Oh the places we'll go...

Bernie has asked me when I thought I'd like him to come back for his two weeks of R&R. I told him that it was completely up to him and that I really didn't want to know.

I don't want to know because if he picks a date to come home and I get my heart set on it, and get my hopes up and when he is nowhere to be seen because the Army changings things all the time, I'll be bummed out. Plus, I love surprises!

We recently learned that it can be easier on both the family and the service member to have the service member not go home, but to meet up somewhere.  I was confused at first when I heard this, but it makes sense.  When a service member comes home, it's a time of great joy, however the short time home means that the family and the service member have to start the whole process of saying good bye and readapting all over again.  Of course, no matter where they meet, that'll have to say good bye sometime.  But, it's easier to meet somewhere, where both parties have never been.  I learned that family members catch themselves after the service member leaves home to finish his/her tour saying things like, "He sat in that chair yesterday." or other really sad statements.  This is depressing and I don't like it.
After reading up on this, Bernie and I decided that 1. he's not going to tell me when his r & r is and 2. Where we will be going.

After this conversation with him, he told me to get my passport ordered.  I'm so excited!!!  I wonder where we'll meet up and where we'll go...

xoxx