The Long One

I'm pushing my luck starting this blog because my little sugar bean has been down for a nap since 12:30pm...and it's 2:22pm! But here I am with my coffee hoping to get this blog updated. I wont be too sad if she wakes up though, because I have been productive in other areas of my life so far today: swam about 2200 meters, made dinner (in the crock pot), sent out FRG e-mails, paid a bill I forgot about (BUMMER!) blah blah blah :)

Unfortunately, blogging has had to take the back burner the last month. I mean, we did move into a new house and sent my husband off on his first deployment this month... Two TOTALLY normal life activities occurring nearly simultaneously, right? Only if your military!

But my husband is off and sugar bean and I are about one week into holding up our home front. 

Last week I was very intentional about getting to the gym. I knew that if I did not make the childcare reservations for the entire week ahead of time I would not have been getting out of bed very quickly. That was the first BEST decision I could've made for myself and sugar bean. Getting a good workout in everyday last week helped me get out of the emotional fog from sending my husband off much quicker than I anticipated. I was therefore much clearer headed for myself and a much better mommy for sugar bean the rest of the week.

Emotional fog, is really the best way to describe how I felt after seeing my husband for the last time for the next 9 or so months. I cried all the way home. Thank goodness it was in the middle of the day and sunny!

The second best thing I did last week was go to a bible study our new church hosts called "Battle Ready". It's lead by a fellow christian military couple. They've served for 15 years and have 3 children and the youngest is 3!  Meeting and fellowship'ing with 7 other military couples (most with small children no less!) was the most encouraging thing for my heart at this time. It was, more than I can describe, wonderful to hear practical biblical solutions to the same struggles we have as a christian military family.

The biggest take away from that bible study was something one of the husbands shared. He talked about his personal conflict with being called by God to be the protector and provider for his family, while still being called by the military for deployments. He expressed how much he hates leaving his family for deployments because he dreads not being able to protect or provide. But one day God got a hold of him and said, "the safest place for your family is in the middle of My will."  This truth encouraged him to (rightly) trust Christ with his family's safety and provision while he is away, and allowed him to fully focus on his job.

The same truth can be applied for wives. The safest place for your husband is in the center of God's will! It doesn't matter if that place is in a war zone. If that is your husband's calling and purpose, there will be a supernatural hedge of protection around your husband AND his men. You have got to put your faith and hope in that truth. 

Fortunately, I was able to talk to my husband the night after the bible study and I shared this with him. He was greatly encouraged because his biggest personal fear we discussed many times for this deployment is not being here to protect or provide for sugar bean and I for 9 months. Hearing this revelation from a fellow infantry soldier took a huge weight off of his shoulders...and I am so thankful!! Because being an infantry soldier he has got to have his head in the game. He doesn't have time to worry about me and sugar bean AND his job. But our God does.

So, today sugar bean and I are well. We are getting into a routine of life separated from hubby/daddy.

While I miss my dear husband to pieces, my soul is at peace and excited to see what God does in me and our family during this deployment.  All I can do is hold onto the truth that God has an abundantly more for me and us than I could ever hope for or imagine, even in the midst of a deployment. 

We will thrive, but only through God's grace.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

~Psalm 46:10