Thursday, February 10, 2011

Coming Home

I have been home now approximately two weeks. In that time, Gavi has ambushed me with some flying stuffed thing at every opportunity. Jesse has really gone from being a big boy to a small man. Keren is..well..Keren.

Since being home, Gavi has been home from school with a headache. I think he threw up once too. Keren is home today with strep. She did throw up. Jennifer and I have been to their school once to teach, and then went back today for a meeting. We have twice rescheduled Jesse's interview for CHAT (Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto). There was an optometrist appointment for Gavi. There was a doctor appointment for Jesse. I have done one funeral. I have another one on Sunday. Jennifer had a meeting Monday evening. We are both donating blood next week. Jennifer and I spent Tuesday taking care of some paperwork that was dependent on immigration status for both of us. It is all done, but she does not have OHIP, and I do not have a SIN card. OHIP is the socialized medicine up here. SIN (Social Insurance) is Canada's equivalent of a Social Security number.

"They" always tell the spouses of deployed family members not to do anything radical while the spouse is gone. There should be no radical changes to hairstyles. The house should look the same when the Sailor comes back in the door. Do not buy a new car.

Now for the Gorman perspective: if Jennifer purchased a Porsche while I was gone, I would regard it as a small price to pay for a happy wife. If she changed her hair, I am a guy. It is unlikely I would notice. As far as changing the house around, Jennifer rearranges furniture. If I came home after however long, and the furniture had not shifted, I would be concerned about her. She also painted the ensuite, the kids' bathroom, and the master bedroom. Again, this is what she does.

My life is primarily in the second paragraph of this entry. The other stuff - hairstyle, car, house - is minor. These are the things that Jennifer must do to continue living. I would never want her to avoid them. Jennifer is not going to move and forget to tell me the address. Short of that, I expect her to live the way she wants and needs to live.

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