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Thursday, January 14, 2010

Fighter Pilot's Wives

When you're married to a fighter pilot, there are a few things that you have to come to terms with in order to keep your relationship healthy.

You must accept that a 12-hour duty day is typical, that he will be away from home for weeks or months on end, and that his job carries a certain amount of risk.
We accept these things because we know that what they're doing is important, or because flying is their passion, or both.

For me, it's simple:
I put up with all that crap because my husband looks really hot in a flight suit.
(The same cannot be said about me.)

Move over Jake Pavelka, you've got nothing on my man.

But even though I understand that being away is part of his job, it's still a tough thing.
I miss my husband and I miss my parenting partner.
Sometimes it's the little things that get to you-- the lawnwork he usually does or having to give all of the baths.
Sometimes it's the big things, like missed birthdays, anniversaries, and Christmases.

But he does look really, really good in a flight suit.

One of the things that helps a lot of spouses during a deployment is to have some sort of personal goal that you want to achieve while you're on your own.

Last February, Josh's job took him away for 5 weeks. I tried to keep my goal simple for that trip:
I wanted to clean out my closet.
Unfortunately, due to a deadly TV combination of The Bachelor, The Biggest Loser, and American Idol, I only spent a grand total of 14 hours minutes working in my closet.
So that project got pushed back until his next trip.

And now I find myself with only days to spare before he returns (yea!) and my closet is not exactly in order.
I just spent an hour and a half in there, sorting piles to toss and to give away.
I came across an Ann Taylor jacket that I hadn't seen in a looooong time. I love the color, and thought that I'd try it on to see if it was something I wanted to keep.

It had shoulder pads.

Does this tell you how badly I needed to sort through my clothes? (No, I did not keep it.)

Good news: I have plenty to do to keep my evenings filled until Josh returns home.
Bad news: My bedroom looks like it got hit by a tornado.

Good news: My handsome husband and all of his flight suits will be back very soon.
Bad news: An unfortunate intersection on the calendar of his arrival and the arrival of a monthly visitor of mine will take away one of the better aspects of a re-deployment.

Because if the flight suit is reason number one that I accept the life I have, then reason number two is the homecoming sex.

Did I just cross the line?
Sorry, I'm always doing that.

Sometimes I'm really glad that my grandparents don't know what the internet is.

11 comments:

Jennifer said...

As always, you crack me up!! And don't worry, we ALL do the same thing and are scrambling to get the "to-dos" done in the last few days before they return. It's all good ;) And for that last issue of yours.... TMI!!! :)

Jen McD said...

Oh... Erin, I'm pretty sure he is not going to care about the closet mess and in fact is actually missing it right now.

I forget the name of it, but isn't there a "cup" of sorts you can wear for your visiting friend that will help out your second favorite aspect?

I'm off to google it for you. So it's a little nasty, but you were a nurse and a mother. Not much can gross you out now! Happy Reunion (did I cross the line ;-)


http://www.divacup.com/en/home/diva_cup/

The Lumberjack's Wife said...

Oh my dear heavens! :) My dad, uncles,aunts, and mom all read mine so I have to pretend like I know nothing about homeoming you-know-what . . . which I do, because my main man leaves on extended hunting trips.
Darn your monthly visitor.
Such a shame . . .
Oh, and do not, I repeat, do not put any sort of comment about how I enjoy the homecoming you-know-what in my blog or I will never talk to you again.
My dad, I repeat, my dad reads my blog. :)

Nicole said...

Funny and educational (thanks to your friend's comments!) Good luck sorting and decluttering. I did the same thing to my office a few weeks ago. I imagine the janitor wasn't too pleased with the large rolls of drawings in the recyle box. Unfortunately my task wasn't to get me ready for a reunion. Very unrewarding now that I think of it. Yours is much better.

Sunk Costs said...

Hey you should get one of those things that stops your period for like a year. What's it called again?

Oh right, a baby!

Heh heh. Turnabout is fair play.

One of Us said...

Your closet will get cleaned when you move. Just wait a couple of months.

Rachel said...

Your line-crossing is what keeps me coming back. Have fun anyway! And flight suits are what keep us married to the AF. Damn, I married the engineer :( Remember, ol' Mr. Hottie-pants from oooooh, months back? Yeah, flight-suit :)And, you are adorable in yours.

WING WIFE said...

And my fighter pilot's homecoming from a deployment resulted in five of us in the squadron receiving bundles of joy nine months later! The gift that keeps on giving.

Ahmer said...

Hi
I really enjoyed the article. i am a fighter pilot myself and at least now i know what my wife goes through.

Ahmer said...

Hi
I really enjoyed the article. i am a fighter pilot myself and at least now i know what my wife goes through.

Abbie said...

Thank you so much for being real! You have the best blog about being a fighter-pilot's wife. I have been researching due to the fact that I become one (a wife to a fighter pilot) in October! Thanks again and you are so right about them looking hot in their suits ( forget the ties, give me the one piece)