Deployment Habits

Originally posted on my blog - you can leave comments by visiting the link.

I'm not sure if habits is the correct term but I couldn't really come up with anything else that fit! I've talked to many Army wives who always do certain things before, during and after their husband's deployments. It's almost like superstitious type things that you believe give you luck. But some are just so it feels like your husband is still around and living at home even when he isn't.

I'll start....

1. Wherever my husband leaves something when he leaves for deployment is where it stays until he comes home. I've had shoes in the middle of the living room floor and a shirt hanging on the bedpost for months during his deployments.

2. We never say "goodbye" when he leaves or when we talk on the phone. It's always "good night" even if its 10 am. Goodbye seems so final to me. We started this on his first deployment and it just stuck.

3. Sometimes, I'll shut the door to the bathroom and spray his cologne. Then just stand there and close my eyes. For just that moment, it makes it seem like he's standing in the room.

4. We always write letters to each other before he leaves. I'm not allowed to open mine until I get home from dropping him off and he's not allowed to open mine until he gets on the airplane.

5. I always read a letter or something he wrote for me before I go to bed hoping it will have him in my thoughts enough that I'll have sweet dreams of him. Most of the time, it works!

6. My aunt gave me a blarney stone when he left for basic training. I've carried it with me since then. I've been known to turn around and go back to get it if I forget it when I'm going out of town!

So there's just a few of mine. I'm curious what types of things others do when their soldier is deployed. Or perhaps I'm the only weird one who does these things?! Please tell me I'm not....