I hate to say "Good Bye." Whether I am moving, my friends are moving, or my husband is deploying, I do NOT like it!
In the military world we tend to "run into" people we have known from other assignments. Often times saying good bye is really "Until next time..."
I learned early on in my milspouse life that I don't do well with good bye. When my husband deploys I can only tolerate staying with him (when I take him to his unit) for about 10 or 15 minutes. Then I need to hug him, kiss him, and go cry my eyes out (for the next 2 or 3 days). I always feel bad when he asks me to stay longer (and I do try to stay as long as I can stand it), but there comes a point where I can't even speak because the urge to cry is in my throat.
When I say good bye to my friends I am usually "okay" - except for those few people I bond with so deeply at each duty station. I try to warn them ahead of time that I will cry and I have to say good bye quickly.
This week my mom is coming to visit for a few days before we move to Hawaii. I haven't seen her since early November and after this visit I have no idea when I will see her again (or any of my family, for that matter).
This move is the furthest I have ever been from my family. I don't really see my family more than once or twice a year anyway, but knowing that I will be so far away is starting to bother me. Even my kids are asking me when we will see family again (they don't know my mom is coming to visit - it's a surprise!).
How do you all handle "Good Bye?" Do you have any tips for me and/or my children about being so far from family? I would appreciate your thoughts.
