Dear Deployment: We're winning.

If I haven't said it before, let me say it now, deployments suck. They aren't "long distance relationships," although the distance is part of it. Deployments are a whole different entity. I can't call Aj when I have had a bad dream. He can't call me when he has one either. I don't have the option of saving money for a surprise trip to see him for Christmas and he doesn't even get the option of asking for the day off. Our phone conversation are limited to the 60 mins allowable calling time per week that he is given. He only gets to use these minutes in his limited free time in a room he shares with several other roommates, with a 9 hour time difference. Our internet conversations are usually 20 mins maximum, due to the terrible service he has where he is at, and opportunities for him to get online are sporadic. We don't get to make our plans for vacation, the military does. And those change randomly at times. Like I said, deployments suck.
But please, don't say that you are sorry. Don't feel bad or upset, or frown because we are "going through this horrible event", because despite the best attempts of the evil Dr. Deployment, we're winning. 
Yesterday, Aj and I got some poopy news, they are pushing back his RR. At least, they are for now. Not a giant amount of time, but even an extra 24 hours at this point is a slap in the face. When Aj told me this, and I in turn, got bummed out, he said to me, "Baby, we are at the end of October already. We've got this in the bag. It's nothing." Although, I disagreed immensely with the "it's nothing" part, which I know he only said to make me feel better, he's right. RR is still less then 3 months away even with it being pushed back. When he leaves again, this thing will be almost over. We will be on the downward spiral, and we will have won.
This last week Aj was finally able to get some regular sleep. The drills they have been doing non-stop were over and the ridiculous hours stopped with them. He was able to catch some football, catch up on his sleep, and even his laundry. He no longer sounded like a robot on the phone but my happy and energetic husband. Although the Cowboys took a blow this last weekend and weren't able to hit their stride yet, the Rangers beat the Yankees and go to the World Series, giving Aj bragging rights still. Plus, both of our fantasy football teams blew the others in our leagues out of the water. Another bonus. 

As I said in a previous post, a couple of other wives husbands came home for their RR time this past few weeks, and I was able to join one couple this last weekend at their daughters brithday/ Halloween party (which I dressed Blitz up as a linebacker for.. hehehe). Jeremy, the soldier, is friends with Aj and the two are deployed together. It was good to see him home, healthy and happy with his family. It also felt good knowing that we are to the point in the deployment where soldiers are taking their RR already. Again, proving that Aj and I are winning.
So, like I said, deployments suck, but don't feel bad. We're winning. Every single day, we've won. And when it is over, we will have gone through a year long deployment and came out better, stronger and ready for the rest of forever.