25 things

Keep busy. It’s on the list of things to do when he’s gone. Actually, the list is entitled 25 Tried And True Ways to Keep Your Sanity While Your Soldier is Deployed. And these entire 25 things, conveniently printed on a fridge magnet, is basically a list of things to do to keep busy. So this morning, after burying my head in the last pillow that smells like him, and bawling, after we had our last phone call for a month, I resolved to do just that. In no particular order, a few of their suggestions:

20. So something nice for yourself once a week without fail. You deserve it!! Shopping trip, nails done, pedicure done. Think that’ll do for now.

12. Live your life and avoid sitting by the phone waiting for a call. You may be there, or you may not, but your Soldier will call again. The only phones in the house are our cell phones, and Sampson (yes, I named my phone), goes where I go. I’m not sitting by the phone, it travels with me, and it is within fingertip reach every second of the day.

21. Start a journal and faithfully record your thoughts, feelings, fears and joys. Think I got that one covered.

3. Take up a hobby… Let’s see… cross stitching, reading, video games, shopping, taking care of puppies… I’m pretty well booked on hobbies.

18. Plan a trip to a place you’ve always wanted to go. Then do it. Sgt. Brown promised me a honeymoon in Germany… I’m already researching the trip.

It’s 25 things to do, to keep your mind occupied the empty spot in the bed, the lack of ACUs hanging up in the closet, the ruckus that is mornings, evening trips to Sonic for food. This may not be the happiest I’ve been, I may alternate between snippy and tears. But I’m getting through this month of training. And then, I’m getting through a deployment, and then another, and whatever else is coming in my life. I will be here every time he gets back. Just have to keep busy.

~Jennifer