"A" for Effort

For as much as we prepared for this deployment, I don't know if it made our goodbyes any less emotional. Perhaps less stressful, but no less emotional.

The boys don't know any difference from 10 days to 10 weeks to 10 months so they just think Daddy is gone again for a little bit. I was still crying in the car after we dropped off Erik and Landon said, "It's okay. Stop crying. Is it time for pancakes?" Alas, the thought process of a pint sized human won out. And so I dried my tears and off we went to the breakfast joint to get some pancakes. By the time we were cleaning up our sticky syrup hands, it was time to head home and resume life as normal. 

I will say one of the positives from this experience has been the increased communication and effort that has gone into our marriage and parenting. Erik and I went on more dates than usual this summer to connect, knowing our time was limited. Even the other night when we were slightly annoyed with each other due to underlying exhaustion and inevitable stress, our fingers still found a way to twine together and we held hands as we fell asleep - a tacit apology for short tempers. Admittedly, I can't say that would have happened if it was any old week or any old month. 

Although Navy life can test the patience of a marriage perhaps more than average, it is my belief that it offers more opportunities to strengthen relationships. And here may I present, "A Summer of Selfies"...