that provides paid time off work - up to 9 months in most cases)

Now that Little A is almost 8 months old, his leave is nearing its end, and he officially goes back to work on September 28th.

While he has been on leave, life was normal (?- what does that even mean?)

Now with the thought of him going back to work, I am seeing things a lot differently around here.

I feel like I had hit the "off" switch to Military life somehow, while still living on base.

I really wasn't seeing all of it around me, all the time!

Lately, I'm noticing these things more.

I've been noticing the moving trucks, coming and going.

The fences being taken down in people's back yards, and new ones being put up.

I've noticed all the cliches of living on a Military base;

the good, and the bad.

Our neighbor came home from tour early, and he is not the same.

I've noticed little boys calling other men 'Daddy' while their fathers are at war, fighting for our country.

It's so quiet around here.

How am I just starting to notice this?

How did I shut my brain off to all of this for so long?

Then I realize..

It must be so hard for people to understand what Military families go through,

on a day to day basis.

It was so easy for me to look the other way, while living right in the middle of it;

While wondering if my husband will be chosen to go on tour when he goes to work.

It's back to reality now.

Reality.

Reality is scary.