"I Never Knew . . .": Things a Military Wife Should Know

There are quite a few things I wish I had known before my husband, an Army Reservist, deployed to Iraq. I'm not talking about how to read an LES, or how to hold down the fort at home. It's the simple things that no one truly understands until your loved one is on the other side of the world in a war zone.

I never knew I would sleep with the phone by my head every night, hoping he would be able to make just one phone call.

I never knew that my heart would jump out of my chest every time that phone did ring, hoping that it was him.

I never knew that an email or phone call that lasts 3 minutes would bring the biggest smile to my face.

I never knew I would save every letter and email, so that I could re-read them when I was really missing him.

I never knew how much I would be mentioning his name, just to be able to talk about him and to feel that he really does exist and isn't just a figment of my imagination.

I never knew I would scour the internet to find a group of military wives who could understand what I was going through. I found comfort in talking to strangers, and made some lifelong friends.

I never knew that I'd stop watching the news for the entire deployment, because it did nothing but scare me.

I never knew my heart would swell with pride when someone mentions the 'good job our boys are doing'.

I never knew I would feel a connection to every person who has a "Support Our Troops" ribbon on their vehicle.

I never knew that I'd have butterflies in my stomach when I went to pick him up at the airport when it was time to come home. It was like meeting him for the first time and feeling like he never left, all in the same moment.

I never knew that while he was gone, the days would crawl by, but now when I look back at it- it seems like it went very quickly.

Lastly, I never knew I could make it 14 months without the love of my life here with me. Through that time, I learned how to do so many things, and realized just how strong I really was. I realized I take so much for granted, and try to enjoy every minute now.