It ain't easy on this love affair.

Well, he's gone. It's almost like he was never even here. The bed is suddenly much bigger. There's only one towel hanging in the bathroom. The DVR is empty of all the "silly reality crap" I wasn't allowed to watch when he was home. The leftover pizza from yesterday is still in the fridge. (Because if he was still here, the pizza would not be.) I waited and waited (and waited!) for him to come home and he finally did. (Yes, five days late, but better late than...you know.) And now he's gone. Just like that.

A lot of friends have asked me how I'm doing and it was a hard question to answer. I mean, I'm sad definitely. My husband was with me at.all.times for two weeks straight. We didn't go anywhere without the other. That was the most time we had spent together in almost eight months. It was wonderful. Awesome. Fantastic. Not a fight to be had! (Except when he wouldn't pick up his multiple piles of...stuff...sitting around the house. In the living room. Up the stairs. In the bedroom. In the bathroom. When asked to clean up said piles, the phrase "I've been at WAR!" was mentioned more than once. Anyone have a comeback for that? Yeah. Me either.) But now that he's gone? It feels normal. Like, this is the way my life is supposed to be. How sad is that? I'm a wife and I need a husband. Yet, my husband isn't here and that seems like the status quo.

So I'm fine and sad and feeling a little lost and yet feeling right back on track. If I was cool (and I use that term with a wee bit of sarcasm) enough, I'd do a little Twitter hashtag right now. Maybe #marinewifeproblems. Or #aloneagainnaturally. On the bright side, he'll be home soon. And for good this time. (Or as "for good" as it can be when you're in the military.) I'm excited for him to come home and be in this marriage with me. Being a Single Wife hasn't been easy, but it has made me appreciate my husband more than ever. The time we get to spend together is so very precious that I just want to revel in the happy. (...even when he leaves a pile of dirty clothes beside the laundry basket.)

You SO get me, Steve Perry.