Well, after knowing this deployment was coming for more than a year, my husband has left, arrived, and is currently getting comfy at his new location in “the sandbox.” Luckily, this deployment is already night and day compared to his first deployment when we were datingāback then it was barely one phone call a week, but the technology has improved so much over the years that we’ve already been able to video chat, which makes me one very happy wife.
Since we’ve had so long to think about this deployment I’ve been making myself busy by planning ways to keep me from going crazy over the next 6+ months. So I made a list, because that’s the easiest way to ensure I always have something to do. Some of the things listed below are also on my 101 Things to do in 1001 Days list (which, by the way, ends this September!), but there are several new things on here. They’re in no particular order and if I don’t do them, or if something comes up and I need to change a few, it’s no biggie; I’m sure I’ll add to it as I think of different projects, too. It’s just a little list of things to keep me occupied if/when I get bored!
The Deployment List
Finish a New York Times crossword puzzle with no help
Take an Italian cooking class
Take the new crochet class on base
Crochet my own scarf (see above)
Take the framing class on base
Frame our wedding invitation (see above)
Frame the kitchen prints we bought in Positano (see above)
Find a home for my postcards
(scrapbook? frames? cardboard box?)
Transfer and move all the photos on my computer to CDs and an external hard drive
Clean the house, room by room.
Write the month and year on our souvenir mugs
Send random āthinking of youā cards to friends/family
Send out birthday cards/presents BEFORE the actual birthday
Fill up the calendar for October and November (it’s waaaay too empty right now)
Hand write a blog entry, then scan and upload it online
Get my health in order: talk to a nutritionist on base, hire a personal trainer, walk up to the castle 10 times, cut carbs, 30-day shred: do it for one month, get a massage
Eat gelato. Lots and lots of gelato. (I realize this goes against the one above, but it’s for my mental health)
Go geocaching
Take a CPR class
Listen to a book on tape
Send lots of baked goods to the sandbox
Come up with tons of care packages and actually send them
Make ice cream without an ice cream machine!
Ride a vespa…or at least sit on one!
Do you have a “deployment” list of things you want to accomplish while your other half is out of the picture? Share some things you have on your list that I may be missing on mine!
12 Comments
I had a deployment list! I did maybe half the stuff, but it was something to keep me busy!
I'm stealing this idea. My husband isn't supposed to deploy until next year, but it's easier to come up with ideas when my mind is clear and happy rather than sad that he's gone. Thanks for the idea! If you're ever in the Naples area, feel free to hit me up!
Love it! I really like the idea to hand write a blog entry – that is just too cool. My list is up on my blog – it's not very long, and mostly "big" items, but I'm already getting some done! ((hugs))
That's quite a list!! š You're amazingly strong and positive; I'd be a little, well … nervous as all get out to be living in a foreign country sans husband for any length of time!
I'm using this deployment to work on changing my eating habits and start working out regularly. So far, so good. I started four weeks ago (the day after my birthday) and have lost 10 pounds and 8.5 inches. I'm also figuring out how to use all the functions on my DSLR and working on a bunch of house projects that have been neglected. Your list is fabulous!
An excellent deployment list! Oddly enough, I have a little envy ā to imagine all the things I would have learned during a deployment if there was no full-time work or toddler. I did knock out a lot of day trips during the last deployment. It was nice to have something to look forward to.
You know Jessica, I actually think I got an idea to do something with our wedding cards based on your 101 in 1001 list. And actually I made confetti out of the cards, and then used it to spell out the letters of our last name. Then we framed them. They were beautiful. It was SO hard to part with them because I worked so hard on them, and they were SO cool.
I'm going to do it again someday. I think maybe when I have a baby, I'll take the cards from her shower and use them to spell out her monogram, and then hang it in her nursery.
So, anyway, maybe you could do something like that – with your monogram since your last name was way longer than mine was. š
Sorry to hear the deployment is started, but, I guess you're already closer to him coming back. Excited to see you.
I love the list and I think I am going to use it to inspire me for a list for when Mr. H starts school since even though we will be together I am imagine nursing school to be very time consuming leaving me with tons of alone time.
Sounds like a busy deployment! Didn't I read somewhere that you were planning on coming back to the states during his deployment? Or did I just make that up…
I had a deployment list! I did maybe half the stuff, but it was something to keep me busy!
I'm stealing this idea. My husband isn't supposed to deploy until next year, but it's easier to come up with ideas when my mind is clear and happy rather than sad that he's gone. Thanks for the idea! If you're ever in the Naples area, feel free to hit me up!
Love it! I really like the idea to hand write a blog entry – that is just too cool. My list is up on my blog – it's not very long, and mostly "big" items, but I'm already getting some done! ((hugs))
"See Jenna" should be at the top of this list…FAIL! Wishing you the best…love you!
That's quite a list!! š You're amazingly strong and positive; I'd be a little, well … nervous as all get out to be living in a foreign country sans husband for any length of time!
I'm using this deployment to work on changing my eating habits and start working out regularly. So far, so good. I started four weeks ago (the day after my birthday) and have lost 10 pounds and 8.5 inches. I'm also figuring out how to use all the functions on my DSLR and working on a bunch of house projects that have been neglected. Your list is fabulous!
An excellent deployment list! Oddly enough, I have a little envy ā to imagine all the things I would have learned during a deployment if there was no full-time work or toddler. I did knock out a lot of day trips during the last deployment. It was nice to have something to look forward to.
Enjoy (as best as you can, of course)!
This is an awesome deployment list! š
You know Jessica, I actually think I got an idea to do something with our wedding cards based on your 101 in 1001 list. And actually I made confetti out of the cards, and then used it to spell out the letters of our last name. Then we framed them. They were beautiful. It was SO hard to part with them because I worked so hard on them, and they were SO cool.
I'm going to do it again someday. I think maybe when I have a baby, I'll take the cards from her shower and use them to spell out her monogram, and then hang it in her nursery.
So, anyway, maybe you could do something like that – with your monogram since your last name was way longer than mine was. š
Sorry to hear the deployment is started, but, I guess you're already closer to him coming back. Excited to see you.
I think it's awesome to have this list and can't wait to read as you cross them off!!!
I love the list and I think I am going to use it to inspire me for a list for when Mr. H starts school since even though we will be together I am imagine nursing school to be very time consuming leaving me with tons of alone time.
Sounds like a busy deployment! Didn't I read somewhere that you were planning on coming back to the states during his deployment? Or did I just make that up…