FAQs

Nearly every Sunday and every time we visit with someone, people ask: How is Jericho? Where is Jericho?

Here is a little bit about how things are going.

Jericho's unit is currently at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait. They arrived September 13th and have been doing training almost the entire time since they arrived. They are replacing another unit that is doing what they'll be doing so they meet with them and get trained on the trucks and what they'll be doing on the missions. The first group of people will start on a mission later this week. Jericho will not be in that group. He said they'll be sitting around cleaning guns and washing trucks while the other people are gone. 

September 24th was his birthday. I'm so glad that some of the boys celebrated with him. They bought him a cake and some presents! [sidenote: I haven't met the guys he's serving with, except one. Apparently they were on Facebook and saw pictures of me and decided I was either Greek or Jewish.]

Since he's been in Kuwait, I've been able to talk to him on the phone almost every day. For a time, they were off at a small base 2 hours from Arifjan where the only way for him to call was on phones they had to wait in line to use and had a 20 minute time limit. When he was there, we didn't get to talk as much. While at Arifjan, Jericho has internet access so we either Skype or talk on the Magic Jack phone he bought before leaving the states. It's amazing to me that we're able to talk as frequently as we do. Lately the internet connection has been a little spotty so our conversations have been shorter. But it's still amazing to me that he's half a world away and we can still talk like he's just down the street. It'll be rough when he starts his missions [meaning, when they drive into Iraq to load things up on the trucks] since he'll be gone for about a week at a time without any communication. I figure the time will go by even faster then because the phone calls with be spaced out further and I'll be looking forward to each one.

We also found out today when his leave will be- December 23 through January 6. He'll be here for Christmas!!!!!!! This is the greatest news I've had since we found out he'd be here for Sydney's delivery. 

The other main question I get is how I'm doing with things.

It amazes me every day how well things are going. It helps that I have a super easy baby. She requires a lot of attention, which I willingly give because really, I would just lay around on the couch all day watching movies with her napping in my lap if I could. She also eats and sleeps well so I'm able to move around the house and get things done. And she also travels well so we LOVE running errands. I honestly think up things to go do just because I like being out and about so much. My favorite place right now is Target. I don't think Jericho loves that though...

Logistically, I'm a single mom. But I have it a bit easier since I don't have to worry about holding down a job and caring for a newborn at the same time. Money just appears in the bank account. It's pretty magical. I hate to admit it, but I'm loving the government right now.

Emotionally and mentally, I'm not a single mom. I email Jericho pictures of Sydney as much as I can. I've taken roughly 4,721 pictures of her since he's been gone and have to refrain from attaching them all the emails to Jericho. I get to talk to him about her and how wonderful she is and how she's growing and learning. When we get off the phone, he tells me he loves me, and Sydney too. The first time he sent me a text telling me to kiss Sydney for him, I cried. Not out of sadness but out of sweetness. I can't wait for her to be old enough to understand what he did for the first year of her life and to see just how awesome her dad is.

The initial shock of being apart from my husband has thankfully worn off. Sometimes, when it's quiet and I'm thinking about  him, somewhere in the Disney movie part of my brain, I think that at those times he can somehow "hear me". Like suddenly the wind will blow or he'll call me right at that moment or a bird will start chirping while a rainbow bursts into the landscape.

I don't know if it's my meds, divine intervention, or the radiating joy that Sydney brings to everyone and everything, but, aside from the fact that my husband is in the middle of the desert with a bunch of smelly guys, life is pretty great. I'm excited every day to hold my baby, to work on projects, to take time for myself to just be happy and enjoy this time. Ever since Sydney was born [except for the first week that we'll call my "dark days"], I've had this renewed lust for life. I find that I talk to people differently, I smile more, I'm more motivated in everything I do. I continually amazed at how blessed we've been.