You know you are....when.......

Ive entered into what I consider the worst phase a spouse can be in when facing a deployment. It is when Ryan hasnt left yet......but I know he is leaving. He is still around....but I know he wont be. I dont want this to happen.....but I cant stop it.

Feeling helpless and waiting is the worst part. Is "knowing" he is leaving worse than if he was already gone?
But I have to focus on what is positive in my life, because positive is what will get us through.

So...I will choose to change this phase into.....I dont want to do this.....but I have to. I will pray.....because He loves. I will depend on others.....because they care. I will smile.....because it helps.

This makes me smile....You know your a military family when:

1. Your husband's work and dress clothes cost more than yours do.
2. You have mowed more lawns then you husband because he isnt there to do it.
3. You use a crook-neck flashlight with a red lens during power outages because it is the only one you can ever find.
4. your kids say "hooah" or "roger" instead of "ok".
5. You know it's normal to light shoe polish on fire and the best way to spit shine shoes is with cotton balls.
6. Your husband does a route recon and takes his GPS to a trip to the mall.
7. You write in pencil because EVERYTHING is subject to change.
8. You tear up to "Proud to be an American" even though you have heard it 50 times.
9. You know a 2 month separation IS short, no matter what your civilian friends say.
10. You show your military ID to the greeter at Walmart.
11. You know that "Ft. Puke" is a completely accurate description of Ft. Polk.
12. You dont have to think about what time 21:30 is.
13. You have ever been referred to as "household 6"
14. Your the TC, not the backseat driver
15. You start ripping open MREs looking for M&Ms when you run out of candy on Halloween.
16. You have ever had a pet named Scout, Ranger, or Sergeant.
17. It only cost you $25 to have a child.
18. You find that a large number of your clothes and household items are "olive drab or loam"
19. You pick apart uniforms on TV shows and Movies, even though you have yelled at your husband for doing the same thing.
20. You know what "pogey bait" your husband loves.
21. You wish you could go to CIF to DX with your old stuff like your husband can.
22. You give your kids a hand reciept when they take your Tupperware to school.
23. You can hate the military life and be terrified to leave it all in the same breath.
24. You defend your lifestyle no matter how bad things get because you know there is no other life for you.
10.