I'm six weeks into a six month tour...my sixth day was the worst!! But since then I've realized there are a few rules I have to live by:
1) Stay busy...it keeps your mind off him, and on what you want to be doing, which is living. Being a zombie does no one any good.
2) Don't glue yourself to the news, tv, newspaper or otherwise, but in the same sense don't avoid it either...just live life as you do when he is in the same country. (yeah you worry, but time doesn't stand still, even though he thinks that when he gets back it will be approx 5 minutes after the time that he left...like you were frozen in some time/space continuum LOL)
3) Some people do laundry on his side...I sleep on his side and let the dog have mine....but now that I think about it, laundry is probably a better idea...since it is easier to kick the laundry out of the bed when he gets home...at least laundry won't keep trying to climb in between you during the night. :
4) many wives live by the rule of not telling him you are having a bad day. Our family doesn't operate that way, if I never had a bad day...hubby would think I burried the kids in the back yard somewhere and was heavily sedated on drugs. The fact is, we are human, and everyone has a bad day. On the flipside...you don't need to spend your entire 35 minutes/week on the phone lamenting about how bad your day was...if you have a bad day...or really miss him cus he gives good massages and you slept wrong and have a kink in your neck, and the planets are not alligned and you're pmsing and cranky and the dog won't stop bugging you and the cat puts his butt in your face, tell him and then move on. Everyone needs a brain dump...and if you tell him, he will remember that life goes on at home...just don't unload so much that he won't be able to concentrate on his job at hand. There is a fine line, be aware of it.
5) and almost MOST Importantly...don't count down the days till you see him again...instead celebrate each additional day of strength and independance. By counting down...you are concentrating on his absence, by celebrating each day of strength and independance, you are concentrating on your accomplishments and growth dispite the circumstances. For instance, give or take a few bad days...I have over 50 days of coping on my own with the freedom to answer to only myself and to have full decision making powers. Some of my accomplishments include changing my own tire, shoveling the entire driveway in one go, cleaning up doggy puke without puking myself...and losing 12+lbs!!! Not bad for just 50 days!
Lastly...you can do it...even when you think you can't...you can.
I'll cyber snuggle you...well, not snuggle per sé, but I'll send you some cyber hugs when ever you need them. ((HUGS))
Cheers,
CAW