Reintegration

Since my life has been a little more slow paced than it normally is, I've had a lot of time to think. This can be a dangerous thing for me. I'm a pretty rational person...most of the time. My irrational thinking however is very must curbed now that my love is home out of harm's way.

Some of the things that I've been thinking about...

Reintegration...

That may be a term that not many have to apply into their lives. It's a big part of our life as a military family. We spend all the time apart, preparing to be reunited, talking about the things that we'll do together and how life will be GREAT! And it is. But it can be hard too. I'm only speaking for myself here but our reintegration usually takes a bit of time. I have spent a good majority of the past decade alone with our boys. That's not a complain, that's a fact. When Kevin is home, he is very hands on, I do not ever have to complain that he doesn't do enough because to be honest, he does way too much, lol.

Being apart so often, makes it hard when we are actually together as a family because I have to make a conscious effort to include Kevin. Trust me, I am so happy to have him home, I would be content to have him sit on the couch always and not do anything. I am serious when I say that because I'm used to doing it all on my own anyway, that having him in the kitchen or laundry room makes me nuts (okay not so much laundry room since I hate laundry). On the flip side, sometimes I get to feeling left out because he takes over in areas I've grown accustomed to filling in. Both of us have to work hard to not take things so personal as we readjust to being a family living under one roof again.

I don't write this for any reason but to let people know that it can be hard after the exhilaration of homecoming.

I am very happy to have my Soldier home and we can get through anything. This is just part of the process. The Army continues to get better with their reintegration training to try and keep families safe and together. Despite what the media shows, military divorces are not a common occurrence, in fact the divorce rate is at just over 3%. That means over 96% of military families stay together. That is success.

Kevin went to Boy Scout camp with the older boys just a few days after returning home. I miss him so much and can't wait to see him and my other two boys. It wasn't as bad as a year, but as I've said before...one day apart is just too long when it's somebody you love.