Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Ripping off the Band-Aid

K called me this morning to tell me he has to go to Afghanistan. He's leaving in less than 10 days. I had known it was a possibility, but I was expecting a little more time between knowing he was going and when he was leaving. Of course I'm sad he's going, but I'm trying to look on the bright side of things: 1) He's finally going to be taking command. 2) I'll save money on gas because I won't be driving to Louisiana so much. 3) It's only three months -- he'll be back around Thanksgiving. 4) It's a baby-step deployment.

I was talking to my mom a couple weeks ago and was telling her I would rather that K not have to go anywhere, obviously, but at the same time, it would make it easier if he did. See, this time last year, he was supposed to be in Afghanistan anyway. For a year. He was supposed to leave in March or April. Then, it got pushed back to May or June. And then it went away. A smaller group wound up going, and K wasn't in that group. But the battery he's taking command of was. When their 6-month deployment got extended for another few months, it meant K has to go, too. So now I at least know that not all deployments turn up to be nothing (which I knew, but held out hope that they would always be that way for K through our relationship, which is pretty much impossible, especially if we get married).

I told K that I wish we'd had more notice than 10 days, but the good thing about it is that it gets everything done good and quick -- like ripping off a Band-Aid.

The thing that sucks, though, is that we'll miss each other's birthdays, just barely -- mine's Aug. 17, and his is Aug. 26. He'll miss an OU football season that looks much more promising than last year's. I was looking forward to being able to get him as addicted as I am. It's a lot easier when the team isn't losing to teams like TCU or going into double overtime against Baylor (Seriously -- who goes into overtime against Baylor?!).

And we're not going to Pensacola in a couple weeks like we'd planned. He may even be on his way to Afghanistan by then. Who knows? Not us ... yet, anyway.

But at least it's just for three months.

2 comments:

Courtney said...

10 days???!!!

Oh dear! I'll be praying for his safe return.

s said...

well you are right it is like a bandaid being ripped off, but i hope you guys have the best 10 days ever with tons of making out ha because obviously that's all that is on my mind now.! i'll also be praying for a speedy and safe return.