Rolling with the Punches

I've gotten pretty good at rolling with the punches.  I've had a lot of ups and downs in life.  This deployment has shown me a handful more, but not much could prepare me for what I learned on Thursday.  It rocked me to the point of tears which does not typically happen.  I cried in front of coworkers for the first time ever.

I had been at work for a mere 2 hours when CJ asked me if we could FaceTime.  I knew it was going to be bad since he wanted to tell me as close to face to face as possible.  I found a quiet room and quickly called.  The news that followed made me want to puke.  His unit is being reassigned.  Instead of coming home in August they will go to Kuwait.  There is no word on what exactly they will do from there, and more importantly no word on when they will be home.  They may be released when their original orders are up in October, but there is a highly probable chance their orders will be extended.  This could push their homecoming back to next summer. 

We all know it's possible for a unit with one foot out of country to end up staying, but I was beginning to get past my pessimism and believe he may actually be home by mid August.  

The saving grace for me is my kids.  When I told them my daughter asked if there was still more work to be done.  I told her yes, and she turned to my son and said Daddy needed to do more work but would be home when it was done.  I told her he might not be home for her birthday or Christmas, and she just said he is hurrying and it is ok.  How amazing from preschooler.  If my children can handle this so well I guess I can too.

Rolling with the punches doesn't mean we have to like them, and it doesn't mean we won't shed a tear or two.  It means we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and move forward.  I will not be knocked out by any punches this deployment brings me.  I will make it to the end whenever that may be.