Thursday, June 08, 2006

Long day, long night

So another week of running around like a chicken, etc, etc. and tonight I am exhausted! We had a reunion briefing about two hours from where I live and there is another one near my home tomorrow, but I'm doing the childcare for it so I went to the OTHER one tonight. As much as they scared the hell out of us with visions of soldiers punching us out due to a flash back or attempting suicide - I'M STILL EXCITED AS HELL TO HAVE HIM HOME!

It got pretty sobering in there though, listening to the chaplain tell us what integration to real life will be like for them. They brought up things like understanding that they haven't had any real personal contact (or if they have they have a whole other set of problems :) in a year, so don't rush them, or the fact that American food will run through them after eating Iraqi food for so long, or just like not letting them drive too soon, or leave them alone with the kids right away, stuff like that. I don't think I fully appreciated what they've been through over there, even as a wife! It's so easy to get used to your normal routine at home that you forget how hard it is out there (well, except for the Fobbits, which Terry most certainly is not!)

Some of our guys have been through the shit and I'm worried for them. The Division that we replaced did have suicides when they got back. I don't take their warnings lightly, but if it's anything like his R&R I don't think Terry will be taking any swings at me in the middle of the night.

I had a good laugh when they said to keep them away from alcohol. Ha! That's like telling them to not have sex!!!! Puhlease! I plan to have the fridge stocked - the BEER fridge, mind you - ready for his drinking pleasure (0nly because I know he won't chug it all like he did the nights he was getting ready to go back to Iraq. Then he drank it all 'cause he knew I wouldn't and he didn't want it to "go to waste.")

I can't say exactly when he'll be back because frankly I don't know, I just know it's going to be soon ( as in, I could count the days in months, but saying "weeks" just sounds faster) and I can't wait to jump in his arms and know that he's out of that hell hole - and safe.

5 comments:

dyzgoneby said...

I am right there with you MQ. I can't wait either.

Household6 said...

Godspeed !

CaliValleyGirl said...

Before my bf came back, I stocked his fridge with beer. The reunion ceremony was at 3pm. We went home and I swear by 8pm, he had had beer, wine, whiskey, a gin tonic, etc. We went downstairs to go say hello to his landlords, and he mentioned: yeah, I am not supposed to have alcohol for the first 24 hours. That was the first time I had heard of it, but I don't know one single soldier who followed that protocol.

Very excited for you!

Anonymous said...

Wow. It seems real that he is coming home so soon. I am excited for both of you.
Sidenote funny story: my coworker was telling me that when her husband came home he had bad road rage. He was constantly reaching for a gun that wasn't there. Yikes!
Oh, and one night when M and I were first dating, we were asleep and next thing I knew he was doing some wierd slow motion kicking action on me. He was dreaming about work and I was the bad guy. After that, never happened again. He does dream alot about work. Probably because there is a range of emotions going on that he doesn't play out. I bet Terry will have some scarey dreams for a long time. that will suck.
:o( But, he will have his lovely wife there to comfort him with sex and beer, right?
Ok, I'm done hijacking your blog.
c

Anonymous said...

Best wishes for the big homecoming! I'm so happy for both of you. Make sure to post lots of pictures. (Don't forget one of the 'beer fridge.')