Murphy & Deployments

Okay, so I have never done a blog.  Actually, I've never even thought about doing a blog.  However, today someone mentioned that it might be a good way to Journal this year long deployment and I decided to give it a try.

So here is some background about us.  We are an Army family of 10 years.  I met my wonderful husband at Fort Stewart, Georgia when I was an active duty soldier myself.  We have two wonderful children.  Bryce, our beautiful daughter, is 9, and our handsome little boy, Jace, is 7.  This isn't our first deployment or separation at all.  It is actually our 5th deployment.  Danny deployed a lot when the kids were young.  He deployed when Bryce was 3 weeks old & came back when she was 6 months (2002).  We both deployed when Bryce was 9 1/2 months (this would end up being for Operation Iraqi Freedom I in 2003).  We came home around 6 months later.   We were blessed with Jace shortly after that deployment.  So instead of reenlisting, I finished my obligation and got out.  Danny stayed in and deployed for the 3rd time with 3rd ID about a year after the second deployment (2005).  This deployment was over a year long.    His fourth deployment was with the 101st Airborne Division in 2007 for a year.   

So now we are on number five.   However this deployment is different in many ways.  For one thing, he isn't deployed as a division or brigade.  Every other unit we've been with has deployed as a whole, and this one does not.   The kids are also older this time and even though that makes it easier in some ways, others have become more difficult.  For example, this time they actually realize Daddy is gone for a long time whereas before they were too young to comprehend it.  The fourth deployment was very hard for me, and I'll probably get into that at a later date, but I really feel good about this one (if you can feel "good" about it).  I have been blessed with a great church, great neighbors, & great friends locally who have gone out of their way to help me feel better and to offer help.  I've also been blessed by the friends and family far away that have called to encourage and just love me. 

So, the start of this deployment was two days ago.  Its supposed to be a year long.  And of course Murphy has already struck.  For those of you who don't know my relationship with Murphy--he visits every time Danny deploys to reek havoc on some aspect of plumbing.  I have taken care of so many plumbing issues I feel as if I need to go to a Vocational school to get my certification.  For a girl who grew up in a house where the mom/wife didn't do any of the "handy" stuff, I'm pretty proud of myself :).  At any rate, I have taken apart all the plumbing under a sink to unclog it AND I put it back together the right way.  I have spent a week waging war on an extremely clogged toilet and won.  I have fixed running toilets--hunting down the right part at Lowe's or Home Depot.  I have even taken a toilet apart to fix seals to the floor and to the tank & seat.   So when Danny left Saturday I knew Murphy would be visiting soon.  I just didn't realize how soon.  So today, when I finally sat down to read for a second while the kids where finishing up their nightly routines (bath, brush teeth, etc), I was taken off guard at the sound of running water in my kitchen.  It sounded like it was raining--no POURING--in my kitchen.  For a split second I'm thinking, "Did the kids leave the sink on, did something get put on the stove and is boiling over??"  I knew the answer was no, but as I turned into the kitchen I really didn't expect to see water coming from the recessed light fixture on my ceiling!!  Luckily I have great neighbors and I run across the street (in my pajamas) to yell at him to come quick (I did have enough foresight to tell Jace to start getting out of the tub and turn off the water).  He ran back over to the house quickly, and like the Hero he is, got it figured out--notice I didn't say fixed.  This is more than either of us can fix and I actually have to *gasp* call a plumber.  I forgot to mention earlier that my husband is extremely handy around the house and could probably fix this on his own, but noooooo--Murphy waits until he is gone.  Anyways, its not an emergency.  Like I said, Robert figured out that the water wasn't leaking from the main drain, but rather the overflow part of the tub, so the kids can still shower while I find a plumber and get it fixed. 

So now my adventure is over--the light is still out so everything can dry out.  I got a chance to video chat over facebook with Danny, so life is good.  The other highlights from today are pretty good.  Bryce made us dinner with minimal help from me, and she insisted that we, as a family, pray every night for Danny while he's gone.  I love my kids! 

So, that's it for my first day of blogging.  I need to get to bed so I can get up for work tomorrow.  I'm hoping for a little less adventure tomorrow.  Thanks for reading!