Home Again!

The ship and my husband returned to port in time for the command picnic. That is a good thing for multiple reasons. First, my husband is home! Yay! I usually do not require a reason to grasp my husband and hold him but is return after being underway only gives me more incentive.

Another reason their return was good is the family greetings dockside. The atmosphere is always happy. It will lift the spirits of even the most subdued person. I have often gone out to greet a ship that is not mine simply to improve my mood. The longer they are gone, the more joyful the occasion.

A third reason is the Command Picnic. How could we have the command picnic if the command is not here? How much of a party would it be with the command missing and only the families present? They made it and that is all that matters.

Now we return to full family routine. This is a system we (he) developed to help us live with him gone and with him home. Does it work? I suppose it does. When he is here, he does what he thinks is his job. When he is gone, I do what he thinks is his job. Admittedly, there are things that do await his return; changing the style of dinning room for instance. Other than those types of things, what needs to be done as a matter of routine are done by me.

All that is necessary for me to remember is Jared will not remain at home. He will leave again and he will return. There will be underways and we did not avoid the summer cruise so there remains that lengthy separation.

I prefer to think that Jared and I have grown up as a couple and as individuals. He will do as he does when he is home and I will do as I do when he is gone. Hopefully he will not feel less if I do "his" job occasionally. I will not feel slighted if he does "my" job occasionally. We will both do what needs to be done.