Remnants of Deployment

Having the leftover emotions of deployment LONG after it ends is a very normal thing for military spouses, and of course servicemembers as well. It's not something that troubles me, or my husband, and I've always thought of it as a great thing....you know, the ability to process through all of those emotions. Typically it's when you ignore them that there becomes a problem. It's something that anyone who's been through a deployment can relate to. Something that we all just feel, everytime we drive past a parking lot lined with sea bags and white busses, whether it's our husbands getting on them or not. It's intense, it's painful, and it stings your eyes to the point of tears instantly. It takes you right back to the days that you've told your loved one goodbye....and prayed that it was really "Until next time". It didn't make it easier, but all of this I was prepared for.....this I was not:

First thing this morning:

Mommy: Good Morning Jordy!!!

Jordy: Hi Mommy!! I have some good news and some not so good news......

Mommy: Oh goodness, what is your news?

Jordy: Well, the bad news is that Buzz Lightyear (her imaginary friend) has to deploy to Afghanistan today. He's gonna be gone for a really long time. He'll be working over there. We'll have to pray for him.

Mommy: *stunned* Wow Jordan, well what's the good news?

Jordy: The good news is that after a long time is over, we get to go pick him up!!!! And it's gonna be SO fun and we'll get to bring him home!!!!

What do you say to that??? On one REALLY big hand, I am SO thankful that she is processing these emotions. On another hand, I'm completely heartbroken that she has to deal with this. We all understand that this is hard on children. We all prepare for that in our own ways, and I'm so thankful that as my husband continues his career in the military our daughter has been able to get a decent understanding for how this all works. She has taken away the main things that my husband and I made our priority to convey to her:

1. Deployment is a long time. It won't be over tomorrow, and we have to understand that in order to cope and maintain order in this house while he's gone.

2. Prayer!!! If there is anything we want from the Lord, we MUST ask for it! While Daddy is deployed we need to be in prayer for him as much as possible. Jordan said the same prayer 4 times a day while Doc was in Afghanistan: "Dear Jesus, Thank you for this wonderful day, Please protect Daddy, Poppy (who was having health problems), and Pastor Rick (who was on a mission trip), in your precious name I pray, Amen." If she took only this from these experiences, I would die happy.

3. We will live our lives with faith in our hearts that he WILL be coming home.

And I love that the thought of Homecoming is something refreshing for her as well. :) It IS the best part of deployment. It's the only thing that keeps you going sometimes, and moments like this only come once in a lifetime: