“Deploy fifteen months and what do you get? An extra three months older and caught in a stoploss net…civilian jobs don’t you call me ’cause I can’t go, I sold my soul to the Army y’know…”
I haven’t blogged yet about this for a couple of reasons.

Theoretically DH is getting out before his unit deploys again, so I wanted to let others who are definitely directly affected speak first.
I wanted to give it some thought, rather than just respond emotionally. Emotional responses are legitimate, and sometimes necessary; I just didn’t want …

I posted over on SpouseBUZZ about my experience with DH’s Redeployment. I think it will help explain why I have not been posting very much.

As I wrote on SpouseBUZZ, DH came home a little early to be here for Lilah’s surgery. He is with us now, but a big piece of him is still in Iraq.
This blog is not over (there is still so much more to chat about–redeployment, daily life, etc.) but do not expect any updates for a couple of weeks.
Lilah is having her surgery on Nov. 6. Please pray with us.
I hope to be back on in late November.

Sorry blogging has been light…I have been focusing on blogging on SpouseBuzz the last few days since it is just starting up.
I also have deadlines left and right.
And of course, Lilah…she’s getting so big! She’s been getting really upset after feeding and now something is upsetting her even when she sleeps. So, she has gone from pretty much “sleeping through the night” (one shift of 3-4 hours, followed by a 4-5 hour shift) to waking every 2-3 hours even at night.
Which brings me to the subject of this post.
One day …

Lilah’s asleep so I thought I would make a quick post to let you all know that I haven’t been committed to an asylum or jailed for throttling a patient appointments line operator.
DH finally caught me on IM and, after five tries, he was able to see me and Lilah on webcam!
Anyway, I’m curious…how many others out there have had deployment babies? How many people out there think they would never intentionally have a baby during their husband’s deployment? Just curious!

Although I have been using this site to vent a lot…there is a lot that has gone as well or better than expected.
It is the East European in me that makes me hesitate to count blessings out loud.
First of all, Lilah is gaining weight from some very successful breastfeeding. Apparently this is unusual for a heart baby. This is especially wonderful since the breastmilk will help protect her from illness.
Lilah generally sleeps for decently long stretches at night despite the fussiness during the day and the occasional resistance to falling …

I wish!
No Muss?
This is the hole in my wall:

Yeah, I know…she looks happy there. Don’t let the drama queen fool you.
The doctor’s appointment was useless. What a sour, humorless pediatrician! She basically offered me no tips, no strategies, no information. She even suggested that maybe I was tense (uh, no…I’m very relaxed with my baby…if I’m tense, it is due to you) and implied that it was because DH is deployed.
I’ve been reading up a lot and the connection between a tense mom and a crying baby has been disproven. …

I need today to go away. The deployment gremlins are out in full force.
First, I have a plumbing leak somewhere. It leaked and the varnish soaked off the entertainment center and onto the rug. Last night they came to move the entertainment center and turn on a huge fan to blowdry under the rug. This of course had to stay on all night. This of course sounded like a freight train moving through the living room.
Now the plumber is coming tonight, possibly to cut a hole in my wall.
The house …

Technology has made this a new war both for our soldiers and for those of us who “also serve.”
I don’t often agree with my fellow alumnus’s political opinions, but I think this Trudeau cartoon is pretty on target:

DH never tells me when he is going out or when he is going to be back. First of all, it is a violation of OPSEC (Operational Security). Second of all, it just produces unnecessary worry.
However, I know there are plenty of couples who are constantly online together and DH and I communicate …

A couple of days ago, DH left on his return journey to the sandbox.
Lilah and I loved having Daddy around. We gave Daddy a New Daddy present–an Iron 4ID emblem that reads “Home of the Free, Because of the Brave.” Now I just need to find a place for it in DH’s study.
In many ways, it felt lik DH had never left. He is still the same calm and loving man. DH said it felt like a long, lazy weekend (minus the sleeping late, of course). If we hadn’t just …