Can I pull up a futon in church???

I'm learning a lot about myself and our marriage throughout this deployment. Sounds like an intro to a Thursday Thirteen, huh? hahaha Darn it, it's official. I'm addicted. I've had a three majorly traumatic events that I can recall, this being one of them, but I've realized in all of them I have a pattern of reactions.

I usually joke around for a while denying the whole thing, then I'll cry a bit, maybe throw in a few times when I get my undies all in a ruffle at someone (as the Old Man likes to call it). Then I'll usually ignore the phone and emails for a while, get mad at myself for being mad, then snap out of it, make my rounds of calls and get on with myself... Thank God I'm pretty good about keeping the Old Man out of it. Until I wrote this at least. Hopefully, this isn't too far from the norm and I'm not even sure exactly why I wrote all this just now, but I do know I feel better for writing it. At least I can see it all on paper so I know what to expect and to take extra precaution. :) Maybe if I throw a few extra trips to the day spa that'll suit well. It's an idea, right? Oh, and I'm not completely crazy. I do keep occupied and stay busy. But staying strong 24/7 9 months long is sometimes a lot to ask for...

So I'm already into phase 1. Not to lessen the intensity of what's going on, but I really wanted to change my Happy New Year graphic to some sort of stay strong or keep on keeping on sort of thing. So far, I haven't had any luck. (Hopefully my google search is in no way any indication of what's to come.) Anyway, I thought it might crack a few smiles to see what I did find in my google search...

My personal fav...

A little awkward...

An overwhelming feeling of guilt to what I wish I could still do...

OK, this one's OK...

What the???

In case you were wondering something about chickens...

Interesting, yet provocative...

The one thing that's constant for me is gettin' my cup of Jesus, as my sister says. Going to church does such wonderful things for my sanity and my well being that I can't even begin to explain. Especially since I don't have a lot of family in the area (thank God for Jason and Francie). It brings me such peace to sit there and talk to God for a while and pray for my husband and our families. I sincerely hope everyone has this sort of inner peace within themselves because I'll tell ya, from road rage to deployment depression, it helps all around. Sometimes I'll find myself going before I go to work, after work, on Saturdays, or even on Sundays too. Sometimes I wish I could ask God if he'd mind that I pull a futon up in church. I could sit around during mass all day then fall asleep comforted all night... Oh well, I guess living right down the street will have to do.

Stay strong friends and families of 1/6!!!