A Military Wife’s Promise

If you have been keeping up with my blog you probably read my post the other day about the murphy’s law of deployment and all the craziness that has ensued since my husband left for deployment. Well that wasn’t the end of it because apparently God has some crazy plans for me during this deployment!

Tuesday my son woke up not feeling well. He hadn’t eaten much the day before and that explained to me why he hadn’t done so well at therapy either. He layed on the couch all day long and we just cuddled and watched Veggie Tales. He didn’t eat anything, and was not drinking much either.

I was getting concerned. He had been around a little girl who had found out two days later she had strep so I though perhaps that was why he was sick. I figured I would call the doctor the next day and find out if I should take him in. That night, my son threw up. It was his first time, and my first time ever dealing with something like that. Thank God for friends who let me call them at 11:30 at night to ask how to handle things and how to clean it up! I washed Adam’s blankie and then put him back to bed.

His stomach must have still been upset because I could hear him moving around. I was waiting for his blankie to dry, so I thought I would bring him down to wait until it was done. We sat on the stairs, and I thought I would turn on my computer to let him watch Veggie Tales for a few minutes. Bad idea. Without any warning at all, Adam threw up all over me, the computer and the stairs.

I stood there for about 10 seconds in shock and not sure what to do. I quickly cleaned up Adam and myself, and tried to soak up the stuff on my computer while talking to my friend on the phone. I checked on Adam’s blanket, gave him some tylenol and put him back to bed. He fell right back to sleep. I cleaned my computer best I could even taking a toothpick and cleaning between the keys, but it was pretty much done for. They keyboard wouldn’t work.

By this time I am freaking out. I want my computer to work because this is my only way to keep in touch with Jon except for my iphone. I did everything I could for the computer and since it was 1 am now I decided to go to bed. The next morning I immediately call the clinic and make an appointment for Adam. I desperately was trying to find someone to fix my computer and also realized that I was desperately in need of groceries.

I took Adam to his appointment, and while there a friend dropped off a computer for me to use until  mine was fixed. The doctor was concerned since all Adam had eaten was a couple crackers and a little bit of milk since Sunday night and it was now Wednesday and he had also thrown up. They tried to give him a popsicle, but because he has a feeding disorder he won’t eat stuff like that. The doctor told me if he didn’t have a good wet diaper by 2 pm that day to take him to the hospital. He also was checked for strep since he did have a red throat, but thankfully it came back normal.

We went home, and I tried pushing the fluids, but Adam wouldn’t drink much at all. I put him down for a nap and then called some friends to see about someone sitting in the house with Adam so I could go to the bank and then buy some groceries. After I got back and Adam woke up, he seemed to be feeling a little better. He hadn’t had a good wet diaper, but he ate some cracker and drank some milk. What a relief!

Adam is doing much better now, and I am waiting on my computer to be fixed. Yesterday everything was pretty calm… hopefully it continues that way. Everyone on Facebook knows what has been going on with all this crazy stuff since Jon deployed and one of my friends tagged me in a post called A Military Wife’s Promise.

It was perfect for what I had been through so far and it described exactly what has been in my heart. If you are a military wife I think you will understand perfectly. I don’t know who wrote this, but whoever did captured the feelings and emotions perfectly.

Baby, this is my promise to you:

“I cannot promise that I will not become frustrated when you leave me and the world seems to fall apart around me. I cannot promise that I will not curse those who sent you when the dryer breaks, and the transmission needs to be replaced, and the dog eats the couch all in the same week – most likely the week after you deploy. I cannot promise that the sand and mud that caked my floor will not cause me to give you harsh and rude thoughts. I cannot promise that my heart will not be torn in 1,200 different ways when you march away from me. I cannot promise that I will not let my anger show when you refuse to answer questions. I cannot promise that there won’t be times when my heartache makes its presence knowing before my pride can mask it. I cannot promise that I will not show my worry and my concern when it is best for you not to see it. I cannot promise to understand why you do so many of the things you do.

But I can promise that for as many tears of sadness and frustration and anger that are shed, there will be double that of tears of pride. I can promise you that for every time you are away from me, I will learn to cherish the times that you are with me. In everything I will honor you and honor your sacrifice. I can promise to teach our children to do the same. I will use every moment that you are not with them to show them the amazing man that you are through my actions and my pride. I can promise that there will never be a night where you are not the subject of my final prayer and the keeper of my dreams.I promise to try to be understanding that there are many things I will never understand. I promise to keep you with me in everything and to do my best to keep grace in this life. I will be strong for you as you are strong for me and I will carry you with me in every moment until your sandy boots again sit just inside our door.” –Megan Williams