dropping off

So Lindsey Bastemeyer. came to see us for a few moments last night. She is an amazing woman that is married to a pretty great guy, Michael Bastemeyer. Michael is getting ready to deploy to Afghanistan with the 45th Infantry Division – Tactical Realism. Lindsay got to see Bass when he came home for leave a couple of months ago and she got to go to Mississippi about a month ago to see him. Now they are done with training and counting down the days until they deploy, then the days of being in country will start being counted or the days until he comes home safely.  The Oklahoma deployment is the biggest deployment of the 45th infantry since the Korean War, well that is what you hear on the news anyways, but I know they said the same thing three years ago when the 45th Infantry, along with my husband, Michael Duroy.were deployed as part of Operation Iraq Freedom. Everyone that was deployed in 2008 made it home safely and I pray that everyone deploying now in the 45th, and anyone else’s family members that are deployed come home safely.

As I dropped Lindsey off at the airport this morning it reminded me of all the tears, all the long nights, all the long weekends, and early early mornings that happened when Mike was deployed to Iraq.  Every morning I would wake up at 4 am so that I could talk to him before my day started and his day was ending. Thank God for technology. I could actually see his face when we would be on the internet talking and just the fact of knowing he was on the other end of the computer talking to me. The biggest thing that dropping Lindsey off at the airport reminded me of was when Mike was suppose to have a weekend off at the end of their train-up when they were at Fort Bliss, Texas.  It was the weekend of January 19, 2008. I left on a Friday afternoon to drive all night to get to El Paso, TX by morning. This was one of my first cross countries trips with just one other girl in the car, off to see the love of my life and her significant other. We drove across Oklahoma, across the Texas panhandle, and down through New Mexico to reach El Paso, Texas early early in the morning. That was one of the best and one of the shortest 48 hour periods of my life, and yes it was a tear filled “see you later” because  I refused to say “goodbye”. I was glad that I had wedding planning to do during the year he was gone, I graduated from college, lost 35 pounds, and kept myself very busy. I am thankful that Mike is home now and continuing his education. Thank you GI bill.

Deployment sucks. I hope these next four days seem like they take an eternity to go by for Lindsey and Bass. We will keep you busy this summer Lindsey and school and work and traveling back and forth to Tulsa, America are going to make things go by hopefully quickly. If you know someone who has a spouse deploying, remember it is hard on both ends. It is a different battle for the one at home then it is for the one overseas, but either way it sucks. Keep all of you in my thoughts and prayers, keep you head down and come home safe and at home keep your head up and know how awesome life is going to be when your soliders come home.

 

say “see you later” instead of “goodbye”

Military deployment. Deployments suck! Being the spouse, girlfriend, or any family member of someone in the military is tough.

My husband and I have been through one very long, 424 days to be exact, overseas deployment and one short but awful in-country deployment, for the Katrina disaster, as well as a long separation for Mike’s basic training and infantry training.

Now that Mike is out of the military we are watching our friends start the beginning of a long year of deployment. Lindsay, we will be here for you whenever you need us. Bass take care of you, and I promise Mike will be here to hang out with you when you come home, even though you will need to take care of the wife first!

Deployment is super tough on both ends of the spectrum, either being the solider or the spouse. Thinking about the year that we went through can bring tears to my eyes. I do not know how people did this before telephones were common and computers were half way easy to access.

Please keep the 45th infantry, Delta company in-particular in your thoughts and prayers. Let their training be thorough, their lives be held in God’s hands, their families be kept safe while they are here keeping everything at home going.

When the day comes this week, it will be a day filled with tears and loneliness on the spouse and family side. That’s what the great parents and friends, as well as chocolate and exercise are for. If you fill the days full of business, soon the year will be over and the solider will be home. Lindsay and Bass we love you!