Sailor Dad

So far, this deployment seems like it might be the easiest in my experience. Of course it could be the bright side of it that I’m seeing, but anything is possible. In any case, deployment always brings about some level of stress. Being on the ocean though has different sources of stress than say a deployment on the ground in a foreign country. Typically we’re not getting shot at while we’re floating around out here, but at the same time, there is an isolation that I think might be different that being on the ground say in Iraq or Afghanistan. I can’t say for certain, because I have only heard about those places and not experienced any of that for myself. Not to mention the whole other side of deployment, the ones you leave behind while you go off on some cruise.

My wife has been with me for every single deployment I have gone on while in the Navy. She’s endured the missed paydays of the first deployment because of a paperwork error. She somehow survived my fourth deployment after giving birth to our daughter just a month after I left home. She’s now going through what might be the hardest deployment to date, since my son was born 6 months ago and my daughter is almost more of a handful now than before when she was a baby. I don’t know how she does it, and for that she is and will always be the best wife in the world. There are many things that make her the best wife to me, but putting up with my job and its crazy schedules is what really takes it all.

Today we left San Diego for all points west. Even though this is the fifth deployment that I’m starting, the situation never changes. It always starts with saying goodbye to those we love and the promises of a safe return. With a little luck, we return on the scheduled day with everyone that started the trip. There isn’t much in the way of comfort those first few days, knowing that you’re going to be apart from your family and friends to go out into the open seas for six months. Thankfully, the very family and friends that we leave behind give us the strength to make it through those months at sea. Something that I have this trip that I haven’t had on previous trips is the amount of people standing behind me back on the beach. The support that I have from the people I’ve become friends with in the last few months is something that makes me grateful for the chance to meet those people and be a part of their lives.

Here’s to the next 180 or so days until I return to San Diego. May they be a quick and enjoyable journey.

Today marks the 3rd consecutive month since I last graced this blog with my presence. I had been planning to get back into blogging, but every time I commit to it I end up finding something else to take up my time. Being in the Navy is one thing that often keeps me from being able to get in front of the computer and come up with a decent post. Add in the new addition to my family and it seems like there’s even less time in the day after work. I’ll try to hit the high points of the last three months…

My son Joshua was born on the 27th of January. Days prior to that I was stricken with some intense muscle spasms in my neck. Something about my son being born made the pain in my neck go away. Perhaps it was the exchange of two types of stress: The stress of waiting for the boy to be born traded for the stress of having a new baby in the house. Either way, that week marked one of the best moments of my life. Now I love my daughter as equally as my son, but his birth was different in that I was there for the event, in comparison to my daughter, who was born while I was on deployment in the Red Sea during the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

February was a month of adjustment and change. It was almost like starting over with the new baby. I got the opportunity to experience all the things that I missed the first time. In addition to the new activity in the house, the hours at work increased as well in preparation for a 5 year inspection that it seemed that everyone was over-hyping the whole thing. Not an enjoyable experience by any means, and with any luck I’ll avoid going through that ever again in my career. Of course I may have just jinxed myself, but here’s me throwing caution to the wind.

March was a month that came and went, and held witness to some stressful times at work. The big inspection happened and when it was all said and done, it wasn’t everything that it was hyped up to be. Of course, big things like that hardly ever live up to their hype do they? In any case, the time came for me to start applying for orders, and after a few rounds I was finally selected for a set of orders. Now the reality will hit in a few months when I get those orders, but it’s definitely a nice step towards the future. I would be quite content with transferring now, but I’ll have to wait the remaining 6 months or so before I can try out something new.

Now it’s April and it’s more than half over. It’s hard to believe that the year is passing so quickly. It is frightening at times to look back and realize the time that has passed and you didn’t even realize it was happening. If you’re waiting for that opportunity to try something new, do it today before you never get the chance to.

Today history was created. This day will remain in people’s memories for years to come. As with any event, there are differing options as to the outcome of today’s events and the circumstances surrounding them. But I think, overall, that no matter your sex, racial background or political affiliation, today was a positive note in American History. I will admit I was surprised to see President Obama make it as far as he has; but I am also very pleased that he is our new President. I think that for the first time I actually feel a glimmer of hope in the future of the United States.

I remember about six or seven years ago, how uncertain I was about bringing a child into this world. Like it or not, today’s world is nothing like how I grew up as a kid. There is a seemingly loss of innocence today. You can’t just let your kids run around the neighborhood without wondering what sort of pervert or weirdo is going to snatch them up. Today’s inauguration didn’t truly change anything in the number of creeps and weirdos in the world, but I feel that something is different. Watching the recent news, financial ruin is all around us. All we really have is hope that our elected officials can change the current trend in America. Today I think that hope was rekindled.

Here I am on the verge of bringing another child into this world. Of course, my wife is going to be doing all of the work, but I’m partially responsible for his existence. It’s still a bit overwhelming, and I imagine that it doesn’t really change no matter how many children one might have. Financially, we are better off than we were when my daughter was born, but uncertainty lurks in the back of my head. I am almost certain that everything will be fine, but the unknown is just that, and it’s a little frightening.

It’s been a week since I’ve begun to constantly think about my son’s impending birth. With just about two weeks left, every time my phone vibrates, rings or lights up I stop for a moment to wonder if it’s the news I’ve been waiting to hear. This time I will be a lot closer than when my daughter was born, and with a little luck and fortunate timing, I will actually be in the hospital when my son is born.

With just over 3 weeks remaining until the birth of my son, I think I am becoming a bit anxious for the day to come. My daughter was born about two weeks early while I was on deployment in the Persian Gulf and I have a sneaking feeling that my son will come about the same time. That puts his birth in a few days. Of course, I could be overthinking the whole thing and he’ll be born on his original prescribed date.

In any case, the next few weeks will change our lives forever. I just hope that my daughter adjusts from being an only child to becoming a big sister. She’s excited about it all, but I don’t truly believe that she knows what’s going to happen in the house. I’m certain that we all will adjust to our new environment.