How to survive when you find your husband in training and away 3 weeks at a time:
No. 1: Continue cooking meals everyday. Extra? Perfect for lunch.
No. 2: Write down everything that has to be done in order to keep the house running, and divide it into 7 sections. Do one column every day.
No. 3: Think of 10 things that are unique to this situation that won't last after the situation changes, and relish them. (yes I may be thinking about how nice it is to not share the remote, or how amazingly clean the house seems to stay . . . . and to think - this whole time I thought the mess came from the 2 year old! :) )
No. 4: Cuddle with your baby girl more often than usual.
No. 5: Take lots of video to email, and dedicate time every day to ichat.
No. 6: Make a running list throughout the day of things you know he'd love - the little moments you know you won't be able to remember when he's actually on the phone, like how she loves the Dora toothpaste you bought her, or the way she painted her own toenails (and the floor and the couch) with the marker this morning, only to look at you with innocent eyes and say loudly "PRETTY!".
NO. 7: Avoid all chick flicks until it's 5 days or less until he's home.
No. 8: Do something every day that empowers you. This includes:
* Surviving having a sick baby all alone.
* Putting up the white board in the kitchen, which included drilling into the brick, measuring and aligning, and hammering in braces.
* Painting the long awaited entryway that is, after 3 years, now finally finished.
* Mowing the lawn and edging it to perfection.
* Running.
* Arguing with three different census people (at separate times) that have come by even after I've already talked to them twice.
* Taking the door handle completely off in order to rescue her after being locked in the bathroom, and then reassembling it.
No. 9: Go to bed early. Really early.
No. 10: Do not EVER, under any circumstances, feel sorry for yourself. Instead, surround yourself with very supportive, strong people.
No. 11: Always remember the other option. Not so pretty.
No. 12: Pray.
3 comments:
You are, have been and always will be a survivor, not only a survivor but you do it valiantly, without murmuring. I love that you never, not once, have ever 'put your foot down' but you just make things work and work marvelously.
I loved your post! I'm married to an airline pilot and people often ask me how I 'deal' with him being gone all the time. I should start referring them to your post. Making lists, staying positive and focusing on the good things (don't underestimate the power of being in control of the remote :) ) are the things that help me stay sane. When that fails, prayer and a phone call to my mom usually do the trick. I started reading your blog (linked from Lindsey's) about the time that your little girl was born, and you seem like a very strong person. I'm sure you're going to come out on the other side of this experience stronger than ever!
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