Sleep Style

Waking up this morning on Day 21 of Re-integration, a couple of things struck me. As we are getting into the rhythum of our "new normal", I realized that our reintegration process is much different from most traditional military families.

Most couples have to re-learn how to live together, how to fall back into their traditional parenting roles, and how to return to their 'normal' household responsibilities. Since we don't yet live together, we are adjusting to life in a long-distance relationship that is leaps and bounds different from the long-distance situation we found ourselves in in 2011. I wrote earlier this week about how great it was to call whenever we wanted to, but I have to say, the biggest difference I've noticed since welcoming my soldier home has been my sleep habits.

For the past 12 months a restful sleep was never exactly easy to come by. Although I didn't realize it at the time, there were some thoughts, worries and fears that never left me throughout the entire deployment. Even when there were other things going on, I always carried the realities of where Andrew was and what he was doing in everything that I did. So when my mind was supposed to be "at rest", well... It wasn't.

I've never been the type of person who falls asleep the moment my head hits the pillow, but while Andrew was gone, I would lay awake for hours most nights just praying that sleep would find its way to me. Some nights (mornings for Andrew) we were able to text with each other but never for too long before it was time for another patrol or Andrew would remind me how many hours past midnight it was for me, and that I really needed to be getting some rest.

Now, I put Friends on (thank you, Nick at Nite) at eleven, knowing that Andrew is safely in his bed... Or playing video games on his couch. I love the feeling of getting so tired while watching one of my favorite episodes and knowing that as soon as I turn it off it won't be very long until I'm blissfully sleeping.

That sleep itself is actually a lot different too. I find myself waking up rested, and remembering vivid details of my dreams, yet another thing that I didn't realize wasn't happening during the deployment. And I'm having FUN dreams again! Why, just this week I had a dream that I was Kelly Ripa's guest co-host on Live! With regis and Kelly! It was so fun, and Mark Walberg was there, and a puppy! Who doesn't love that?!

So yes, I am definitely getting used to the changes in our life and so far I'm just positively loving 2012! Andrew gets home tomorrow night for two weeks of block leave and I can't wait! There was a time in my pre-deployment life that I would have complained about the fact that leave got pushed back essentially a full 24 hours, but these days, I know it's better than where we were at this point last year. Plus, how can I possibly complain about something so small when there are so many people (and many close friends) still waiting for their magic homecoming moment? I'll just be happy to see my boy tomorrow evening!

Well, will you look at that... This girl is growing up :)