Is it okay if I join you?

[Michelle67]

Hi. I'm not a military wife, but I'd like to join you all if it is okay with you. My husband just deployed for one year to the middle east with Dyncorp Int'l (one of the companies that is involved with the MRAP program, which are replacing the Hummers over there). He has been gone since April doing training, and the year overseas started about four days ago. I also have a nephew on his third tour over there with the army.

Anyhow, I hope you all won't mind if I join you. I don't care for my nephew's wife, and I don't know any other people IRL whose husbands can't be with them and their children right now. It would be nice to have others to talk to about the struggles and down days.

 

[missred75]

I'm new, too, but I don't mind if you join me! I have several friends whose spouses are working as contractors in Iraq and they go through many of the same struggles that military families do. Time away from your loved one, worry, having to do all of the home stuff by yourself, etc. It's tough. But, you learn to toughen yourself up & get through it. Mostly because you don't have a choice.

Hang in there, hun. You can do this.

 

[Michelle67]

Thanks! And you too. I saw your thread that time was really dragging on for you.

I'm a military brat, and besides I was a single mom for a few years, so I'm not having much of a rough time. I worry more about my kids. They've never experienced anything like this before, and it's kind of sad sometimes the things they say. Already, and he's only been gone since the end of April, with a year to go.

I have done a few things myself that I didn't really want to lately, but nothing THAT hard. Had to trim back some wimpy little trees that were leaning over the driveway and scratching people's cars, had to haul rocks and dirt to fill in potholes and ruts in the driveway that were becoming small lakes, and actually the worst of all....had to pull up the trap in the shower and fish yucky decomposing hair out of the drain so the water could go down again like it should. Eeeeeeew. I think I understand now why my husband is always grumbling that I should just shave my head.

 

[missred75]

Thanks! And you too. I saw your thread that time was really dragging on for you.

Thanks. I'm getting through it. It just stinks sometimes.

I have done a few things myself that I didn't really want to lately, but nothing THAT hard. Had to trim back some wimpy little trees that were leaning over the driveway and scratching people's cars, had to haul rocks and dirt to fill in potholes and ruts in the driveway that were becoming small lakes, and actually the worst of all....had to pull up the trap in the shower and fish yucky decomposing hair out of the drain so the water could go down again like it should. Eeeeeeew. I think I understand now why my husband is always grumbling that I should just shave my head.

Yeah, hubby has super short hair, so I guess I've always been responsible for drain cleaning. It's the other stuff... mowing the lawn & general yardwork, changing the headlights on the car (a MAJOR pain in one of our cars), taking out the trash, etc. All that stuff that I make him do when he's home. It makes me feel kinda macho sometimes when I do it, but I still wish he was here to take care of it! (And to scoop the dang litter box every once in a while! )

 

[Michelle67]

My husband keeps his hair buzz-cut really short too, but I've still lucked out of drain duty up until now. It was pretty scary. Of course my four year old son stood right next to me the whole time making sound effects, too: "EEEEW! GROSS! YUCKA!" It was pretty funny, really.

We have three acres, and thank goodness only about half of it is cleared, but that's still an awful lot of grass to mow. Fortunately for me, we have a nice big red manly riding lawnmower that gives my best friend's husband Tim Allen moments. So he has been taking care of the grass for me. My manliest accomplishment so far has been the garden. We had a fair-sized garden composed of several raised beds with lots of wasted space between, and wanted a continuous garden. Didn't get a chance to deal with it before my husband left the state, so it was all up to me. My friend's husband (same one, bless him) brought over his chainsaw to cut up the logs around the beds and then helped me carry them out, but the rest I have done myself. I had to weed-eat grass, weeds and volunteer herbs (mint and mullein that had jumped across from the herb garden) up to my knees, then I rototilled, pulled up miles (it felt like) of plastic underlayment, rototilled again...only thing left is to haul down the six yards of garden soil I had delivered and we'll finally be able to plant. In mid June. Haha. Oh well, the weather has been so completely wacky who knows what our growing season will be like anyhow. Peas, beans, radishes and carrots will do fine, and my kids love planting and harvesting all of those. Pumpkins are probably out for this year, but we'll survive that. I was pretty proud of myself for handling the rototiller. I'm not really tall enough to get the blades biting in like they should, but I made it work well enough. I was sure tired afterward. Don't think I'm cut out to be a farm girl.

 

[missred75]

I'm exhausted just reading all that!!! Sounds like you're going to have one heck of a garden, though. I don't have much of a green thumb, so I'm just happy the lawn's still got grass on it!