Heart Juice

A week or so ago Indiana Girl mentioned shopping for a Valentines care package for her deployed husband.

For the first time I wondered what it'll be like for the guys who are in relationships to be at boot camp on Valentine's Day. I don't often think of DH in a typical Valentines fashion... we sorta started dating the day after Valentines back in 06 (I look forward to telling that story on that anniversary), and haven't celebrated the 14th or the 15th in any extravagant way in the two years since then.

This year I'll probably send him letters/drawings as usual, and maybe a little painting to mark the occasion, but I'm more curious about what it might be like for guys/couples with a more mainstream view of the "holiday". Letters go in and letters come out, but with no other communication, no opportunities for packages, I wonder how it stifles (or enhances?) the day for involved couples.

BLEH.

Why did he have to go now? Why does he have to be gone for the first time during a part of the year when I'm naturally going to be looking back at what my life was like three years ago? I'll be alone and remembering the early days hanging out, remembering our first date, our first kiss, the april fools engagement... And then when he's in MOS school he'll miss our actual engagement and our wedding anniversary. Why couldn't he have left after that? Between June and December there are memories of good times, but nothing as anchored in chronology as much as all these memories of magical firsts.

I honestly believe that right now is the hardest time, the moments between parting and first contact. All my knowledge of DH feels obsolete. Sure, he'll still be the same man when I hear from him again, and when I see him again, but he's piling up new experiences that are a complete mystery to me. GRR.

Any day now, right?