I have been a military wife and now am the wife of an oil industry worker - same man, just he changed professions. Both fields require that my husband travel quite a bit. Here are some things our family does to make the situation work for our family:
1) My daughter and I always take Daddy to the airport and we always pick him up. It is nice to be able to give him a final kiss and hug before he goes into the airport. When he comes home, Lilly and I always get dressed up and have a small present waiting for him.
2) While my husband is away, Lilly and I keep a journal of all the things we are doing. This is actually part of our school work and so it helps with letter writing skills, remembering what we have done recently, and drawing a picture to fit the words. It is nice for my husband to read this when he gets home.
3) My husband and I try to chat once a day while he is gone, but sometimes it is less. This keeps him up to date with what is going on at home. I know some wives who don't tell their husbands some things because they don't want to stress them out, but I don't usually hold back. I let him know everything that is going on so we can make decisions together.
4) If we know the exact day he is coming home, my daughter and I will make a chain with links for the # of days until he arrives home. Each day we take one off and count how many days until we will see him.
5) We pray for God to keep him safe while he's away and to use him as a light to those around him.
6) We plan things for while he is home - things we can look forward to like Mommy/Daddy dates, Daddy/Daughter dates, family outings/trips, Daddy "me time" day where he can relax, etc
I know a lot of people say they couldn't do it, but when you are married to a man with a profession that requires he travel a lot - you make do. It isn't like I enjoy being separated from him, but I try to focus on our time together rather than the time apart.
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