Just received my call....:(

[Jodie]

I just received the call from my husband that he is at basic. It was so scripted and cold. I was thrown off and just told him that I was glad he was safe, I knew I couldn't say it back but I loved him and to have fun.....I felt award about it all. Then I cried. A complete mess. I made it the whole day without breaking down and then bam, it's like it all became a reality. I wrote him a letter the moment I hung up and found that it actually helped me. I know he can't receive letters yet, but I can always send him any letters I write before then all at once or in multiple envelopes. One day down....63 more to go. I can't wait to receive his P.I.R date so I have an exact date to look forward too.
Any other ideas to keep occupied?

[Sailorswife2716]

I had my breakdown once my husband boarded the plane to head to BC, and when I got the "I'm here safe" call it all became so very real so what your feeling is natural :) I wrote my husband every single day and it helped the both of us. He was only able to send a total of 3 letters since he was really busy, he was his divisions RPOC and honor recruit so i relied on him calling. It's not the same for everyone as far as calls go but I recieved one every 2.5-3 weeks then after the I'm a sailor call I got a call every day until PIR. What really helped me was being apart of his PIR facebook page so once you find out his PIR DATE you should join the group for that. I met some really good friends through it. I thought I was going to be a complete mess since we had never been apart after being together for almost 10 years let alone apart after having our son but it went surprisingly well and I just kept busy with our little one. It went by really fast too. If you need someone to talk to feel free to message me :)

[Sailorswife2716]

Just take it day by day, some days will be harder than others, but it does go by faster if your not sulking at home. My husband loved me sending him pictures. I sent mostly 4x4 and 4x6. Even if they can't write often they still love getting mail every day

[Jodie]

I heard they weren't allowed to get pictures? He would love to get pictures of our two daughters and ultrasounds of our son. That makes me feel a little better that I can do that for him

[lemonelephant]

Yes, your recruit can receive pictures that are in good taste. Those you mention will be fine. You can send a few pictures and then print off any others onto paper and write around them to save room in his A/B drawer. See Letter Writing & Fun Stuff/Questionnaires to send to your Recruit.

[Jodie]

Thanks lemon! (:

[lemonelephant]

You are very welcome.

[Jodie]

That's very uplifting. We've never been apart for this long, at least the projected time. He said he would get to call me in about three weeks. I guess I can be over emotional to since I am pregnant with our third child who is due very close to when he is intended to graduate. So we will he cutting it close. I just hope I can be strong for him and write him positive empowering letters to help him get through. (:

[Sailorswife2716]

Don't worry, you will be strong :) and just write him about your day, include little uplifting quotes, send lots of pictures of the kids. All that kept my husband going, he missed us like hell but the pictures definitely helped push him through. Kind of gives them a sense of home too. It will all go by great, I thought this process would be harder with a child, especially the time apart, but surprisingly they take your mind off of it. Don't get me wrong, I did have some pretty tough days since my husband missed our sons 2nd birthday and the terrible twos were in full effect, but overall it went well. It definitely makes you stronger every day and it strengthens your marriage too :)

[Jodie]

He will miss our oldest daughters fifth birthday and our other daughter is in her terrible twos and I'm 7 months pregnant. So I'm sure I'll have a lot to distract me, but I know night time when everything calms down will be when it hits the hardest. Tomorrow we are working on "letters to daddy" and he recorded videos for our two girls to help them through this too. They don't understand just yet why he isn't home. I'll have to pick out some favorite pictures and print them out this weekend. (:

[Sailorswife2716]

Every division is different, but for our PIR group everyone was able to receive pictures, I would just send it unless he tells you otherwise. Pictures of your daughters especially of ultrasounds will definitely be great :) and each letter I had our son draw pictures for daddy and we did hand and foot traces often. Night time is definitely hard, I never got much sleep because I was always up doing research on everything possible, and I watched videos on YouTube of what was happening during each phase of BC and I would read about the daily things and I found comfort in that. My husband recorded our son a birthday video and a few other videos too and that really helped a lot especially since he didn't understand where daddy was, I would just tell him he's at work. Luckily they don't have a concept of time or anything lol. Your going to do great, the transition into navy life has been very beneficial for me independently and it has brought my husband and I closer than ever. It's ok to cry from time to time, however often you want. This time will fly by :)I sent my husband about 40 pictures in total, the 24 hour print service at Walgreens became my best friend lol.

[Jodie]

Sounds like they might become my best friend too. I'm writing out a weekly schedule to stay busy and fun things to do with our girls for daddy. Towards the end I will be making shirts, or we will be making shirts to wear to go see daddy. (: I think they will have fun with that. I'm also going to make a chain link once I find out his exact PIR date, so we can remove a link every day we get closer to seeing him. I think they will like that. I want to teach them something new every week so we can tell daddy about them in our letters (: busy busy busy is the plan. Haha (:

[Sailorswife2716]

That's a great idea! Lol I made my son a shirt of my husbands ship and division number and wrote on our chalkboard "good luck on BST-21" and took pictures of him and sent it to my husband to make sure he got it a few days before battlestation and he loved it. Make sure you take pictures of the kids birthdays and send it too. It makes them cry but they get more motivated. They are limited on room, but even if you send pictures they still don't take up too much room in their compartment. I will tell you that surprisingly navy life has eased my anxiety, always prepare for different outcomes. My husband is in a school and it's supposed to be for 4-6 months, luckily I prepare myself for him being away for longer than expected because he will be done a little over 6 months in May. You just always have to take things with a grain of salt, what helps me is knowing that time apart is always temporary.. And what's this small time apart compared to forever together anyways? Not much right? :). You are already done with week one, you only have a little more to go :).