The Homecoming

Anticipating and preparing for his arrival. 

by Nikki Lomax-Larson

My husband is on his way home for two weeks of R&R after almost eight months in Baghdad. 

Home.

Safe.

I’ll get a reprieve from the constant worry that has held my life in a vice-grip since his departure last fall.  For two weeks I may be able to sleep without using sleeping pills, or waking from nightmares in a cold sweat.

This past week we received confirmation of his R&R dates, and it’s been a whirlwind ever since.  As military spouses, we all know what goes into preparing for a homecoming, both physically and emotionally.  A few months ago I wasn't sure I was ready for him to come home.  They'd just announced the extensions and I was in a pit of depression.  We were both in our deployment "groove."  Having your spouse come home in the middle of that groove can seriously throw things out of whack; it can take months to get the ship righted again.  But the closer it got, the more excited I became. 

And here we are.

He's almost home.

First things first:  Me.  What should I wear to the airport?  I spent all of last Saturday at the mall buying girly clothes.  I'm usually a “jeans and T-shirt” chick, but I thought a skirt would surprise him as he comes down the ramp.  I must really miss him:  I walked out of Macy's with three skirts, matching froo-froo shirts, two pairs of strappy sandals and a very tired debit card.

I'll be a skirt-wearing fool for the next 14 days.

Next on the list?  The house got a scrub-down from top to bottom, and nothing was spared.  I spent one whole evening scrubbing the grout in my kitchen tile with a toothbrush and a bottle of bleach.  Sadly, I was sober.  I washed his civilian clothes and prepared them for use.  He tells me he can't wait to wear jeans again.

The yard work is all done thanks to the help of one of my neighbors.  He came over one evening to help me mow, weed, hedge, edge, trim, pot flowers and clean-up our backyard patio and grill.  He didn't want my husband to have to do yard work while he's home.

I went grocery shopping and filled the pantry and refrigerator with all his favorite foods and beverages.  I stocked up on fresh fruits and veggies.  I took special care in stocking his favorite beer, something he hasn't had since he left.  All his favorite wines have been carefully arranged in his wine chiller.  I cleaned, washed and vacuumed-out my car as to spare myself the typical car-maintenance lecture on the way home from the airport.

The day he is due home, I will wait for THE CALL that informs me of his arrival time at the airport.