Leave

I seem to set myself up for a bit of disappointment after every leave.

 

I get so excited for leave to come. The month of his scheduled leave I start a countdown on my calendar. Then I start planning activities and things to do. I go grocery shopping and pick up all his favorite foods and plan big dinners and lazy brunches. I clean like crazy and buy little presents that I leave around for him to find. A new shirt in the closet, new fishing lures in his tackle box, a new game in the PS, etc. I create all this hype and believe that we'll get to spend all of this time together and it will be just perfect. Of course it never works out like I plan.

 

Take this leave for example. A huge snow storm came through the area and closed down the interstates for 4 days. We happened to be visiting his parents at the time the storm hit and a 2 day stay turned in to a 5 day stay. The last 5 days of his leave. We never made it back home and we didn't get to do all those things we'd planned alone. The last 5 days of his leave was spent sleeping on the floor in his parents basement, being constantly surrounded by people and just a little bit stressed. Don't get me wrong, it was great to see his family. It just wasn't so great to have absolutely no time alone. We had to change his flight so that he flew out from his parents town instead of from home so we didn't even get to drive home together.

 

Saying goodbye for me is much harder the second time. The first time I say goodbye is easier because I'd forgotten how much it stinks having him gone. The second time we have to say goodbye, I remember. I had gotten into a routine while he was gone, and when he comes on leave it messes up my routine and then I have to find it again after he leaves.

 

Although, as much as leave may disrupt the comfort I'd found during his absence, I would never trade his leave. It's so great to get to see him again after time apart and now I have a shorter countdown ahead until this separation is over.