I know I haven't written in a while. As it turns out it's kind of crazy caring for 3 boys (one of whom is an infant) without a husband at home. I never realized all the things I expected Dustin to do when we have a baby (more to come on this later in a Father's Day post)! I feel like I am on a ship that is barely floating; I'm not sinking, but I'm certainly not going anywhere fast.
I have also had a hard time with the fact that Dustin has been gone for so long and I hadn't seen him since February 3. February 3rd is the day we dropped him off at the recruiting office to get a ride down to Salt Lake to go through MEPS again before shipping out to Basic Combat Training at Fort Leonard Wood. February 3rd was the last time I had been able to hug and kiss my husband. It's been hard. It's been very hard.
I was able to travel with Benjamin to Fort Leonard Wood to see Dustin graduate from AIT. My sister was kind enough to come stay with David and Matthew so that I could make the trip with some sanity. June 5, 2013 at about 5:30pm central time was the first time I had seen my husband in 17 1/2 weeks. June 5, 2013 at about 5:35pm central time Dustin was able to lay eyes on his newborn son for the first time in person - not through picture texts or over Skype. We took the little time we had Wednesday to get some dinner and for Dustin to hold Benjamin. Dustin held Benjamin almost the entire time we were together aside from eating his sandwich and the little time it took me to feed Benjamin. We said good night to each other at 7pm and went our separate ways for the night.
The next morning, June 6th Dustin graduated. We spent the day snacking at Starbucks, exploring the commissary and picking up fixings for a picnic lunch. We ate lunch in the park across the street from the barracks and then just walked holding hands along the paths. We took time to explore some of the forested areas of the post and we played a little miniature golf (Dustin won and in winning I had to kiss him - I didn't mind though). We ate dinner at the bowling alley and then cried for about an hour prior to our final good byes. Dustin spent time holding
Benjamin. We had a very difficult time saying good bye once again. Dustin wasn't coming home with me because he still had to go to Airborne school. Due to the Memorial Day holiday his AIT graduation was on a Thursday instead of a Wednesday which meant he and his other airborne buddies needed to stay at Fort Leonard Wood until the following week to have the time to travel down to Fort Benning and start with the next class.
I never thought it would be as hard as it was to say good bye. It was hard when he left in February, but leaving him again after already being parted for 17 1/2 weeks was excruciating! I know that we were only parting for another 4 weeks, and after the time we had already been separated it should have seemed easy, but it was so hard to leave. I will be so glad to have my husband home in July!
All of that being said, I feel renewed after visiting with Dustin. I have had a week to process our second departure and know that I can make it just a little longer. I am ready to get myself back in order. I am ready to get my family back to church - all of it (we have made it on time for the past two weeks!). I am ready to start blogging again. I am ready to get my boys back on schedule. I am ready for a routine. I have passed my 6 week recovery and I am ready to start exercising again. I am ready. I am ready. I am ready. I have to keep telling myself that.
There is a saying about being Army Strong. I must admit that as strong as I am (or have learned to be) I sometimes have to tell myself that I am Army Amazing. Amazing seems better than Strong and I just need a little extra confidence sometimes. For the last month of Dustin being gone I think Army Amazing will be my daily mantra.
