While the Husband is Away | MIlitary #MOMLIFE Chronicles

I live an amazing life. I honestly could not imagine living in any other community, military just runs in my blood. But. With that said, it definitely is not a life for the weak hearted, and to be honest- I can be. Especially now that I am a mother.

Before I had children, my husband leaving wasn't a HUGE deal. Did I miss him? Hell yes. Were things challenging? Of course. But I knew I would be okay, that I would get through it and he would come home soon.  Throw a clueless, three year old crying for her daddy and there is nothing you can do about it and things change. DRASTICALLY. Time passes much differently for children versus adults. What we see as a short time away can feel like an eternity to a toddler.
I am a mother to three, two toddler girls and one baby boy. Our son obviously does not notice much, but the girls are very sensitive when it comes to Daddy leaving. So many times while he is gone they ask for him, cry at night when he isn't there in bed with
us, and the list goes on, and on.
As we get ready this week for him to leave again it weighed on my heart to write about the bittersweet moments of being the parent to a military child.

It never gets easier explaining to a child that their parent is going away, and no they can not go with them. It seems they cant process that daddy is leaving, which in a way I guess can be good- but on the other foot it gets tricky for me to explain that he isn't coming home for a while. If you have a three year old at home you know all to well that the questions never end and their new favorite word is "why?". No matter how many times I have explained why my husband had to leave, she still asks over and over, why?

We are upfront about where he is and what he is doing. If he is going away for school or training, we tell her. If he is deploying, we explain to her where he is going and why he has to be gone for so long. We chose to tell her the truth (well, the watered down version) so she grows up KNOWING what her daddy does. Others may not like this approach or use this method in their home, that is okay too! Our three year old is SMART, like too smart for her own good. So telling her daddy was just at work did not cut it for her. We would go on post and she would want to see him at work, and then Id have to explain that he is not there, its just easier for us to be upfront with her. The pride though my little girl has for her daddy and her country is worth every ounce of heartache we have to endure when he is gone.

It can be challenging for me too when he is gone.. you know that old wives tale about how if things can go wrong while he is gone, they will? Yeah this applies to me but with my children. Daddy leaves and something triggers in them that they need to loose their minds at least once a day until he comes home. This can be in the form of tantrums, climbing the walls, pouring ranch all over the kitchen floor, or wetting the bed. That list can go on, and on. I am not a regular morning coffee drinker, but when my husband is gone, fill her up! Someone usually gets sick, including me. Life all together just gets complicated. Super. Duper. Complicated. You would think by now I would have some sort of a system that I follow when he is gone, but nope. I fly by the seat of my pants. If you are military wife and have mastered a "dad is away system" I long to be like you, teach me your ways.


Being a mom is hard enough as it is- for anyone! Add in a military schedule and a couple toddlers, you are in for a ride! The best part though has to be when they are reunited. I get teary eyed the second they embrace and I hear them squeal "daddy!" If you are enduring time away from your spouse and parenting solo around the house, my heart is with you and my prayer is for strength and patience cause, girl, your gonna need them BOTH!