the d-word: deployment thoughts [month 1]

It's already been a month? It seems like he just left.

It also seems like he's been gone for half of forever.

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He's finally received one of the two letters that I've sent so far, but I have yet to receive his first thanks to the postal service.

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I was working at my computer when I heard what sounded like two gunshots.

Now, when you grow up in a rural area near a shooting range in a state where most schools are closed on the first day of deer hunting season, you tend to know what gunshots sound like. However, when you then move into a heavily populated area near an elementary school, you tend to forget what gunshots sound like (large artillery is another matter).

So, when I first heard the noise, I decided to go into the backyard and see if anyone else had heard anything. No one else was outside, but then I heard the sound repeat again, twice--definitely gunshots. I grabbed my phone and went out the front door. The streets seemed deserted, but then I noticed some people standing in a driveway a few houses away, so I asked them if they heard what sounded like gunshots.

They had, in fact, they saw more than the empty streets that I saw, and they hoped that everyone was ok. We heard police sirens but realized that they were heading toward the opposite end of the city, so I thanked them and left. And then I called the police.

I ended up telling Alan--at first I wasn't going to mention anything, but I'm trying to remain as open as possible. Which is a challenge, because he's the first person I want to tell about whatever is happening but then I don't want him to worry or stress over something that he can't fix.

Note: From what I can tell, the media hasn't reported about the incident and I have not heard anything further.

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In the middle of the night, Ophelia wanted to go outside. When I turned on the light in the living room, I was surprised by a little gecko clinging to the ceiling. I wondered if I'd ask Alan to take him outside if he was there, but the thought went no further because the truth is, he wasn't there and I was and I was too tired and too short to find something and reach up and catch the little creature and release it outside.

So, there's a small Mediterranean House Gecko somewhere in my house right now.

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The gecko is in my bedroom. I tried to capture him but he ran behind my dresser.

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I ran 7.01 miles--another bucket list item to cross off of my list. As I was running past Alan's workplace, I saw white buses pull up in the parking lot. Crowds of people swarmed/stood in formation on the field. And someone announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, America's heroes are home!" I started crying as I ran because not all of America's heroes are home and we still have such a long time before we're together again.