Deployment Day One

My boyfriend leaves for Africa today.  It's only a 6-month deployment, so not long thankfully.  It's kinda unreal tho still; like I expect him to be able to text me in the middle of the day, or stop by after work.  Thankfully, there's internet service in most places he'll be so we can stay in contact.  There's going to be a 6-week period where he'll be in another part of the continent where there is no contact. I'll most likely be pulling my hair out, hugging my phone, waiting for any sign from him.  

He pulled away; distanced himself before he left.  I stopped getting the sweet text messages, the excited to see you's...  He said it's normal for him, to distance himself emotionally from loved ones so that it makes the deployment easier on him.  And it makes sense.  He's got plenty of other stuff to be concerned with and I'm going to be waiting for him here, safe at home.  But I just wanted to spend every minute with him, hugging him, kissing him, protecting him from the world.  He did indulge me on Thursday with a cuddle fest, and my world felt right again.  I'll gladly wait for my man while he's gone.  Then smother him with kisses on that wonderful day he comes home :-)

Lord, give me strength to get through this and keep my heart from breaking from missing him.  Please let time fly by for these next 6 months, and keep my Danny-Boy safe under your watch. Amen.