Just a BIG, FAT VENT.

The following is me venting...spewing really....you probably shouldn't read it...I probably shouldn't post it...but I'm going to...because..well..I took all that time to write it, didn't I?

My husband is a Major in the National Guard. He works full time and therefore is considered a federal employee and part of the actual Army...not just a "Weekend Warrior", as they are often called. From the very beginning of our relationship I've wondered WHY so many people use that term...and if ANY of them actually have a spouse or sibling or parent in the guard...because I have to tell you...when they say "One weekend a month and two weeks a year"...THEY'RE FREAKING LYING!.. Yes, the do have the once a month drill...and the once a year, two week annual training...but there is OH so much more....mandatory meetings, mandatory conferences, mandatory this..mandatory that......maybe its just because he's an officer...I really don't know...when we got married he was a Lieutenant so I've always dealt with "more"...but I'm just about at the end of my rope.

Tonight was supposed to see him home after being gone for 2 solid weeks. Tomorrow is Halloween. Where is he? He's stuck in Atlanta...missed his flight. When is the next flight? oh..at 2:26 tomorrow AFTERNOON. Nope..its not his fault. I know that. It still doesn't make me feel any better though. I spent a year and a half being a single parent...and doing the holidays "single" is a real sore spot with me. So..tomorrow will see me dragging my kids, probably in the rain, trick o' treating by myself. Joy. And my mother is supposed to take the kids overnight...which is going to drive them crazy because they haven't even TALKED to their father in 2 weeks...don't even get me started on that....him not calling to talk to the kids when he's away is a completely different blog/vent that I don't even want to THINK about venturing into...ever...it makes my frontal lobe hurt just thinking about it.

You know what I wish? I wish that his commander would realize that I outrank him..and all of these business trips need to be OK'd by me first. I'd also like to be able to call him up and chew his ear a bit about scheduling something so close to Halloween when my husband still has kids that are young. I'd also like to tell whomever is in charge that FAMILY SHOULD COME FIRST...teaching a bunch of soldiers about stuff they'll probably never use...and being away for weeks/months on end isn't helping my kids find their Happy Places....its not helping me find my happy place either...an I so want a happy place..just a little one...with sunshine..and a hardwood floor ...maybe a jacuzzi....*sigh* OK...I might feel a little better...I just needed to vent...like Mt St Helens...BOOM...better on here than on the phone...