Deployment- the days roll along

Written 11/4/2020

We have settled into a kind of routine here in Enid without Josh.  Mostly it is me just trying to keep up with the kids' activities, but there are moments to be cherished.  We talk to Josh twice a day.  He and I catch up in my morning, his early evening, and he talks to the kids before they go to bed and before he starts his new day.  Thank goodness for FaceTime.  The kids don't act like they are pining for Josh, but they certainly look forward to their nightly calls with him.  I like to listen, like a fly on the wall, to hear what daily news they find is important to share.  The kids also send Josh weekly emails which he responds to.  I keep them in a Word file so that we will have a record of their correspondence during this time of distance.  

We were so lucky to have Grandma Gayle come and stay with us for a few weeks in October.  She helped around the house as I ran the kids to and fro.  We also played together as I love to find outings.  We always enjoy her company!

Halloween Shinanigans!

Josh is the Director of Operations of Camp Simba.  A big part of his job is overseeing the transfer of military members as they begin or end their deployments. This can be complicated at times as flights get delayed due to COVID positive tests.  He spends a lot of time coordinating with the MajCom in Germany.  Josh can explain his duties better so here are his own words:

"As the Director of Operations I am over all things base support. My main daily responsibilities are to track the movement of people when they deploy to our base and then when they leave back to home station. That is a very big task about once every four to six weeks. I also report the progress of construction project to the wing. I will help facilitate tasks that the wing or group might ask us to accomplish such as getting the entire camp flu shots or setting up a special Thanksgiving meal of the base leadership and the Kenya military leaders. I help the commander review policies and other strategies for the management of the base. I do not take part in any discipline because of the conflict with my mental health role but I will talk about different options and be a sounding board for the commander and the enlisted leadership. I am engaged in discussions and activities that I never would have been in at my home station and that has been a great blessing."

He is also the unofficial photographer of base.  The base commander has asked Josh to take pictures of the squadrons in action so this means that he will often accompany them on exercises around and just off base.  Some of his pictures have been featured in Air Force publications.  He is so happy that he chose to bring his camera along!

Featured photo taken by Josh

While Josh was photographing this exercise, they let him try his hand at shooting the machine gun

In many ways, we are thriving here in Enid.  I have plenty to do, and while my days feel very long, the weeks seem short.  The kids are thriving in school and in their activities- Bear in ballet, jazz, modern dance, and cello, Bub on swim team and guitar, and Pants in gymnastics and piano.  I try really hard not to dwell on the time that Josh has been gone and how much longer he has (he is likely to be delayed due to COVID complications.)  Josh is busy with his work on base and he is learning things about the administration of the Air Force that he likely would not know otherwise.  He is participating in field exercises due to his photography.  I am sure we will look back on this time and notice some blessings. And the days roll along....  

Are you in preparing for a deployment or in the midst of one?  Get my Top 10 List for Surviving Deployment here! https://www.yogatraveler.net/top-10-tips-to-survive-deployment

The Overwhelming Feeling of Being Alone

Written 10/10/2020 

Am I really alone?  No, I am actually rarely alone.  And this is the rub of this deployment thing. I have three kids to manage and a dog, who actually belongs to my husband, but he is not here, is he.  So I never feel alone, yet I always feel alone.  I am alone in the duty of driving my kids to and from ballet (4x a week), gymnastics (2x a week), swim team (2x a week), music lessons (1x a week), seminary (2x a week), church youth meetings (1x a week),  allergy shots (1x a week), and horseback riding lessons (1x a week).  I leave a kid alone to do their homework while I am out dealing with a different kid and I hope that the homework is being done.  I arrive home to a dark house with three kids who need dinner after all our lesson and the dog, who has been alone, now wants to play.  It is exhausting and I feel like I am barely holding on most of the time.  Before deployment I was not very flexible and during deployment, I am even less so.  Our lives need to run like clockwork because it is already more than I can handle so any cog thrown in the wheel will do me in!  Heaven forbid I oversleep by 15 min (my alarm goes off at 5:00am, unearthly hour) because then I will not get a shower before I am off to teach yoga three times a day.  At least I am alone in the shower.

But, this man.....

This man is who I am doing my best to support.  Yes, I probably whine to him more than I should and he listens with patience (the benefits of being married to a social worker.)  I am proud of him as the Director of Operations on the base and I get more proud when I can hear the excitement in his voice as he details what he is learning and the opportunities he is having.  I know that this is a growing experience for all of us.  I rely more on my kids to help out so that I do not feel so alone in my daily duties and decisions.  I rely on Facetime to run my feelings and concerns by Josh.  I rely more on the Lord to make the difference and I am never truly alone.

Are you in preparing for a deployment or in the midst of one?  Get my Top 10 List for Surviving Deployment here! https://www.yogatraveler.net/top-10-tips-to-survive-deployment

Adventuring with Family During Deployment

 Written 9/9/2020

When I asked some of my friends what they did to survive during deployment, many of them said they planned something to look forward to every month.  This idea quickly caught on in my mind because I like to have an outing or event on the books at all times.  The world of COVID has made adventuring a  little bit difficult as plans keep getting cancelled and we do not want to take unnecessary risks.  On our list to do was a meet up halfway with our Utah Turner cousins.  We loaded up on masks, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes, and hit the road to Denver, Colorado.  

It is easy to travel with my kids ages 14, 12, and 9.  I feel a lot of freedom and sense of empowerment when we venture out together.  My kids are great helpers and I think they are mostly aware that I may need a little more help with Dad being gone.  I also realize that there are things that I do well, and things that my husband does well.  I am really good at planning a minute by minute trip itinerary, eating out, staying at hotels, and collecting treats and souvenirs along the way. These are the adventures that I was raised with as a kid.   My husband is a bit more flexible and he brings a different kind of energy to the party.  I am all control and he is more spontaneous and go with the flow.  I worry sometimes that I will not be able to both things for my kids.  So a great solution to this quandary is meeting up with others.  Then we have all sorts of energy and skills thrown into the pot and it makes for a wonderful time.  

These big cousins are so excited to be together again after a year

These two cuties were like two little peas in a pod all weekend

Reunion with the Bloom family, best friends from Nellis.  Being in the military means you have family everywhere!

These crazy girls took me on a ride!  My arms and shoulder were sore for days.

I just loving watching the kids play together

The Denver Church of Jesus Christ Temple.  This was the temple Josh and I attended during his Master's program.  We were just kids then!

Are you in preparing for a deployment or in the midst of one?  Get my Top 10 List for Surviving Deployment here! https://www.yogatraveler.net/top-10-tips-to-survive-deployment

Hurry Up and Wait

Written 7/22/2020

Josh made it off to Baltimore safely and spent two days in a hotel there.  He went to get on the rotator to Germany and since he is headed to Africa eventually, they would not let him board.  There was a case of active COVID that made it into Africa the day before on a military transport.  Instead of calling Germany to inquire (his orders say Germany), they sent him back to his hotel room to work it out on his own.  The deployment folks at Vance and in Germany were annoyed, but were able to book him on another rotator three days later.  So, Josh became "Husby in a hotel."  Finally, he arrived in Germany on the Ramstien base for in-processing.  And then, he waited in a hotel again, for most of the month of July.  At least this time he could leave his hotel room and explore the base.  Josh is getting a lesson in patience!

We love Baskin Robbins.  Josh has now been to a Baskin Robbins on three continents.

View of Germany from Josh's hotel room

Trail system on base

Josh is so grateful that he brought his camera and enjoys taking pictures

How I miss my handsome Husby!!

Are you in preparing for a deployment or in the midst of one?  Get my Top 10 List for Surviving Deployment here! https://www.yogatraveler.net/top-10-tips-to-survive-deployment

Deployment- Day 1

Events from 7/7/2020

Are you in preparing for a deployment or in the midst of one?  Get my Top 10 List for Surviving Deployment here! https://www.yogatraveler.net/top-10-tips-to-survive-deployment

We have been preparing for Josh's deployment since February of 2020. This is our first deployment so we looked for ideas of things that we could do to help the kids prepare emotionally.  In secret (from Josh) we all wrote him letters that he will open each week on his deployment.  We completed the "Becoming a Self-Reliant and Resilient Family" home evening lessons from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  They are eight lessons designed specifically for military families.  Josh gave us all Father's blessings and he received a blessing from the Elder's Quorum President.  

I purchased Deployment dolls for the kids and we took family pictures.

 We also enjoyed tons of time with Josh.  Due to COVID-19, he completed four weeks of home quarantine in between his training.  We played tons of games inside and outside, watched movie marathons, ordered food, and walked our dog often.  I got very spoiled by both his helpfulness with house tasks and his constant presence.  I could ask him a question whenever I wanted and I could express my thoughts whenever I wanted.  I knew that I was living in a COVID bubble but I tried to just take it all in.

Then the morning arrived that Josh was to leave.  I had a horrible time sleeping because the waterworks had already started.  We all woke up at 3:30am to take him to the base for his ride to the airport.  I tried to stay brave as we said goodbye but I am not strong. 

This image will break my heart for six months.  Josh loves his little dog.

The whole day was a mess for me.  I cried every hour.  I felt that a piece of my heart had been carved out.  Josh is my best friend and I cannot fathom how I will survive without him for six months.  Since Josh has been around so much, I could not escape the memory of him.  His presence was everywhere in the house and instead of the feelings being sweet, they were like constant rips in my heart.  My eyes hurt, my head hurt, my heart hurt.  I tried not to wallow, my kids keep me busy, so I just cried through all my tasks.  I did appreciate the many text messages that I received of support.  Usually I do not like texts to express feelings.  But in this case, I appreciated knowing that I was being thought of and I did not have to respond.  I did not have to pretend that everything was alright and I did not want to cry through every conversation.  

I also felt very overwhelmed by my workload.  I always realize how much Josh helps me and he does it without complaint and without question.  The lack of his presence is a huge shift in my daily tasks.  I also noticed that the kids do not realize that Josh is really gone.  Pants kept calling me "dad" by mistake.  I am not sure why this happened, but it was like rubbing salt in the wound.  Bub wondered why I purchased four water bottles for our upcoming state park trip.  I had to remind him that Dad would not be attending with us.  I am not sure when it will sink in for them but I hope I can be ready to support them emotionally when it comes.

Breakfast out- COVID Style

Road Trippin' in the Midwest

My mom has been hunkering down in her house due to COVID-19 and she decided it was time to venture out as safely as she could.  The kids have Fall Break here in Enid, OK, so we decided to take a road trip to Lincoln, Nebraska where we would meet her at the Amtrak station.  I love the app Roadtrippers and it helped me plan places to stop from Enid to Lincoln.  Here is what we discovered:

The Keeper of the Plains in Wichita, Kansas. This is a where the Little Arkansas and Arkansas rivers meet and adjacent to the Mid-American All-Indian Center.

Lindsborg, a Swedish settlement town in Kansas. All over town there are beautiful hand painted Dala horses

Hemslojd means handicraft and this where all sorts of Swedish crafts are made and sold

Handicrafter hard at work

Largest covered porch swing in the world in Hebron, Nebraska

Lee's Legendary Marbles in York, Nebraska.  Who knew this was needed?  But look at all those marbles!

 After picking up my mom (yay, Grandma time!), the next leg of our Roadtrippin' was from Lincoln, NE to Joplin, MO.

Sunken Garden in Lincoln, Nebraska

Look who we found!  So fun to have Grandma with us.

Missouri River Basin Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Nebraska City, Nebraska

Glore Psychiatric Museum in St. Joseph, MO. This seemed like a fitting place to come in October. The Museum is on the list of 100 Strangest places to see in the US. 

All of these items were swallowed by one women who had Pica.  Look at the shock on Bear's face!

An examination chair.  To me it was more like a torture devise.  Good thing we have advanced since this was used.

We stayed the night in Joplin, MO, right on the border of Oklahoma.  The next leg of our trip took us on Route 66 from Joplin to Tulsa, OK.  I use the Travel OK app to plan my Route 66 stops and learn about their historical background.  We love to stop at sites that give us a taste of an older, quieter time, and see how the US was shaped into Americana.

Route 66 Mural in Joplin, MO

Standing on three states- Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri

KuKu Burger- once a chain, now this this the only restaurant standing from the 1960's.  Yummy burgers!

Darryl Starbird's National Rod and Custom Car Hall of Fame.  This museum was packed with over 50 custom automobiles.  We each picked our favorite- Pants cannot go wrong with Purple!

Totem Pole Park.  Lots of oddities to see along the route.  This is the largest Concrete totem pole in the world.  Because, why not?

JM Davis Arms and Historical Museum.  This is the largest privately owned arms museum and the picture above is a recreation of JM Davis's famous hotel.  He had guns hung on every wall you could see and guns in every drawer.

JM Davis even asked to be laid to rest with his guns.  His tomb is displayed in the museum.

Claremore, OK is the home of the famous Will Rogers.  We were intrigued by his life and legacy in comedy, film, and politics.

Will Rogers is also interred in his museum.  "Oklahoma's favorite son."

The Blue Whale of Catoosa.  Again, why not?  This huge whale sits on a small pond and was once used as a water attraction with slides and diving pads.

Golden Driller in Tulsa, OK.  One of the tallest freestanding statues in the world, it weighs 43,500 lbs.  It was erected in 1953 for the International Petroleum Exposition.

We stayed the night in Tulsa so that we could see some sights in town and then we made our way down Route 66 toward Enid, OK.

Buck Atom's Curios in Tulsa, OK

Bear was really exited to see the Curtis brother's home in Tulsa, OK from the movie, The Outsiders.  The Outsiders book was written about Tulsa by a native Tulsan.  Bear's plan for Halloween is to be a Greaser from the book.  

We tried to eat at as many famous Route 66 restaurants as we could.  We found great burgers, home cooking, cozy atmosphere, and authentic local flavors.  The restaurant pictured here is Ollie's Station Restaurant and the owner of the restaurant inspired the character of "The Sheriff" in the movie Cars.

The Gathering Place in Tulsa was a highlight of the day.  It is a huge riverfront park spanning 66.5 acres.  There were themed playgrounds, green space, animal wetlands, restaurants, ponds.  

Bristol Historical Train Station Depot

Davenport Mural.  We enjoy the murals that can be found on brick walls all throughout Route 66.  They can be a great glimpse back into history of a different time.