Tears, Coffee, & Baking

Since I last checked in on the blog I have sent my husband on his next adventure thanks to the Army. Off he went to Fort Bliss in El Paso to sit through countless classes. I mean seriously he sat through how to exit a roll over vehicle & an IED class. I'm sorry but if you've deployed 5 times in the past 11 years these seem like the dumbest classes EVER to make these guys endure. I think I am only mad because his time for this hardship tour doesn't start until his big size 11 1/2 combat boots hit the ground in Egypt. So thank you Army for wasting ten days of time away from our soldier to make him sit through silly classes that I sure hope he would know by now, most likely by heart!
I think saying goodbye caught us all off guard. We knew he was going but we didn't really expect the sudden tears that spilled down my eyes at the airline gate. My poor husband was shocked. He kept telling me how easy this time was & how different. But in my head all I could feel was sadness that he had another whole year apart from our family. I mean he isn't getting home until January 2015- to me that is just NUTS & I've done a 13 month deployment before. Not sure why this time it bugs me.....

I took the first three days in my usual stride. Thankfully the boys didn't have obligations so I was comfortably in my pjs by 3PM every day for 72 hours. Our 18 year wedding anniversary day came & went with me in my pj's.By Tuesday I headed to appointments with the boys & hit up the gym. Pouting time was over and we all just sort of fell right back into our routine. I told my friend today while at coffee how it just seems normal now when Paul is gone. How sad is that, that the house can just flip a switch and run smoothly, well so far smoothly. Coffee with a friend was a nice break today away from the house. Baking some brownies for the boys & new gluten free muffin recipe for me tonight was also nice. Now we just sit back & wait, wait for the Army to finally get him to Egypt so our year apart can really start.