Time Flies...

Looking back, it seems I haven't been posting much lately.  In my head, I'm posting all the time...driving down the road, falling asleep, out running walking.  That is one thing about my personality that works well with this whole military lifestyle - I like to keep busy.  And when I'm busy, I don't have time to think about much else except how to accomplish the next few hours and then when I'll get to sleep.

My husband's first deployment, quite a few years ago, we didn't have any children and so I worked.  A lot.  I had a full time job in the evenings and then I substituted nearly every single day.  And it was successful - there were some long days in there, but the 6 months went by FAST.  (Yeah, we're Navy, we consider 6 months a deployment.)

Last time he deployed, a few years ago, we had four little kids.  Enough said.

This time, everyone is in school, so I've really had to get creative to fill the time.  I'm trying to run, and generally exercise more, I'm taking a couple of classes at the community college.  I'm volunteering with the PTO, and (not) writing here, and writing The Paycheck Chronicles.  I'm pretty effectively filling every spare minute of my day.  And if I weren't, there's always Facebook.

I explain my life as one of these Fifteen Puzzles that you may have played when you were a kid - I'm forever trying to move all the little blocks around to get everything in order.  I was explaining that to my favorite mental health professional recently, and she said something that has really stuck with me.  She suggested that I needed to make sure that I kept a block open for my husband.  And that it probably wasn't going to be very helpful if he came home and all the blocks were taken.

Hmmmm.  That's an interesting concept.  But how will I get through it with empty blocks?  This is a dilemma for me.  So I'm curious - how do you keep yourself busy while your spouse is gone, without filling your schedule so much that there isn't room for your spouse when they return?

Comments

[Basinah]

I am at the no kids - two jobs stage, like you were "back then". But, with modern technology, I am also playing on line games and chatting with my guy, or writing him long letters or e-mails ... or on-line stalking him, to see if he is going to sign on, or play a move ... so hopefully, when he comes home, in person time will replace the stalking!

[Wife of a Sailor]

I'm at the no kids stage too. But we have three dogs and two cats... I swear it's like we have children. Seriously, don't laugh... I'm being sent active duty for a week and I have to drive 45 minutes north to drop off two of dogs at a sitter's and then have to drive another two hours to drop off the third dog at my mom's house. It's a lot of work trying to get all that situated!

Right now, I'm just keeping busy dealing with the dogs, doing my Navy Reserve thing, doing some side work here and there creating newsletters, trying to sell our house in Michigan and trying to look for a job in Washington so I can move out to where Hubby will be when he returns from deployment. That's enough for me!

[Apryl]

Funny I never thought about having to leave a "block" open for him. I just figured I'd fit him in like I normally do when he's around. LOL

Mine leaves for deployment next week..we have the 2 kids now the Mom who's been through this before (as well as the burn from the first time around) so honestly I just fill my time as much as possible. In fact I have a calendar and I was looking at it and I'm pretty much packed for the next 2 months..and I even work full time.

[Married2theNavy]

I am about to experience my first navy deployment. but i was there for the whole bootcamp thing as well. the important thing is to make friends and do stuff with them. plus he liked coming home and meeting all my new friends. civilian friends. lol

[Sarah]

I too am concerned about leaving a block for my husband. We will have a baby either a few days before or a few days after he gets home from deployment. Life will be VERY different, and I have been nervous that if the baby comes before my husband gets home, that I won't know where he fits in and he won't know either. I have been concerned on the other hand that if he arrives home first, our reintegration will have to be very quick because baby will arrive any day.

I guess we'll go with the flow and figure it out, but it has been on my mind.

[Jessie]

I'm in the no kids (but one cat) stage but I work full time and I'm working full time on my PhD so between all that, church and working at the crisis hotline I stay busy.

Facebook tends to fall by the wayside when GI Joe is likely to be home for a few months; and I cut back on class- I go to part time status when he is home.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do on that day when I finish my degree!

[Love My Soldier]

I'm glad to see so many of your are able to keep yourself busy, I am currently struggling w/ that. I don't sit around worrying or anything, but I just haven't found a way to fill up all my time like I used to before I relocated. I'm in school full-time, I work full-time, attend church events, babysit, and all. But I need more! lol

[Jennifer]

Netflix! I watch all the movies I've always wanted to see. Plus, I work full time at the hospital now.