Don't Fret Jen, I'm okay!

Okay, in my last post Gone is Gone, I evidently really upset my friend Jen. You'll have to read her comment. She was an Army spouse for many years with a lot of kids so I brought back some memories. Plus she just misses me desperately as well she should.

So I thought I should write about how life is with The Marine gone so far and remind Jen that I'm tough as a pine knot and I have a few things I enjoy that only happen when my big fella takes a trip.

First let me say. I DROVE THE TRUCK!

So life is pretty darn good. Oh, and yes, he does know I drove it. I didn't tell him. I think Recruit 2 did. There will be repercussions later...

When The Marine called he just chuckled and said, "So how's that truck drive?"

I was all cool and just said real nonchalant like, "Um, it's fine."

Actually what happened was it was so cold here this morning the jeep was frozen shut and since my brilliant daughter broke a knob that controls the fan in the jeep I let her drive the van to school with Recruit 2, hereafter known as the snitch, or maybe the tattle tale, or the informant, YEAH, that's it, The Informant.

So that's why I drove the truck. True story. Plus it's loud and big and I CAN!

Now, here are some things to make my friend Jen feel better.

When The Marine leaves I don't have to clean up. Actually I don't clean up when he's here, but when he's gone I don't have to feel guilty about it. Guilt free chaos! I am guilt ridden A LOT.

Cereal for dinner.

Pancakes for dinner.

I don't know what's for dinner and I don't feel guilty! It makes my children proactive and they develop skills for survival. OohRah!

I can grow my leg hair as long as I want for as long as I 'm willing to wear long work out pants to hide the atrocities under at the gym. I'll shave right about the time I run out of long legged work out pants and have to resort to shorter ones. Or do laundry, whichever one I am motivated to do first.

I can drive whatever car I want. I can park them however I want. I can look out over my car kingdom and feel good about my abundance. I could go drive a different car every time I leave to go somewhere and match my vehicle to my mood and my outfit. Can't do that with The Marine in town. Nope, sure can't. He's sticky about things like that.

I can sleep all over the bed if I kick the kids out of it first. I usually don't, I like to snuggle. So no worries there about having to sleep alone.

I OWN THE REMOTE! Muw-Hahaaaaaa!

When The Marine is gone I am apparently more motivated to work out. Weird. My plan is to be half the woman tomorrow that I am today.

I love thinking about the day he comes home. I can plan it, dream about it, discuss it. Sometimes I actually even do whatever I think up. Maybe I will this time.

Now let me just say, the good news is, none of the above ten items are so important that I wouldn't trade my Marine being home for anyone of them. They are just nice little perks that come along when he goes away.

But seriously, being separated offers us the chance to miss each other. I think after long periods of time together we begin not only taking each other for granted, but we become less tolerant of one another's short comings.

Having him leave means I have to be reminded of what life with him gone is like, and while it's nice to have room to breath when it comes to areas I don't enjoy (housework, cooking, laundry), it's good to have a little perspective brought in. Not for too long, but just long enough.

Right now we are in the "we can do it" phase of a separation. We are pumped up and marching smartly forward. We are mentally geared for the mission at hand. We are coming to the end of day two without much incident. However... I feel a storm brewing.

My guess is Recruit 2 and I are fixing to battle. The little squealer.