So, it has been a while... yeah, I know. I have had way too much on my plate lately. Not sure if I got sick first, or was doing too much, either way it is a vicious circle. Not enough rest for me = catching any cold that comes along. I did finally finish with my work for the fundraiser, well, until the event is over at least, then I have to go back and help with clean up. But it does feel good to have the paperwork for that big job off my plate. It is always difficult to coordinate so many people, especially when a lot of it is dependent upon teenagers doing their part. We sold 67 tickets though, so that is a good thing.
Well, I have held off talking about it for as long as I can. I knew it would be coming this year, but the news still managed to floor me. My husband let me know this past week that he will be deploying to Afghanistan in August. I'm not sure how news I am expecting can still startle me, but it did. It has taken me a while to digest this and be able to talk about it. I am not new to a deployment, but that doesn't make it any easier. I am happy he will be here for Amy's high school graduation and Will's eighth grade graduation, though. But there just is no good time to be gone. I am also a realist, he has only had his shoulder tapped, he has not been given orders yet (in writing). So what is not in writing may not ever happen. I still have to prepare though. I need to have everything in order so the kids and I can successfully make it through the time he is gone. I know he can't be successful at his job if he has to worry about us.
In other news, The Moving Wall is here in Southern California. We went to go see it in Garden Grove this morning. For those of you that don't know, it is a (smaller) replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I saw a notice that it was going to be here a few months ago and put a reminder on my phone because I wanted to see it. I am so glad we did. I really didn't expect it to affect me the way it did. I can't imagine how it would be to see the actual memorial. Anyway, when I walked up to it, I was surprised how big it still was, then as you get closer and see the sheer number of names on the wall, well, it was overwhelming. And to think that most of these young men were called to serve, they did not volunteer for the service. Before I could stop myself, I had tears streaming down my cheeks. I don't know anyone who died in Vietnam, so it was not due to any loss of friend or family. I think it was just the thought of all those young men... and their lives cut short. There were lots of bouquets and pictures of soldiers left in front of each section of the wall, it was good to see that these soldiers have not been forgotten. It really made me think about how awfully the returning soldiers were treated. I think as the wife of a soldier, it really hits home. And now with a deployment looming less than a year away, it really made me think about my own family and all those "what if" questions.
