~ Hannah and Deployment ~

Last week, I had a friend tell me that I seem really strong during this deployment, and even asked if it is affecting me? This was a HUGE compliment because I don't feel strong at all!!! The more I thought about her comment the more I thought about a conversation I had last summer. Aaron was in Germany, at the time, and I was spending the summer with family and friends. One friend started complaining to me about how hard it is to have her husband gone all day. She mentioned that some nights he gets home to late to see his children before bed. Then she said something that has really impacted my life, and the way I deal with Aaron's deployment. She said that even her daughter complains that he is gone too much. 

Why would this impact my life? In that moment, I realized that our children really do reflect us. Her daughter, most likely. was complaining because she had heard her mother complaining. I realized the way I cope with deployment would affect Hannah, and how she copes with it. 

I don't want Hannah to ever hear me complaining that Aaron is gone. I don't want her to see his job as a negative thing because it is not at all! Aaron is a United States Marine and that is something to be extremely proud of. Yes, we miss him but we look for ways to support him, and make the separation easier for all of us. I want Hannah to be proud of her Daddy.

Ways I help Hannah deal with deployment :

1. We have a countdown in our dining room that we mark of each day.

2. Hannah helps me pick out items for his care packages.

one day she wanted to get daddy a hello kitty coloring book so in the box it went, another time it was spaghetti o's with franks.

3. She draws pictures for Aaron.

I have to remember to put them in the box

4. We get SO EXCITED when Aaron calls or skypes.

this has really helped her to feel excited when she sees him after long trips

5. We don't stop doing things just because Aaron is gone.

I'm not saying how amazing I am because I don't feel that at all. I just want this deployment and any other deployments or separations to be a positive experience for Hannah and myself.

image by Heather Gibbons Photography