Isn't that just too close to the truth?
Time really flies by. Its already July 14, 2007. Tony has to drive back down to Camp Lejuene tomorrow evening. This leave has gone by so quickly. We had a great time in Tampa - celebrating the 4th of July, visiting with family and friends, canoing down a beautiful river with wild manatees swimming underneath of us! Even though the top of my thighs got crispy burnt, I really had a great time. I finally got to meet Maggie, Tony's sister-in-law. Shes great! Little Ava (my future niece) is two-ish now. Terrible Twos!! But she was absolutely adorable. Even if I melted in the sun and couldn't sleep when it was hot, I really did have a fun time in Tampa.
Once we got home, BAM, right back into routine. Aerobics class Monday night the same day we got home, work Tuesday morning, class Tuesday night, aerobics Wednesday....etc. I'm just trying to soak up the time I have left with Tony. Its so hard to explain what it feels like. I feel like I am constantly trying to memorize every moment with him. I find myself studying his face--the outline of his features and that baby soft look in his eyes. Trying to hard to take it all in so I have that mental picture for the next 7 months when he is gone.
I try to remind myself that I have done this before. And this time it isn't even to Iraq, no biggie right? But this time, we've had 10 months to really get attached. I am very attached. I am so used to being able to call him anytime I want: breaks at work, between classes, driving home from school, etc. I don't even know how communication will be this time. I hear there will be no live-time internet access (no messengers or myspace) Only the email accounts the Marine Corps provides them. I keep thinking "what am I going to do?" Then I reassure myself I have classes and work to keep myself busy. And of course planning our wedding, which is coming up faster each time I turn the page on my wall calendar. It just really sucks to think we'll miss both of our birthdays (again), Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, and maybe even Valentine's Day. Thank goodness that after May of next year, we only have one year left of this garbage...
"Dear Lord,
Give me the greatness of heart to see the difference between duty and his love for me. Give me understanding that I may know, when duty calls him he must go. Give me a task to do each day, to fill the time when he's away. And Lord, when he's in a foreign land, keep him safe in your loving hand. And Lord, when duty is in the field, please protect him and be his shield. And Lord, when deployment is so long, please stay with me and keep me strong. Amen. "
-Author Unknown
