The Waiting...

is the hardest part. For us at least, the waiting before a deployment or a separation is almost as difficult as the waiting for J to come back. Usually about 6 weeks before he leaves we start our stress reactions (I cling, he withdraws!)to the upcoming separation. It's hard to describe if you haven't been through it, but it's almost like I want this whole period to be over with and the deployment started so it will be over with sooner. Is there any way we can just skip the next few weeks or maybe somebody can give us a tonic to take away the stress and we can just be together without impending doom hanging over our heads... A bit dramatic, I know and it's not that I want him to be gone sooner and I know we need this time together before he leaves, but it's hard to relax with the anticipation of what's coming the next 15 months.