trying to grok

... to put it mildly.

I keep visiting your site, hoping for good news.

Two Real™ blogging posts this morning - a sign things are looking up? - ah, a new post! - an announcement of the return?

... but no, the ordeal goes on, with no definite end in sight.

Is ignorance bliss? Not here. You don't even seem to know why this is happening. The unbearable can become tolerable if there's an explanation, even an excuse. But apparently no one gave you any.

You await the next call, uncertain if it'll be for real.

I hate "seeing" you suffer like this. If only there were something I could do beyond restating the obvious, or asking questions like ...

How are your tear ducts?

That seriously sucks!!!! I'm really sorry to hear that. I'm sure you are thinking "just put him on the darn plane already. My husband had several moments like that when he was deployed to Iraq last year and it was really frustrating. Hang in there.

Yup, the ole 'hurry up & wait' routine. It’s as old as the military.

Hang in there, all good things…blah, blah, blah…

no words. just hugs. damn.

*Might* cry? I would've been a sobbing, angry mess (except when I was on the phone) for the last... erm... few days.

If I could be there, I'd play Hungry Hungry Hippos with you! (Or at least pay your range fees, LOL... ;-) *hugs*

You, my dear, are a pillar of restraint.

I think I had half the doo-dah dance that you're going through at the end of Hubs' first deployment (when I still didn't know how things operated) and I was literally screaming at the FRG leader in a tear-covered, snot-flying type fashion to STOP calling my house UNLESS he was actually HERE. It was not pretty.

You know the rule at my house: I don't need to know about it until it's in writing.

I think that's a good rule for homecomings too.

I hate this for you, you know?

this level of frustration is just not conducive to a calm and loving reintegration... and why don't they [the amorphous "they"] understand this??? Return from the last deployment of ours was very similar, I finally decided that until I heard from DH HIMSELF, I refused to believe it. When I got the leprechaun call, I believed... until then - nope. I'll be the same way this time. And we never got calls from the FRG leader! she was no where to be heard from or seen... Although Guard Wife - I'd have given a lot to see you doing the screaming down the phone!

LAW

And this is why the military spouse has the toughest job in the world! Hang in there!

Sarah - I too keep checking back, hoping for a one line update.. Hoping he is able to catch a flight back here soon and back to you.

Thinking of you

If this keeps up I will forget I am supposed to be a stately, grandmotherly type and just let all the words fly. What was that guys name in Lil Abner who had the cloud over his head? Darn!! Any kin to him? (that is supposing some of your dear peeps are old enough to know who Lil Abner is.)
Soon, Sarah, Soon. Just keep smelling good.

So this was our R&R experience completely. Days and days of waiting. I actually got to a point where I was convinced he'd never make it home. So I went to the liquor store and drank a bottle of wine. I was all dressed up and had word he was supposed to get home the next day...sometime. And then miraculously he got home that night. Thank god I had some time to sober up! Otherwise hubby would have had to get a taxi. I didn't even care how I looked at that point and we didn't take any pictures. we were tired. Good luck. I feel your pain. Its breaking my heart that things aren't going right for you guys. Just get home already!!

Here's hoping for a speedy and safe arrival... fingers are crossed for you!

I know it is no fun - the waiting game.

Wish the Rear D would do the dirty work so poor volunteers don't have to take the flak. Not saying you gave the 1SG's wife any - just relating to other commenters. It is not the FRG's fault - but they are the closest ear sometimes when the stress is too much to hold back.

Our soldiers were delayed repeatedly coming home from Afghanistan and Iraq. In Iraq, the mission changed and they had to unpack everything from pallets in Kuwait and head back to Iraq! Now that one was especially hard to take, as people lost money on vacation cruises and flights/hotels thy'd booked. Then when it was time for them to really come home, we knew up front not to make cruise/vacation plans or take off work unless you could eat those days - because until wheels were up on their last flight, you could not expect them to come home. Flights were the issue. The Airforce deadlines planes much more frequently than civilian crews. I think they are safer - but much less reliable timewise, especially when trying to arrange troop transport.

I had friends who were twisted out of shape at the unfairness of it all. How? Who? What incompetence!

Here we go again.... same old stuff again... Marching down the Avenue...

I know it is blah blah blah "this too shall pass" but really... this pain will be but a distant memory soon when you get in your man's arms. My best to you two on reintegration!

Army Wife in VA

I'm sorry to hear he is somewhere other than with you.

We did the same thing as LAW: It wasn't accurate information unless it came directly from the mouth of my husband. So while we had some idea of what day, I never got ready until I heard he was on that last flight home. So the last time, I was very rushed to get ready since I had to get home, change and get back to the airport in 50 minutes when it take 1 hour to do all that.

I can't wait to hear that he is home. Until then, here's a big hug.