Day Eighty One.

This is it! This is the day! The day I have been waiting for ... for Eighty One days! I just didn't know what exact day it would be way back then.

It has been a journey, let me tell ya! Today I was putting away the dishes and thinking of the last time my soldier was here. It was before Christmas.. and I think of all the days that have passed without him, and the things I have done since he's been gone, it is a different kind of feeling that I don't quite know how to put into words. In some ways it seems like just yesterday... in others it seems like such a long time ago.

While I was getting ready this afternoon, I was thinking of how it will be when he gets home. It too is a strange feeling. I have gotten so used to doing everything on my own.. talking to myself or the cat while I'm puttering around the house, being on my own schedule and eating odd things at all hours of the day and night.. sleeping when I can or when exhaustion has finally taken over.. it will be so different in about 4 hours from now, when we are BOTH back in the apartment!  It's not a bad thing, it is actually a very good thing, but also will take some adjusting for both of us.

For him, he's been so used to having no privacy, staying with two roommates or in a giant tent full of fifty other soldiers. For me it's been almost solitary confinement in my own apartment. I've been alone in the eight small rooms that I call home, with a little four-legged critter, trying to make sense of each day. He has had each day planned out for him, reporting this time or that time, staring at the same four walls and desert landscape. We are merging from two very different places! It funny to me that this really occurred to me just today. I mean, I've thought about it briefly at times, but never like, whoa! 

I am anxious, even though for us it has been barely three months, to get to know each other all over again. Again, I am thankful that we only had to endure this short deployment this time.. and maybe we'll get lucky and there won't be another one...but I won't hold my breath.. So at least we had a good practice run, and will both know a little more what to expect the next time around. Until then, I plan to hold tight and enjoy every moment we have together!

I can barely stand to sit here right now. I have been sick the past few days, and I know I should be resting anyway, but I want nothing to do with anything related to sitting still. If there was something left to clean around here.. I would probably be cleaning it. I will be leaving in a few minutes, to go and wait some more! But we want to get there early for good parking, and seating!  If I wasn't already sick, I would probably feel sick! Haha. 

I'll try and continue blogging, but I'm sure it won't be as frequent. I am thankful I have been able to share my raw feelings on here without fear of judgment. It has been a huge help to bring me to face my feelings head on and address them and move on, and allow myself to really grow throughout this journey! Cheers to our Soldiers! May they ALL come home safe!! <3