Brief respite.

A perk of being deployed for over 270 days is that you get to take a couple weeks of leave. So, with the knowledge that time is scarce, here are a couple of thoughts/observations from my time at home.

1) 5+ hour flights jammed knee to knee on a C130 in body armor makes routine flights on airlines seem like flying 1^st class!

2) The fatigue and disorientation of 2+ days of flying is quickly wiped away by the look of wonder and joy on Naomi and Jonah’s faces.

3) For as long as I live, I will never forget the look on the kids’ faces when I came off the plane.

4) The first morning at home, I got up with the kids and let Ruth sleep. Naomi asked where Mommy was and I told her she deserved to sleep in after 7 months. Naomi’s reply: “But Mother’s Day isn’t until next week!”

5) The reintegration back into homelife happens pretty quickly. I’m already crossing things off the “To-do list.”

6) Washington, DC, is still one of my favorite cities. I’m glad we had the opportunity to share it with our kids.

7) Jonah gets it now. He gets that deployment means Daddy is gone for a long period of time. He doesn’t want me to go back to “Scanistan.” I don’t blame him.

8) If everything happens for a reason, then the reason I took leave at this time was to be back in the States so I could attend my Aunt Nina’s memorial service. I missed seeing her alive by hours. Damn.

9) I feel rather disconnected from the war after just a couple of weeks. It’s not a bad feeling, just weird. I’m guessing not much will have changed when I get back.

10) Ruth still seems sane after 7 months with the kids by herself. I’m not sure I would fare as well.

11) Our dog, Lilly, is underwhelmed with having to share the bed with me.

My next post will be back in Afghanistan. About 2 months after that I should be home. Naomi gets it. I hope Jonah understands.