Th Ring, the Bracelet and the Coffee Mug

My Navy Wife coffee mug broke this morning.  I suppose it was my fault.  I didn't want to get off the couch so I asked Aida to fill my cup for me. 

Groggy, sleepy Aida.  

As soon as she walked to the kitchen I heard the cup fall to the floor.  I just sat there for a minute because I knew what happened.  My newest addition to my Navy mug collection, now with no handle.  In the trash. 

And to add insult to injury, last night while trying on clothes at Kohl's, I noticed that my black Navy bracelet is missing from my arm.  The bracelet that my sister-in-law got me for Christmas, to wear while Derick is away.  

I've lost a little weight since Derick left.  And I think it's all coming off of my upper body.  Including my wrists.  

I think I lost the bracelet at Culver's. I took my kids my kids there for an early dinner.  Because, I was feeling lazy about cooking.  Aida was cold.  Of course, trying to be the good mom, I gave her my sweatshirt.  I think my bracelet came off with the sweatshirt and I didn't realize it.  I need to call them today to see if someone found it.  

I'm sad though.  First my wedding ring, then my bracelet, and now my coffee mug.  I know life is so much more than material possessions.  Derick and I, who always seem to be poor, don't need to be reminded of that.  It's the things - the person - that these items represent.  That's why I have tears in my eyes.  

I miss Derick so much today.  I miss wearing my wedding ring.  This year we will celebrate 9 years of marriage.  I miss the bracelet.  Spring marked 6 years with the Navy.  And the mug, well... It just represents memories.  A visit to Gulfport to see my husband one more time before he left the country.  

In all honesty, I have only been able to wear the ring for about half the time we've been married.  My fingers were too fat when I was having babies.  And I've bent either the prongs or the ring, itself, 3 separate times. 

But somehow, the longer he's gone the more naked my left hand feels.  I already said that it's not the ring, it's what the ring represents.  But that's not entirely true.  Derick went shopping and picked this ring all by himself.  He did it way before he proposed, way before I gave him any hint that I might say yes.  Actually, he bought it way before I would have said yes.  And he picked a ring that is perfect for me.  I miss my ring because it's the ring that my husband bought. For me.  

And in missing the ring, I miss the man who gave it to me.  Ya know, I love the Navy as much as Derick does.  I love the man that Derick is when he is in uniform.  Maybe I can love it better, because we made the decision for him to enlist, together, as married adults.  We may not have totally known what we were getting ourselves into but, we were certainly not naive.  The Navy come first.  I knew that.  I'm ok with that.  I appreciate that, in his dedication to our country.  I even love that.  

But, today I miss Derick.  And so do my kids.  The ring, the bracelet and the coffee mug are just very acute reminders of exactly how much we miss Derick.  

Well... Yay for summer, I guess. And swimming and vacations and a whole season of distractions...