So the countdown begins....

It was pretty dang cold at 6am this morning here in the desert but it sure was pretty when the sun started peaking over the horizon.





It was a sea of digi cami brown as family members clung to each other, all the PDA rules forgotten on this day. Every wife was trying to store up as many memories as they could to carry us through the next seven months.

I buried my face in Dave's neck and breathed in the smell of him, trying to memorize the sound of his voice whispering in my ear, the taste of his kiss, and the feel of his arms around me. I couldn't stop looking up at his face, soaking in the sight of his silly smile.

I did pretty good, I was proud of myself. There were a few tears here and there, but I managed to hold it together until after he got on the bus.

Dave always had the ability to make me laugh...even when I feel like breaking down and crying my heart out, he made me just laugh out loud with his cheesy grin.


It wasn't until after the buses pulled out and I went to sit back down in my car that I lost it. He had put the driver's seat back into the position that I like it in. Just that little gesture put me over the edge and I had a good cry.

Today I am allowing myself to wallow in morose self pity; eating too much ice cream and watching way too much television.

Tomorrow, though, it's all behind me. I will get up and attack each day and pound out this deployment like the salty old Marine Corp wife that I am.