Getting Through A Deployment

I have gotten a few emails recently about how to get through a deployment. So I figured I would do a blog post about it.

When I finally know when my husband is going to deploy, I start making some plans on how to deal with what is going to happen and get through it. I make lists. Lists of things I can do for fun. Lists of things I want to accomplish. Lists of places I want to go. The lists never seem to end but they are helpful in keeping focused on getting through a deployment.

When he leaves, I get right to my lists! The first day after you drop them off is so very hard. The first week is very difficult. I find myself walking around the housing remembering that last week at that time he was here doing things with us. I find it hard to do the laundry and wash the rest of his dirty clothes he left behind. I suddenly lost the other adult in my house. It can be pretty painful. But by about the month point I feel like I am going to make it. I do have horrible, bad and sad days in between but I feel like I can get into a good routine and make it all work.

What are some of the things I do to stay busy during a deployment?

I scrapbook

I take pictures

I do picture projects

I plan to read a certain amount of books

I plan to visit family (which will be easier being in the US now)

I find out what is going on in the community and fill up my calendar

I make plans with other Army spouses

I make sure my kids are having fun and taken care of

I fill my calendar up to stay busy

My main goal in getting through a deployment is to stay busy but not to the point where I burn myself out. This can be a hard balance to figure out and give yourself some grace to not get it quite right. It is something that is hard for so many of us but we have to just get up in the morning and try our best. It is all we can really do when dealing with a deployment.

I also try to live my life. It can be sad to do things without him but I can’t put my life on hold for a year at a time, especially since we seem to be in this every other year deployment cycle. I hate thinking about everything he will have to miss when he is gone. There will be way too many pages in the scrapbook where he is missing but I can’t just sit in the corner during the deployment. I have to try and make it through the months apart. The best way that I can.