Army Wives and Tums

So here is my Sunday evening TV lineup:


8:58: Masterpiece
9:55: the last 5 minutes of Army Wives
10:00: Coming Home
11:00: the first 5 minutes of Army Wives
11:05: Bed

You only need to watch the first and last 5 minutes of Army Wives to know what is going on. Truthfully, I think the show is a joke. I remember when the show first started; I watched the first episode hoping it would be great: but instead it made me angry. Here is what ticked me off:

Enlisted wife has waited hours in the ER for her son to be seen. Officer’s wife breezes in and immediately gets an appointment in the ER for her daughter to get a physical. Now in the show, the officer’s wife gives the appointment to enlisted wife and son.

It would almost make me laugh, if it weren’t already making me cry. That doesn’t happen…and they never go on to be friends. How do I know this? I once sat in the ER with my baby boy, who it would turn out had pneumonia, for hours waiting with all the rest of the sick and hurt children. After 3 hours a woman walks in followed by her husband who proceeds to throw a fit that his wife has not been “seen” yet, and why is she out here with all of these “enlisted”? He actually used the word “enlisted” like it was a disease. His exact rank I don’t remember, even though he shouted it enough, but I do know that his wife was then seen immediately. It still makes me angry. That was one of our first nights on Ft. Belvoir, talk about disappointment.

So why do I still watch? Maybe I am hoping I’ll catch a glimpse of my life. Or maybe I wouldn’t watch the show at all if it didn’t come on right before Coming Home. I don’t know why I even watch that? It only makes me cry. And it encourages people to feel sorry for me, and I hate that. Don’t feel sorry for me…. I’m fine. I’m strong, capable and independent.

Wow! Would you believe this was supposed to be a post about D’s homecoming? Way off track. We are just over 24 hours away….

I’m nervous. How crazy is that? I am nervous about seeing my husband of 8+ years. I noticed this niggling feeling in my stomach yesterday but today it has turned into full fledged anxiety. Who knows if I will be able to sleep tonight? Tomorrow? Forget about it, I’m going to be a mess. And for the life of me, I can’t tell you WHY I am so nervous. It’s only been four months, we’ve done that before. I am more nervous about him coming home that I was about his leaving in the first place. Why is that? Really…does anyone know?

I need a Tums.