Deployment, those left behind.

It really starts to sink in that this deployment has gotten underway when the kids start crying about it.  My wife, 2 BILs, and teenager have been doing well to keep the kids distracted, but they have definitely started to notice, and not quite understand, my absence.  Even with regular Skyping, and phone calls, they are missing the hugs, snuggles, and general playing together.  Wife said Boy got all snotty and upset about it a few hours ago, when she was putting them to bed.
Teenager, however, is used to the absence, as she was living East Coast, and we were living at Duty Station.  She still hates that I couldn't be there for her 18th birthday, and that I can't make it home for her high school graduation. (Which, thankfully, the school airs online for troops that are deployed, since its a huge military area). She understands it far better than the twins do, and she is being amazingly helpful with everything, even taking the twins to her soccer practices once or twice a week, and running them out of energy (her coach is a very nice guy).  She is also taking full advantage of mandatory study hall, for the team, and finishing her homework so that when she gets home she can spend time with her siblings.  She is a little sad with the realization that she wont get to see them every day when she starts college in August.  And now, since she is one of the few that know about the pregnancy, she is feeling pangs about missing out on the baby's first couple months.  She is already coordinating rides home for the weekends, homework permitting!

Wife.  My rock.  She is amazing in how she has handled me deploying, her and twins moving back home, still handling FRG from there, Teenager becoming an adult, graduating high school, and going to college soon,  and the pregnancy.  Even having tried as long s we did, and hoping every month would be the month, the final realization that we are going to have a baby definitely still hits hard.  And even though its still like super-duper early (less than 4wks in, cause the meds made everything wonky) she is starting to account for it, and plan things around the pregnancy.  At least it keeps her busy. Shes even told me to pick names already (I get to pick the name, but she has to approve it.....did that with the twins too)....at least I have til Oct to think of a name....
Shes talked about finishing Boy's potty training, and hopes Girl will soon be ready to potty train.... And how, since we have a baby on the way, we need to get the twins into actual beds, because we will need one of the cribs........and I'm like "Babe, chill....we have plenty of time to get everything done, dont stress yourself out, its not good for the two of you"...at which she smirks, and agrees to not worry about it (which lasts about an hour?)
She misses the physical aspects of our relationship (mainly the cuddling, lol) but I am lucky enough to have a wife who understands why I do what I do.