Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Dear Deployment,

I almost have to laugh at how comical this whole thing has become.  It's as though each day closer to him leaving brings a new change or alteration to our original plans.  First he was supposed to leave next Tuesday, then today, and now it's tomorrow morning.
It was originally 7am, then 5am and now it's 3:30am.
It's all quite comical really.

I am thankful that we were able to at least take a weekend away, just us, before this whole thing starts.  Just 24 hours, but those 24 hours made me forget, even for just a moment, that we're going to be apart for longer than I realized was possible.
The closer this deployment comes to actually happening, the more it doesn't seem real.  Today, I'll be honest, I'm actually doing fine with the whole concept.  I feel like I can tackle this head on and win.
I have been to two spouses' briefings in the last 3 days.  To an extent, I feel much more prepared, knowing that I'm not in this alone.  There are so many resources available to me that I didn't even realize existed and I am looking forward to utilizing them to make this deployment easier and more bearable for me.

It will be interesting to see how our puppy handles the whole "daddy is leaving" thing.  Obviously, she is clueless right now--she is a dog afterall (although sometimes I'm convinced otherwise), but I know she'll sense his abscence.  They are two peas in a pod, he is her favorite playmate.  But you can't explain deployments to an animal.
I can't even imagine trying to explain it to a child.  Thankfully our first deployment I am at least tackling alone.  I don't know how other wives do it to be honest.

I know I'm going to learn so much about my own strength in these next seven months.  It will be challenging....but I can do this.
You won't win, deployment.  We are stronger than that.

Sincerely,
The Faithful Wife