Another rough day

Being away from my family has been rough, but we've muddled through. Most days we just talk on the phone, see each other on the web camera and live as normal of a life as possible... for being a world apart.

But there are those certain days when not even the most high speed internet connection and the clearest web camera picture does the heart good. Yesterday was one of those days. Yesterday was my little girl's 6th birthday; the third family birthday I've missed during this deployment. I also wasn't there when my son turned three and my wife turned "XX."

I've missed Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day. I'll also miss the 4th of July and Memorial Day. Those are hard days to miss, but not nearly as hard as my kid's birthdays. Major holidays are for everyone but a birthday is someone's very own special day. I'll never get back their 3rd or 6th birthday so these days were very emotional and difficult.

My last deployment was perfectly timed so that I didn't miss any birthdays. I didn't how hard being away from the family could be. If I've gained anything from this experience, it's a huge respect for those who serve from 6-months, 12-months, 15-months away from their families.