Friends

More than ever, I'm thankful for friends. They've provided just the right amount of distraction and encouragement to make these first two days wonderful. I spent yesterday bouncing from one friend's house to another as my phone rang off the hook with invitations to hang out. The love and support is amazing.

My first night alone in our house was smooth as well. My evening friends kept me company through the quiet stillness of the night. They are always happy to comfort me at night when my bed seems too big for just one person. (See picture of my friends below...)





My morning pilates class was rejuvenating and the beach was gorgeous this afternoon. I didn't even feel guilty about postponing my plan to clean the house today. I'm looking forward to tonight's dinner out with the girls, and tomorrow morning I'm heading home for a few days. I've lived in Florida my whole life, but my family is in the process of moving to Nashville. I'll be helping them with this process over the next couple of weeks. I will miss my childhood home, but look forward to new beginnings for my parents and younger sisters.

Off he goes into the wild blue yonder...

Day 1 of the first deployment.

I surprised myself today. No tears as we pulled apart from our embrace and I drove away. No emotional breakdown as I came home to our quiet house alone. No fake responses to the friends and family calling to see how I'm feeling. I feel fine. This day is surreal because I've played it out in my head many times before. Everything seems a bit fuzzy and in slow motion. But I'm ready for this. The challenge of this new adventure is intriguing to me. I see it as an opportunity. I love my husband more than I ever thought possible. Next to God, he is everything to me. I want to be the support that he needs as we grow stronger through this experience.

My pilot will be deployed for 2 months, home for 3 months, deployed for 2 months, and so on. This rotation will remain steady for the next 4 or 5 years. While we won't face extended tours, the frequency of his deployments will be quite a roller coaster, I'm sure. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, though I can't imagine being more in love with this man. I'll let you know!