DrChako is Home - A Week in Retrospective

Well, he's been home for a week now. Still hasn't figured out how to change the intro header on his blog yet, but we'll give him time. So you may be wondering how the reintegration into family life has been going. I'll give you the recap of some of the ups and downs of reintegration.

• He is fit. Really fit. More fit that when I met him 16 years ago. Solid. Buff. Looks better at 40 than at 25. How many women can say that about their husbands of 13 years?
• Somehow, he has made me put on 3 or 4 pounds. I am no longer as lean or mean. Well, maybe still mean.
• Errands are getting done. Laundry. Dry cleaning. Registering my new car on the military base. Cleaning out the garage. Installing a garage door opener (well, greeting "the man" who will install the garage door opener).
• Sometimes still forgets that "helping with homework" actually means monitoring the homework-doing, rather than saying "do homework" and then leaving to go do a personal project in the garage.
• Have someone to help me do things.
• Sometimes I forget to ask for help.
• Sometimes he forgets to offer help.
• Sometimes doesn't remember the old routine.
• Sometimes I forget to tell him the new routine.
• Good to have part of the revised routine include a kiss, a hug, or someone to talk to who speaks English as their first language and doesn't add to already increased estrogen levels in the house.
• Bed is warmer, for those times when my feet are cold. Which is, say, every night.
• Who the hell is taking up all the space in my bed? And where did my man-sized pillow go?
• It's like having sex with a strange, new, fit man. Every so often I gotta turn on the light and check to make sure it's really him.
• Sometimes I turn the light back off and pretend it's Hugh Jackman.
• He wants sex all the time. Trying to make up for the lost 7 months. Forgets that I still have a 50+ hour a week job, a long commute, two children, and the occasional migraine. And have for the last 7 months. Not to mention a tax return to complete. Hate to admit it, Drizz, but sometimes, life makes it a coinflip.
• Sometimes acts like we're having sex for the first time. Forgets that we've done this for 16 years now. I didn't get re-virginized. I am not breakable. I gave birth. Bring it on.
• Post-deployment leave gives him time to relax, catch up, continue his workout. Still looks good, seems happy.
• Post-deployment leave gives him extra time to shop on line for watches, motorcycles, Ferarris. Go to the Harley store, boat show, etc. I'm thinking of freezing the credit cards, just in case he gets a little punchy.
• Post-deployment leave gives him plenty of time to think about dinner ideas for when I come home from work. For some reason, we're always still deciding where to eat on the way to the car.
• Pats my ass on the way to the shower when I'm getting ready in the morning for work.
• Stands in my blow-drying space at critical styling times.
• Loves my new car and tells me what a great job I did buying it.
• Always wants to drive it.

At the end of the day, regardless of how the pluses and minuses add up, my best friend and my boys' daddy is home. No bullet holes. All his limbs and extremities. And won't be going back.

Sounds like a positive to me.

Respectfully submitted,

The Wife