7 days of solitude
okay, perhaps that’s a bit melodramatic. but i alluded to josh going abroad in a recent post — and as of now, he is on a plane headed for nicaragua (via miami), and i am not. in our 8 years together, this week will probably be the longest we have been apart (!).
i thought about going, but he is going to be spending most of his time in a hospital working with local surgeons, and i’m not sure what i’d do all day — not to mention the fact that since this resolution hasn’t really gotten off the ground, i’m not exactly fluent in the native tongue. plus, i’d have to take vacation time — and i’d rather save that for a trip together when josh isn’t hanging out in the OR.
and so, he’s there, and i’m here. of course, i will fret about him daily. and i already miss him! but i also want to try to make the most of my alone time. i am going to try to use this time as a sort of personal retreat, because i realize that spending the time just waiting for him to come back (and worrying about his safety) would be unproductive and unwise.
things i plan to do with this time
✔ get a lot of work done on my grant!
✔ go to a yoga class this weekend
✔ massage! (already booked for saturday)
✔ catch up with girlfriends
✔ make a point of cooking for myself sometimes
✔ spend some peaceful nights reading
i have no idea how military spouses — or those with business-traveler partners, for that matter — handle it! my heart goes out to you. any tips are welcome.
all right — off to clinic!
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11.2.10
workout: 4 miles on the TM at 9:06/mi, 0.5% incline. i am actually following a 5K training plan right now — details to come! unfortunately, it’s dark out here past 7am, so i’ve been doing more runs indoors. i can’t wait for daylight savings to kick in!
real simple – week 4 this little recipe challenge is nearing its end! i think i only have 3 left to do. last night josh and i went out for sushi, but on monday we worked together to make this balsamic glazed pork with apples.
theirs:
we actually used sprouted lentils because i bought them by mistake from the bulk bins at whole foods. they reminded me of lima beans — but since i like lima beans, that was fine. i actually really liked the simple salad and would make it again for a healthy dish without the pork! to the leftover lentils, i added some golden raisins and this made a great lunch to take to work.
KA+TN: i didn’t work on my grant yesterday because it was josh’s last day here, but i am ready to GO on this starting now. i will detail my progress in this section (not because you are all dying to read about it, but because i think it will be motivating!)
6 Comments
One of my good friends has a husband in the army and I don't know how she does it either. He's gone for months at a time. And, to top it off, they are stationed in the middle of nowhere, Louisiana!
You can do it! Martin and I have been married for 2 months and are still 3500 miles apart! Hey, it's only been 6 years out of our 6.5 years together that we've been long distance! hahaha You just have to focus on the things you are doing. And, when he comes home, you'll appreciate that time together that much more.
Being apart isn't fun. At all. Just keep yourself busy and keep your schedule normal. It will help the time pass. I spent 6 months without the hubby while he was deployed. I did have a very entertaining 2-3 year old for that time though. It'll be over before you know it.
I'm usually the one gone on business trips while my husband is home. He catches up on movies while I'm gone since I'm not a big movie person.
Sarah, right now I'm at home with 4 month old twins and my husband travels EVERY week for work…sometimes just for the day but sometimes for a week at a time. I literally COUNT the hours until he comes back and stalk his flight status while he's on his way home – because I miss the heck out of him and I NEED HELP! Take my advice, ENJOY the time to yourself. You won't have much of it when little ones arrive:)
Lisa M
My husband deploys constantly. He is gone right now in Korea, will be back for a week and then heads to Afghanistan for a year! I liken it to crossing the Grand Canyon on a tightrope. Take it one step at a time, don't look to the end or you are screwed! Seriously though, you are doing exactly the right things. I always plan things to do for me when he is gone and make sure life progresses, both for me and my daughters!