“Do the next thing”

So, he’s been gone just about a week.

He called tonight, right after getting up in the morning. Seems the transition away from his home and family, and back to the different geography, climate, and people have made Fran just a bit under the weather.  He hasn’t quite felt himself since he arrived back at his camp.  His sickness is starting to clear and he is forming some new goals and ambitions.

Sounds like us back here.  Could it be that because we are on the downhill leg of this deployment we have hope to plan, and scheme, and accomplish things?  He’s going to do some writing, and back here we’re going to do some painting, and nailing, and tiling, and painting, and designing, and painting!

We would love to see what we can do to this house to get it in shape to show on the real estate market and see about moving a couple towns over.  You see, there is this line between this town and the one we have in mind, where the snow storms change.  On our side of the line, the snow is usually more like rain, and even if it does snow, it melts a whole lot quicker.  We want to be on the other side of the line!

Ok, that isn’t the only reason; it’s one of many.  Truth be told, we don’t like all the painting and tiling and nailing.  The 107 year old architecture is nice, but living in it has lost it’s charm.  There are so many things to keep up with so that it can maintain it’s charm.  We really aren’t that good at that kind of work.  We have different interests and hobbies.  Fixing up this old place is out of necessity, not because we love to do it!!
All of our ambition may not get us to our ideal objective, but if it gets us up out of our seats to at least make a little progress, then it has done its job.  I’ll take it.

Ok, as Fran just gets started on his day, I’m going to head off to bed.

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Jackson’s Card, originally uploaded by Midcoast Mainah.

Today about about 5:00 am our time, Fran arrived back at his “domicle away from home.” There waiting for him was a package from a young boy in Wisconsin. (Since Fran’s host unit is from that state, there are children there who write to soldiers.) The package was filled with very cool things that Fran likes and uses…all things listed on his wish list at the link to the right of this post. The best part was that he drew and colored a picture and sent it to him. He was so glad to have it that he took a picture of it and sent it to me to post here for all to see.

Hey there, Jackson! Great job on the picture and thank you for thinking of my husband and sending him such cool stuff!!

Well, the dark day that was yesterday has yielded to determination and faith that God has it all in his hands and does care. The loneliness will stay, but the joy of the Lord will find it’s way into our hearts despite it all.

The “normal” that we have gotten to know over the months begins again today. We will keep serving, growing, working and laughing no matter what happens. (Notice I didn’t say cooking and cleaning. Those will never by my favorite things to do, or talk about doing!)

God has granted us gifts beyond measure. Friends and family who love and give of themselves, and their time, and their means. I am grateful to all of them for their generosity of spirit and resource.

The sun it out today and God is still there.

So, when I went to sleep he was there and when I woke up he was gone.  With Erik doing the drive to the airport, I spared myself the long drive home crying the whole way.
What’s an Army wife to do?

Wait, I’m not really an Army wife.  Ok, I was, a long time again, but we gave that up for the Army National Guard so he could stay close to home and take care of Maine.  Now, I am again, though.  Yet, we are still a National Guard family, and therefore subject to the new rules set out in Washington this past week.

Basically the article seems to say that if you are a National Guardsman who got home from a 12 to 24 month deployment even as recently as last month, your time overseas is irrelevant and starting this past weekend, they could send you back at any time.  Of course, it should only be for 12 months this time rather than longer.

We don’t know how this will effect Fran, since he will have only served 6 months in this “starting now, we’re using this policy instead” thing.  They aren’t likely to send someone who only has 6 allowable months, overseas with a unit leaving on a 12 month deployment.  However, this new 12 month limit is only a hopeful guideline and not a mandatory rule.  Long story short, after Fran gets home, if this new policy isn’t modified, he could turn around and go right back before 5 years is up.

Good of them to come up with this new rule change AFTER he reenlisted.

My waving a flag on the homefront is getting a little tired after this sour bit of news at the end of our 2 week visit.

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Just Before Leaving, originally uploaded by Midcoast Mainah.

We took this photo on Sunday morning just before heading home from Prospect Harbor Light. It was snowing and beautiful! We hope to be able to get back to the lighthouse cottage with the kids sometime in the fall; it was such a cool place, we want to share it with them!

Today is our last day at home with Fran before he leaves again for another 6 months. The snow will be long gone when we see him again. So, what do we do on the last day? Fran is out to breakfast with our Pastor right now. I’ll be taking Anna to Awana Quiz practice from 9:30-11:30. Hmm, then what. Do we all sit in the living room and talk? Do we get a movie? Do we go to a movie? Do we play a game? Do we go out to eat? Do we all watch him pack? I guess there is no perfect answer. We’ll just see what happens.

Erik will be getting up with him at 4am to take him to the airport. I did that task in July and I’d rather have someone else do it this time. Sometimes when something seems too hard, it’s ok to not do it!