OT: Good to be home

[TedH]

Made it back home last night. What a good feeling out of there and back home. You guys that must travel all the time for your jobs, I don't know how you do it. My 6 year old daughter called me Thursday night in tears because she missed her Daddy so much, and wanting me to be home. It's a good feeling to know they miss you, but I wanted to leave for home right then and there. I could never do that all the time. Makes a guy realize how truly blessed he is.

[Hobie]

I used to be gone all the time. Hated travel except in the homeward direction. HOWEVER, I looked around and got my kids cool stuff that allowed me to teach them about where I'd been.

[Ysabel Kid]

Made it back home last night. What a good feeling out of there and back home. You guys that must travel all the time for your jobs, I don't know how you do it. My 6 year old daughter called me Thursday night in tears because she missed her Daddy so much, and wanting me to be home. It's a good feeling to know they miss you, but I wanted to leave for home right then and there. I could never do that all the time. Makes a guy realize how truly blessed he is.

Ted -

Glad you made it safely. Last week was a long one for me - left Monday morning after the kids left for school, and got home Friday evening. My kids are used to it now, but it doesn't make it any easier on me. When Y2K was a button he used to cry every time he'd see my suitcase or see me in a tie - he knew either meant I was leaving.

For as tough as it is, I just imagine how tough it is on our brave men and women deployed protecting us in the dangerous stuff-holes we need to send them to - and it puts it all in perspective. My son is old enough to understand the comparison. My 6-year old daughter isn't though - will take another few years.

[rjohns94]

I am glad you are back safe. I don't miss deployments at all. Was just something you had to do back then. of the 21 years I was in, I was deployed 13 years of it. no way to live.

[O.S.O.K.]

I know that feeling. Home. My own bed.

I've been traveling for a living for over 22 years now. Needless to say, the whole family is used to it. In fact, the only real excited greetings I get when I come back from a trip (which happens about two out of three weeks) is from the dogs. The rest of the family is glad to see me but it's not like anything special that I'm back - it's just the normal routine....

Fortunately for us, my wife is very take charge and organized. She's moved us many times - while I'm off starting the new job, position, etc., she was supervising the move, the sale of the old house, the hunt for the new one - or the building of it, etc. Also fortunately, she liked doing that! Otherwise, we'd surely be divorced or I'd have taken up another carreer long ago.

I really like my job but I must admit to being really tired of being gone all of the time.

This makes vacation time stressful as my wife who is a teacher now (she stayed at home for 15 years to raise our 3 kids) wants to travel somewhere to get away for vacation.... needless to say, I don't. Most of the time she wins. Weekends too are fun - she wants to get out and do something because she's cooped up in the classroom all week - and me... well you know.

Yep, travel gets old real fast.

If it wasn't for the job and the paycheck, there's no way I'd keep doing it.

[kimwcook]

Good to see your trip was uneventful and your now home. I hate traveling for work.

Years ago, I was a fleet mechanic for a heli-portable seismic outfit. I covered eight states. The standard company hours was seven days a week, 12 hours a day. Many a day I worked 18-20 hours and turned around the next day for 12. Many a time I'd be in North Dakota and have to be in Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, etc.. or vice versa the following day ready for work. Good thing I was young. Wouldn't even consider doing it now unless the incentive was over the top.