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Settling In
Aug. 25th, 2009 08:58 pmWe getting settled here in Colorado Springs. I like our neighborhood and our rented house so much. It just fits who we are. We have a long way to go as far as moving in but we are making slow progress. I feel like I'm furnishing our home via craigslist but it's all coming together, so I guess that's fine.
I have so much to share about the last few weeks but it seems I have no time to post. Basically, I've had a fun summer and I've enjoyed seeing my kids so much.
One thing happened today, though, that I wanted to share. I drive on Ft. Carson this afternoon to srop something off at the registration office. I noticed several MP cars parked on my way but didn't think much of it. As Frisco and I were leaving the building, we hear all these sirens and I see a motorcade coming towards us. The MPs had blocked the intersections and this line of cars was coming down the road. Then I saw a group of 5 buses and it hit me that there were soldiers returning from deployments in those buses and the police and fire engines were serving as their escort, thanking them for their service and celebrating their return.
It instantly brought tears to my eyes in a way that was embarrassing. I guess I was thinking about how those soldiers must be feeling and how their families must be feeling, waiting for them. Confirming my guess, I heard a roar go up as the buses turned into the parking lot across the street and then I heard the band begin to play.
I think I wrote about going to the returning home ceremonies when Joe's unit came back in 2003? 2004, I think. It was an almost religious experience seeing so many people so purely happy. But, I can't help but think about all those people have lost. Not in terms of lives, or body parts, although many lost those too, but it terms of time away from families. Psychological damage to children who spent a year away from dad or mom. Damage to marriages and other relationships due to time away and psychological trauma. Increased drinking, sexual violence, and just plain regular violence - it's all part of the price these families will pay and most of them don't even know it or won't realize it for a while. IN the best cases, things will be strained and uncomfortable for a while and in a few months will have eased back to normal.
So, I guess I still have strong feelings regarding Joe's deployment. It's all buried away 90% of the time, and then something, like seeing those buses, happens, and it's like someone drilled straight down into my pocket of deployment-related emotion.
I have so much to share about the last few weeks but it seems I have no time to post. Basically, I've had a fun summer and I've enjoyed seeing my kids so much.
One thing happened today, though, that I wanted to share. I drive on Ft. Carson this afternoon to srop something off at the registration office. I noticed several MP cars parked on my way but didn't think much of it. As Frisco and I were leaving the building, we hear all these sirens and I see a motorcade coming towards us. The MPs had blocked the intersections and this line of cars was coming down the road. Then I saw a group of 5 buses and it hit me that there were soldiers returning from deployments in those buses and the police and fire engines were serving as their escort, thanking them for their service and celebrating their return.
It instantly brought tears to my eyes in a way that was embarrassing. I guess I was thinking about how those soldiers must be feeling and how their families must be feeling, waiting for them. Confirming my guess, I heard a roar go up as the buses turned into the parking lot across the street and then I heard the band begin to play.
I think I wrote about going to the returning home ceremonies when Joe's unit came back in 2003? 2004, I think. It was an almost religious experience seeing so many people so purely happy. But, I can't help but think about all those people have lost. Not in terms of lives, or body parts, although many lost those too, but it terms of time away from families. Psychological damage to children who spent a year away from dad or mom. Damage to marriages and other relationships due to time away and psychological trauma. Increased drinking, sexual violence, and just plain regular violence - it's all part of the price these families will pay and most of them don't even know it or won't realize it for a while. IN the best cases, things will be strained and uncomfortable for a while and in a few months will have eased back to normal.
So, I guess I still have strong feelings regarding Joe's deployment. It's all buried away 90% of the time, and then something, like seeing those buses, happens, and it's like someone drilled straight down into my pocket of deployment-related emotion.