Years ago, when volunteering as a spouse mentor in Hawaii for the Navy, we would teach how to get through the deployment of a spouse. So much of what we taught has been useful to me these past few months. One thing, however, just doesn't work for Sean and me- change.
The general advice is to change as little as possible about yourself or your home. It's hard enough on a returning service member to see how life has progressed without him/her without having your living room painted red (no I didn't do that), your house moved around, or to see your spouse with a completely different hair color. Well, I've been known to move furniture on a whim and to come home with a completely different hair color with no prior warning. Oddly, Sean rarely noticed the hair. I think he noticed the furniture only because he'd have tripped otherwise.
Keren and I moved the furniture one afternoon while Sean napped before he left. I've been trying to figure out what else to move, but no luck yet. I did get three pieces of new furniture. Sean ordered two of them, but never got to see them. My parents painted one bathroom while they were here, and I added art on the wall- two collages my mother made years ago and a print they recently gave me. I've also sent two other pieces to the framer, which I hope to pick up soon. One piece is destined to hang over our staircase and will be quite stunning. The other is for our bedroom. After 17.5 years, Sean expects nothing less.
Maybe I'll dye my heir crimson when he comes home.... Well, maybe not.
