Here’s a funny post from Army wife Sarah, looking back on some memorable moments in the deployments she has survived. You can read her blog here.

I know most of you have seen Snow White, so you are familiar with Sneezy, Happy, Dopey, Doc, Bashful, Sleepy and Grumpy, the seven dwarfs. Little did you know there are seven dwarfs of deployment.

Doc: Once your husband leaves you not only are mother and father, but plumber, electrician, counselor, and doctor. You have to be it all and do it all to pick up the slack from missing an entire adult from the family. Cold and flu season is finally at an end, I was feeling like a doctor or a nurse, more like an orderly as I have touched way more human by-products than I care to talk about.

Sleepy: This one is easy, I honestly can count on one hand the number of nights I have actually slept more than six hours straight through. Children, pets, and faulty alarm system wiring have kept me very sleepy.

Sneezy: I know that stress and lack of sleep lower the immune system, but seriously, could we have had a few more illnesses in the house? All five of us got Hand Foot and Mouth disease, fortunately is sounds worse than it was, but it was not pretty.

Grumpy: I am currently channeling Grumpy, I am so grumpy and grouchy. We are around the half way mark and I am fed up with this deployment. The kids are sick of each other and sick of me. I feel like I am walking around with a gray cloud over my head.

Happy: Right before R&R or at the end of the deployment, there is so much happiness. I keep playing our reunion in my head over and over. I can’t wait for R&R. I am so excited to see the look on my boys faces when they see their Dad and the look on his face when they see him.

Bashful: I don’t know why, but I am always a little bashful when my husband first comes home. Will he still love me, find me attractive? That always goes out the window with that first reunion kiss. I know that it will, but I always wonder, and I am always nervous to see him.

Dopey: Disney describes Dopey as childlike. Reunion always makes me feel Dopey, a little childlike, giddy at the thought of seeing and hugging my soldier again. It is like Christmas morning and your best birthday rolled into one. Your heart pounds and you are so full of anticipation.

This analogy would not be complete without the last scene of the fairy tale, where the prince kisses Snow White, bringing her back to life. I have felt half asleep throughout this deployment, my heart on ice. I can’t wait for that first reunion kiss to wake me from this horrible deployment dream. We will live happily ever after, at least until the next deployment.