The 20th is nearly upon us, please hold my hand!

[OracleInaCoracle]

ok, we are really excited. our lives will be totally changing forever. 9 weeks isn't really that long. 18 weeks, ditto. i will have too much to deal with to dwell on it and i need to get used to dh not being here all the time.

but I am scared. i will miss him dreadfully and so will ds. i will be working, looking after ds and trying to keep the house clean without any help. does everyone feel like this before their dh/dp joins the forces?

Mine was already in the Forces when I met him, but you have accurately described what being a Naval wife can be like for a couple of years at a time if they are posted away from their base port.

There are great advantages to this type of life; we have been married for 23 years and it hasn't got stale yet as we have only lived together for about 11 years of that; the rest has been sea time or weekending, or abroad unaccompanied.

Don't be scared, be positive. Dh retires in 4 years and 22 days and he has had a fab career with one more appointment to go. I've been able for the most part to have a career and my own home, as until 2006, I chose not to move. I can't imagine my dh not being in the RN, and it will be tough for him, having joined the RN and done Dartmouth when he was 18.

You will find that you can cope and that things can run better/smoother without a dh around to deal with as well. You have to watch out when they come back though as they want to be in charge and it can be a bit of a power struggle, especially for the TV remote and the spot in the middle of the bed! Good luck, keep calm and carry on and you'll be fine.

Oh yes, forgot to add; when things go wrong (washing machine etc) they always happen in threes, or do so in my experience.

thank you, i suppose Im just trying to stay really upbeat for him, but inside im nervous!

I agree with scaryteacher's Rule of Three. Our recent op tour saw a new washing machine, a new microwave and a blown tyre all within a fortnight of each other.

oh god, Im putting all our belongings into storage for the last 2w of dh's trade training, thats where it will go horribly wrong isnt it?

You will be fine, don't forget to use the links you already have. the Hive at Cosford are fab.

i will thanks. have been browsing the RAFFF website and links and hive info. i just cant believe how close it is!!

ok, dh has got most of his stuff. cant quite believe that he goes on Wednesday. its all v overwhelming. a friend of his started nearly 2w ago and was in tears on first night, wanted to go home, but if anything that seems to have strengthened dh's resolve.

ironically though, got a phone call on friday offering him an interview for a buyers job this monday. sods law eh?

How are you doing Lissie? did he get off ok?

oh the stress! he didnt go in the end, was prescribed an inhaler about 6m ago for viral bronchitis so they had to get confirmation from the gp that he is not asthmatic etc, he now starts on the 3rd. pain in the bum.

btw, i think its you ive added on facebook....

lol, we are going out together! my ,lil sis is coming down and i was supposed to be meeting her and some friends for a few drinks, now dh can tag along and hold my hair off my face while im sick on his shoes

im obviously glad he is still here, but we had geared ourselves up for it, ds is confused, we explained that dh would be going and now he hasnt. so we've told him that the important airplane that daddy will be flying needs new wheels it also means that i can go down with him and maybe see the attestation. he was v lucky that it was only put back by 2 weeks tbh.
my lil bro started on weds and is home already with damaged ligaments from an existing injury.