Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder and all that jazz...

So, here we go again. The begining of another patrol...the horribleness (is that a word?) of the day before the patrol...the heartbreak of dropping him off at the pier with his sea bag loaded to the gills with stuff he'll be needing while he's gone...the emotional flat-lining and feeling of "I'm okay. I can do this. I can't cry any more because I just don't have any more tears." followed immediately by a flood of tears as the dishes he loaded into the dishwasher last night catch me off guard...he put those in there. They're still dirty from the spaghetti we all had together last night...he could be home later....right? No. He won't be home later. I've got to get by for the next 4 months on my own. Wait, no I don't. I am leaving Monday for a trip to Washington, YAY and THANK GOD for that! I've got a niece to meet! A wedding to go to! A family birthday party for a wonderful grandmother to attend! The first day of Kindergarten is almost upon us! Halloween costumes will be made by me and will be fabulous, doggone it! The treadmills at the gym await, as do coffee dates with friends while the kids are in school! Our bedroom is a blank canvass that will be redecorated and waiting when Jake returns! (Oops, I don't think I told him I was going to do be doing that...I guess the cat's out of the bag now!) Wait, is it November already?? Homecoming will be upon us, and this patrol...this blasted patrol...will be behind us and out of our lives forever.