One week away

I decided to start this blog since Eric is leaving.  I am feeling a lot of emotions right now although I am showing little of it.  If you have never had a husband prepare for war, there are few words I can use to describe what our husbands go through (through our eyes of course).  They know they are leaving for a year or more/less and may never return.  As they prepare, there is paperwork that includes powers of attorney, medical paperwork, and most importantly, who is in charge of them if they don't return alive.  That has to be hard on a soldier.  When it is hard on them, they start to show stress at home.  As they try to enjoy the last few weeks, days, hours, they struggle to be nice and calm and put on a nice face for all the onlookers.  The onlookers include their spouse (ME), kids, family and friends...  They try to finish any projects that they complete before they leave.  Leaving any projects incomplete must equal failure because many don't handle that well.  At the same time, we wives are preparing to be single parents for any time from a year to a lifetime.  We try to savor any moment left thinking about what we should have or could have done in the year home.  But, alas it is too late.  We have 6 days.  I am very sad to think about all of the events that Eric will miss this year.  But, glad he was around for many milestones for the girls.  So, as this week continues, we will soldier on...