Twelve minutes in heaven

Ever play the kids game seven minutes in heaven? On Sunday I spent twelve minutes in heaven except for the being felt up by some boy in the closet. No, my little bit of heaven was with my husband.

It was my first VTC with him where I actually got to see him, no arguing with the rear detachment, no changing the schedule 60 times and no real problems. This was a complete 180 from last time.

I’ve been having nightmares all week long, fearing that I would some how miss him. I dreamt that I had the wrong time, overslept, and even completely forgot. Even while I was driving to the unit HQ, I had a knot in my stomach thinking that some how I has missed the time and didn’t know it.

I walked into the hallway of the HQ and was met by faces that all had the look that I felt, fear, joy, and nervousness all rolled into one pitiful look. There were chairs in the hall but I chose to stand because there were several little munchkins running about and I wanted them to have a seat if they needed it.

Eventually I got to sit and started talking to a woman who was a fiancé of a soldier. She’s German, quite pretty, and very nice to talk to. She moved from her town up north to our neck of the woods about 4 months before her fiancé deployed. She started to relay some of her own horror stories of trying to take care of business while not being married to the man. I can empathize with her, she was stuck on several occasions and it’s still tough for her to get things done – even getting on post to go to the VTC required someone to sign her on. The things we do for love right?

Finally for what seemed like forever, it was my turn. It was great to see him. He looked good, tan (for a man that doesn’t tan), and even a little thick. His free time is used at the gym and it shows. As with satellites, there was a slight delay with the audio. I am used to that, so I just stared at the image while waiting for the response to come across. I caught myself on the second screen once or twice and I looked the complete grinning idiot. My smile was huge, and plastered on my face. It must have looked like a cheerleader smile during a competition; sans the Vaseline on the teeth (I didn’t need the help keeping the smile).

We giggled often and I mean often. I think it was because we were both nervous. I remember when we were getting our engagement picture taken. He giggled a lot which was out of character for him, until I realized he was nervous and didn’t want our picture going out with him looking silly so he started to giggle. We mostly had small talk, he wanted to bring the “portable Genesh” with him but it was too heavy and decided against it. Mostly we just stared at each other trying to see all the changes that have happened over the past three months.

Cpt F (I can’t call her Gomer anymore, she redeemed herself…mostly) stuck her head in and gave me the one minute warning. We were amazed that 11 minutes had already passed. We said our I love you’s and then the door opened. I had to cut him off so we wouldn’t take away from the next family. As I scurried out the door I heard another I love you and I hollered back that I’d see him soon.

Someone had conveniently placed a box of tissues on the conference table; I grabbed one early on and was wringing it throughout the conversation – that tissue was quite beat up by the time I actually used it to wipe away a tear. I was elated and sad at the same time and I just wanted to flee to the car with my thoughts and the image of my baby in my mind. The young woman I was talking to earlier was in her car and honked at me. I jumped 8 feet in the air. She rolled down the window and we spoke briefly. I was really in my own world that I need to call her and apologize. She probably thinks I was really rude. Besides that since she is not so close to her family now and lives alone while waiting, I should give her a call and make sure she’s doing alright.

I am in seventh heaven today, I float around the office and tell anyone who will listen that I finally got to see him…..Next month I get to see him again and I can’t wait.

Another 12 minutes in heaven just 4 weeks away.