Kyle comes home tomorrow from his last drill weekend (or week-as they so often turn into). This is the last weekend the army will stomp through my weekend plans, make my husband cuss like a sailor (funny phrase considering), laugh at crude jokes, and force me to do man-type things around the house in his absence. Okay so I don't really do the man-type things, I just call my Dad and brother. Same thing.
My part of the National Guard journey started when I wrote letters to Kyle during his first deployment. Of course at that time, I had no idea that God had such an amazing plan for us. We were really just acquaintances, not even friends. My church sent him cards each month. One day as we were talking about encouragement, I had some verses come to mind and I sent them to Kyle thinking maybe I could brighten his day. I assumed he'd read it and add them to the pile of cards and well wishes. He wrote back. After a few letters we started emailing and messaging. We became close friends during those months and as he returned home.
We eventually started dating and that's when I really learned what this "army thing" was all about. He talked in code so I had to google half of the things he said after our conversation. At first it was an adventure, it was "guy in a uniform" alluring. As time went on I found that drill weekends will always be on a weekend you have plans. You will often not have a date to a wedding or family event. PTSD is very real. Army boots, clothes, and equipment are gross, smelly, and everywhere. Not so glamorous.
A few years later, I had moved to Evansville, Kyle was still in Carbondale so we were living 2 hours apart. We talked often about getting married, but Kyle still had school to finish and talk of another deployment was stirring. Sometimes I think of this deployment as the black hole in my life. I got no sleep, I stayed up as much as humanly possible, sometimes sleeping on my couch to be close to the computer, in case I heard from him. Other times I think it wasn't so bad, I drove home and spent most of my time with my family. I had some of the best times with my girlfriends. We were always jetting off on some weekend road trip or meeting for Grey's night every week. I made it anyway. Kyle came home. Then we adjusted. Looking back, I can see how God used that time to grow each of us in our own way.
There were a lot of ups and downs between then and where we are now. God used Kyle's gifts of leadership, protection, and a level head and my gift of encouragement, understanding, and compassion to balance and weave our lives together in so many ways to bring us to where we are.
I"m not sure if I really believed Kyle the first time he mentioned getting out of the army. It was something we always talked about being in our life forever. Initially, I wasn't completely on board with it. We have a family there, Kyle is very good in his position, there's money and insurance. But at the same time, there is a new police career ahead for him, a family to start in a few years, and money is just a side note. I told Kyle it was his decision, although now, I'm glad he chose to leave.
So as we finish up our last weekend I can look back and say I'm so glad to be part of the National Guard. It has been an interesting ride, full of lessons and leaning on God's love. I'm so excited to get to start our next adventure and see what is ahead.
