Keith

The bf has a name and it is Keith.

In the wee hours of the morning, following a fabulous weekend, his deployment began.  We said goodbye twice before he had to leave.  His dad, a close family friend, my mom and I stayed until after the troops left base.  Until we couldn't see them anymore.

A little girl next to me sobbed after watching her dad leave.  She turned to her mom and, as she gasped for air, said, "Mommy, when am I going to stop crying?"

I have thought about that sweet little girl a lot.

Time is too precious to wish away, I know that.  But I can't help but wish I could get my hands on life's remote control so that I could push the fast forward button for a little bit.

The rewind button to relive the fun times.

And the pause button for moments I wish lasted a little bit longer.

There's a beer bottle in the fridge, leftover from when he stayed with me last week.  I will drink it one of these days, but for now I like that it reminds me that he was just here.

A dresser drawer and a portion of my closet are filled with his clothes.  Some of them will become my new favorite pajamas... even the shirts that bear the name of a college team that no born-and-bred Ohioan should ever be caught supporting.

The chalkboard in my kitchen reads Keith loves Jen, written in his surprisingly neat handwriting and I will try not to erase it before he comes back, even if it does take up the whole gosh darn board.

This is where our relationship is right now.  And fortunately for us, technology is a third wheel in it.

I'm pretty sure Keith is my most loyal reader.  Somewhere across the world, he is sleeping.

So to you I say sweet dreams.

I love you.

I miss you.

Be safe.

I can't wait for you to come home.

(And you're welcome for not posting that picture of you that you thought was so unflattering.)