How do I do it?

A friend of mine who is recently married asked me "how do you do it?" Her husband travels for work and is often away for upwards of a month at a time.  She wanted to know how I can possibly handle this deployment, especially with a new (well not really so new now) baby and all.  I told her that it is not for the faint of heart.  It takes patience, love, forgiveness (not him, but the army), and something to keep you busy - lucky for me I have Baby D and she takes up ALL of my time.

Deployments are hard and as I have said before, it would be only to easy to let this deployment beat us.  I could give in to the loneliness, the hate, the anger that I feel - the hate and the anger are directed towards the army, the war, the leaders.  I could give in to all of those things, I could wallow in them and be a very unpleasant person to be around. Or I could do what I am doing already. I can try to be the best mommy for Baby D and the best friend and partner to Sgt D.  Neither or them needs or wants me to be angry or depressed all of the time.

I guess the simplest answer to"how do I do it?" is that I simply go on. I face everyday with the knowledge that Sgt D will be home eventually and we will move forward with our lives.  Yes it sucks to be apart, more that I can possibly describe, but it is temporary.  That is the part I focus on.  Nothing more nothing less.