MistyMarie

Today was the first day since my husband deployed last October that I had an absolute meltdown. I was at Lowes and this customer was a real bully, refusing to wait his turn to get help. The saleslady did nothing to stop his verbal abuse, so I finally turned around and walked out of the store, pulling my nine year old behind me. I sat out in the car and lost it. I cried and cried and cried. Had my husband been with me, I know I would not have been bullied like that.

Then, I went to Home Depot to get the blinds that I needed, but they were out of the right size. So, I left there in tears and stopped at a convenience store to buy a pair of sunglasses to cover my tear streaked face and swollen red eyes before I had to go pick up my daughter from a birthday party. I then called my mom for some emotional support as I drove the short mile to get my daughter and my mom started giving me a lecture about not crying in front of my son, so I hung on her, pulled over and cried some more.

After getting my daughter, I made a fifteen mile trip to another Lowes to get the blinds I still needed. The sales lady there was great, but checking out, the cashier acknowledged my military ID for the discount, but forgot to give it to me, so ten minutes later, after having to go to customer service to get a fourteen dollar refund, I cried again, all the way to the car.

I get home, only to have a dead drill, so while it was charging, I decided to try my hand at hooking up our sprinkler system. Everything was good, until I turned it on and water spewed from several heads. After getting mud up to the elbows, splattered mud across my t-shirt and face, and a large cut across my hand when I slipped cutting a fitting, I sat in my front driveway and started crying again.

I want my husband home so bad it hurts. I want to not have to figure out how to install blinds, fix sprinklers, patch ceilings, repair gates, change staircase lights, clean out gutters, fix dripping faucets... I want to curl up next to him each night and have somebody here to share the day's stresses with. I want my kids to not cry themselves to sleep at night because they miss him so much too.

Today I needed help. I needed someone to lean on for support. My neighbor took a few minutes to talk to me and her husband is coming over to look at my sprinklers sometime this week. It is amazing how just a small act of kindness can make such a huge difference. Their support gave me the emotional strength to make it a few more days. My husband is not coming home permenantly until this next October, so I have only my friends and my neighbors to support me through this.

So, if you know someone who has a spouse that is deployed and you can help them, please do. A small act of kindness goes a long way.

amma

Awww Hon (((HUGS))) I cannot imagine what you must go through every day that he is gone (((HUGS)))

GGinMcKinney

I'm so sorry. How awful! You are in my prayers as are all military & their families. Cyber hugs

littlehud

Oh my heart goes out to you. What a stressful time for you. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

suebee

Ahhh, I feel so awful for you. I dont know what it is like to have your hubby so far away, but I will tell you that I am so grateful for what all deployed military families endure while their spouses are gone and this is a great example. I would like to thank YOU from the bottom of my heart. Words cannot express how proud I am to be an American and how much I appreciate your sacrifice. Feel free to PM me anytime. I will listen :) HANG IN THERE! {{{{{HUGS}}}}}}

sueisallaboutquilts

I can't imagine how hard it must be for you. I really got annoyed that your mom yelled at you for crying. There is nothing wrong with our children seeing us cry, in fact it's a good thing!
Glad you have some people around for support and don't forget you have us!
BIG HUG from me :)

Becky13

So here's to a quilting friend who has a spouse who is deployed - thanks for sharing your hard times. We all want to help just by saying we're sorry that you had a crummy day and you miss your husband and sometimes it all just sucks. Remember to be gentle with yourself, spend snuggly time with the kids and pray pray pray.

Quiltforme

I so wish I was closer. We try to hard to support the families of our heros it is just hard to know how to help. I will keep your family in prayer as that is all I can do right now. Please know that it is ok to cry even in front of the kids. They need to know it is ok too. You are so amazing doing all you do right now I so wish I was closer. take care Jade

GwynR

There are good days and there are bad days. Chin up! Tomorrow will be better! Call a friend who knows what you are going through, if your mother has never been there she might not understand the daily stresses you go through while trying to be strong for your husband and your kids. It's ok to cry, but remember to laugh sometimes too. I love the snuggly time with the kids idea!

MistyMarie

Thank you. My husband just called (from Africa) and I started crying all over again. I would have thought by this time at night, I would be out of tears, but I guess not.

I appreciate all the emotional support.