Reyza Diannova

I realize that I need my man with me, when it's time to say goodbye. When other navy wives are watching, I can be strong. When I know there are tiny people counting on me to keep it together….I keep it together. It’s a good system and we have made it work repeatedly. The goodbye at the beginning of the deployment was perfect. Little people kept my emotions in check, a swift drop off at the car in the parking lot left no room for long drawn out goodbyes. Some families chose to go in with their soldiers, waiting till the buses came, till the last possible second, and I don’t judge them for that. It’s just not how I prefer to do things, because my Motherly-Outward-Appearance-of-Steel only holds up for brief periods of time. All of the above is why the goodbye yesterday morning was less than ideal and more difficult than usual. There were no little people to focus on, to be strong for. Just the pain in my own heart to focus on. There were two planes to catch, his and then mine, so ther...

A spouse from our team had an interesting experience this past week traveling, and chose to write a letter about it. I really resonated with what she is saying here, because I have felt it too. The strange, uneasy feeling of realizing where you *think* you should feel the most comforted and supported is not where you actually feel those things. I think it's one of those key moments when a person realizes…….."I AM an NAVY Wife." Because when your true heart is thousands of miles away wearing combat boots and multi-cam, you find your definition of "family" becomes expanded and you discover a whole new meaning to the word "Home."