The Murphy’s Law of Deployment
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Some of you are going to know what I’m talking about as soon as you read the title of this post. Others may have no clue, so let me explain… The Murphy’s Law of deployment is what every military wife knows will happen as soon as her husband is gone. The car breaks down, the kids get sick, the dishwasher breaks, the dog throws up. Whatever it may be, it happens while he is gone.
It has only been a little over a week since my husband has left, but the Murphy’s Law of deployment has already begun in my house. It all started last week, when I saw a post on Facebook from a girl on base about receiving a notice on her door about the house lease expiring. As soon as I saw it I knew I had one on my door as well. I just knew it.
I had no idea the lease to our house on base could expire, I just figured we would live here until we got orders to PCS. But that is not how it works apparently. The housing office was behind, our lease had actually expired back in April, and they were just letting us know now. Luckily, I was able to go to the housing office the next day to talk it over with them. All I needed to do is a get a house inspection, and sign a new lease with my POA (Power of Attorney).
Not too bad. It wasn’t hard, but almost gave me a heart attack to think about losing our house. We weren’t close, but it still scared me. Only a day or two later IÂ had arrived at a friend’s house to drop Adam off on my way to yoga class. My phone rings, and it’s my brother at college telling me my mom and my other brother had been in a car accident. I almost dropped the phone. My mom and brother were ok, but the car was really bad off, plus my mom got a ticket. Just a bad day for them, but I was so glad they were ok.
The very next day, I was on my way to meet another friend for a play date. I drove literally around the corner to the gas station on base, and was about to pump my gas, when someone came up to me and told me my engine was smoking. My heart sunk. Up to this point I had refused to believe that any of this was the Muprhy’s Law of deployment, but now it was pretty much true. I have no clue about cars and had no idea what to do. A couple of guys tried to get my hood open, but they couldn’t figure it out and neither could I. I thought I would drive to the park to meet my friend like planned and see if anything else would happen with the car.
At the park, my friend suggested looking at the car manual to get the hood open. We both looked, but couldn’t see anything wrong. Later that day, I went to pick up my friend from the base gate, and the car was making a bad hissing noise and had a burnt smell. After that, I decided it wasn’t a good idea to drive the car anymore.
The next day, I went to our Sunday School breakfast at Cracker Barrel. The whole time I was trying to figure out what to do with the car. I had no idea, and we didn’t have a lot of money to fix it either. By the time the breakfast was over, it was almost time for Adam’s lunch and nap. I knew I couldn’t run around and figure out the car thing without someone taking Adam, so my friend took him to her house and fed him lunch. My friend Jennifer, had given me a ride that day and so she drove me around so we could figure this out.
In the end we figured the best thing to do would be to get the car towed. USAA covers it for free (Thank God) and said they would be at my house in 30 minutes. Well, they didn’t know how to tell time, because two more phone calls and two hours later we finally had to go meet the truck at the gate and let them in.
Monday’s are usually my busiest day of the week and I was worried how I was going to take Adam to therapy and run my errands and go to my appointment. Friends from church were going out of town so they let me borrow their truck. I was so thankful.
Monday (yesterday) proved to be the craziest day yet. The night before I had tried to get into our USAA account online to see if we had been paid, well I guess I forgot the password and after trying more than several times I was locked out of the account. Monday morning I called the car place, told them my car had been towed there and explained the problem. After that, I called USAA while feeding Adam breakfast. It ended up that I had to make my own account so I could see everything. After that we got ready to go, and drove to the car place to drop off the keys. We turned around and immediately went to therapy for Adam (which did not go well). I walked out with an 11 page evaluation from his occupational therapy and didn’t understand any of it.
We went home, ate lunch and then we went out again to pick up my friend so she could watch Adam. I came back, and put him down for a nap and headed out to my appointment. I got out, had 3 voicemails to deal with and ran home to pick up my friend. We stopped at the clinic, and then drove to the car place to pick up my car. It was a good thing I had not driven it anymore because something in the car had been leaking oil. Thankfully they fixed it for only $144. My friend drove my car and I drove the truck we had been borrowing. We stopped at the gas station and then drove the truck to their house.
Took us 30 minutes to switch both of our car seats back to my car, then I drove my friend home, and went home myself. Can we say longest day ever? Topped off with discouragement about my son not eating all day. I am wondering if it’s finally hitting him that Daddy is gone.
The good thing about all this? God is teaching me many things. Deployment is hard, being independent is hard, but good friends and God’s blessings are getting me though. I know these won’t be the only things to happen while my husband is gone, but at least I can say I got through them with God’s help and with the help of good friends.
What are some things YOU have been through during the Murphy’s Law of deployment?
Murphy’s Law is HORRIBLE! We’ve gone through five deployments and everything from my kids locking me out of the house within the 1st hour of starting a deployment to our washing machine breaking while I was nine months pregnant to my sister almost dying and being life flighted… anything and everything will happen. Fingers crossed and prayers sent that this week is uneventful!
WOW! That is scary. it’s so crazy how all this stuff happens. Thankfully things have settled down a little bit for me. Thanks for the prayers!
Oh goodness! All of that would be stressful even with your husband home! I wonder if God allowed all of that to happen right at the beginning so you can be confident in handling things for the rest of the time your husband is gone? I mean, if you can deal with all of that then you can handle this deployment? I don’t know. It’s what usually happens to me. Not that my husband is gone or anything… but when I am dealing with something new that I’m not sure about, God seems to throw a big obstacle at me in the beginning so that I can go ahead and deal with my fears. (Which is why I am hoping we don’t get robbed in St. Kitts this week… I am really afraid of that!)
Just know, that you and your family are in our prayers every day… honestly. đ
Mandi, I think you hit the nail on the head! I think that is so right and I do feel a bit stronger after going through all these things. Thanks for the prayers I really appreciate it. You guys are in mine too, for real. đ
Bless your heart! I hope the rest of it goes more smoothly!
Thanks! I’m glad to have it settled down a bit now.
Oh man. Murphy is terrible!!! I’m so sorry you had to deal with all that, and in just a few days.
The day after my husband left, I got a phone call from my mom who told me my grandpa (who I’m really close to) was in the hospital and possibly had a brain tumor. He was in the hospital for MONTHS and it was just awful. Other things happened throughout, but then about a month before he came home my battery died. Which isn’t a HUGE problem, but car trouble is never fun. It sounds like you’ve got a good group of people there to help you and take care of you while your hubby is gone. And you know God will get you through it. =)
Yeah he is!! LOL Wow that is crazy girl. I’m sorry you had to deal with all that. Yes, i do have some great people here to help. Thank God for that. They are the only reason I haven’t lost my mind yet.
Bob just left in Aug. The day he left, one of my girls blew up my microwave. Completely melted the inside. I ahd to get a new microwave and get it put in. A couple of days later, Bob’s truck wouldn’t run and I had to get 2 new batteries, because it is a diesel. I didn’t even know a vehicle could have 2 batteries and they weren’t cheap. Then, my car had a flat tire. Then, a death in the family. 2 weeks ago, my van started running really funny, I had to take that in and it needed major reoairs. Then, several of us had a nasty virus. Now, another death in the family. This should be it, right? I have been married to my Husband and The AF for over 18 years, every time he deploys, something happen. Once, I had 2 floods in my house. It does get to me sometimes when all this happens. I have com to know that there are some people who will always be there for you and there are some who will tell you they will be there for you, but won’t. I also have figured out that I can handle just about anything. I also believe that I couldn’t handle any of it without my Savior, Jesus Christ.
Wow, just wow. You are a strong woman and when looking back I’m sure you can see God’s hand in it all and know that he was with you every step of the way.
<3
Our washer broke, we got mice, my shower head just fell on me one day… Seriously. Ugh!!! My friend has a saying and I like to remind myself– at least these are first world problems, right!?
Oh my!! Yes, that is so true. I just need to tell myself that every day!
Just found your blog (through Pinterest of all places!)…I am also a military wife going through deployment! I’ve been reading through a few of your posts and you’ve already made me cry! I can so sympathize with the Murphy’s Law – I deal with it all the time. And small children and deployment is hard! I honestly don’t know what I would do without my faith and support from my family and friends!
Take it one day at a time and remember…we are strong enough to get through this!!!
Wow that is great! I actually get quite a few hits through Pinterest, definitely fun and interesting to meet people through there, so glad you found me! đ So glad you like my posts as well. Sorry I made you cry, but glad you understand. My car is having problems again and I feel like this Murphy’s Law thing never ends!! I agree without my faith and friends, I would be so lost. Are you currently going through deployment? Good luck and God bless you through it!
I just found you through Pinterest and will have to follow your blog now. We are approaching our 3rd deployment. The first one went ok. The car did break down in the middle of nowhere in France the first time and I don’t speak french, but it’s all funny in retrospect. The second deployment I miscarried, there was a bad storm and we lost gas for days when it was in the teens below freezing, and our almost 2 year old broke her leg while we were out of town for Christmas. Tricare doesn’t make it easy to see a pediatric orthopedist when you are in another state and it’s a couple days before Christmas. I may just hide indoors with the kids the whole time he’s gone this time, but I know that wouldn’t do any good.
Hi Lisanne,
I am so glad you found me! đ Sounds like you have had your share of crazy deployments too. Hiding inside is exactly what I feel doing too. It’s seriosuly hard to be scared of deployments when you know Murphy’s Law is going to be out causing all kinds of problems lol. Thanks for commenting!
My boyfriend left a couple of weeks ago. First, the brakes in my daughters truck went out. Then I was working in the garage and my 8 year old accidentally knocked over a 10 foot long 1X6 board that was leaning against the wall, onto my foot. After teaching her every cuss word I’d ever learned, trying to call everyone I knew,(which isn’t many since we’re in a new city), I finally sent my daughter to get a neighbor to take me to the ER. 4 broken toes, 2 of which are crushed. AWESOME!! Not only will work not let me come back until I don’t have to wear a boot, but it’s my driving foot…so I won’t be doing much of that either. Then, my daughter show up with a flat tire the next day….just in case I wasn’t stressed enough. UUUGGGGHHHH!!!
Good to know I’m not the only one, kind of (it would be better that I was) ha. Hot water heater, furnace, dryer, a/c, new tires, no heat in car (and it is -13 here today), hit a deer (first time ever and can’t get it fixed for a month…still driving it with chunks missing and no head light), went in the ditch (got pulled out), grandpa died, father-in-law moving, that’s just the big stuff and gained weight (while running and eating healthy). Halfway through now…praying since I’ve settled in the rest will settle down now too. I just have to laugh at it all at this point.
Wow girl. Yeah it’s nice to know we are not alone, but I cannot for the life of me figure out what all this stuff has to happen while our husband’s are gone!! I hear ya about the laughing thing, this wasn’t even everything that happened there is a lot more in my other posts. Including my husband’s grandfather dying and my son being in the hospital. At the end I was just daring deployment to send me more my way, it wouldn’t have phased me after everything I went through. Good luck girl, you are almost done, praying for the rest of your deployment!