Prisoners of war. They now have prisoners of war. My stomach is sick with thoughts of that.

I support this war. I support our government, even though I didn't vote for Bush and I don't consider myself a staunch conserverative, I support what we're doing.

C and I spoke a little last night about his time in the region, during Desert Storm. He told me things that had happened to him that I wasn't aware of, and today, when I heard about the POWs, made me shake. I am so thankful that when he rejoined the military, he chose the Navy. It was his choice. He also chose submarines, again, which I am thankful for. He is safer down there in his cigar tube than he would be on the ground - or even on a surface ship.

My mood has been bad all week. Granted, the stress of multiple things this week caused several melt downs, for both of us. I found something at the drug store today called "Relora" and I'm going to start taking it, to try and even out these ups and downs. With C working 12 hour days, plus duty every four days, sometimes he's gone nearly 48 hours at a time. Which is nothing, when compared to a deployment, but during deployment (his longest being three weeks up until now, but he's only been on the boat for four months), I know I can't talk to him. When there's a 12 hour day, then a duty day (on the boat for 24 hours straight), then another 12 hour day, it's sad and frustrating and long. We knew what we were getting into. But we miss connecting. And we're both pushed to the limit sometimes. I cracked twice this week. He cracked once.

Last night, we had a couple drinks and watched "Sweet Home Alabama". Then I gave him the hairbrush-paddle that I bought him to go along with my most recent story, and we played a little. After the main event (I'm trying to be gentle - ha, ha), we talked for a long time, and found that connection between us that we desperately miss when life pulls us in 20 different directions. It was reassuring - intimate - grounding - and reaffirming for us both. I woke up very relieved.

Course, then I took him to the base for a 36-hour stint, came home and heard about the POWs. I went to the bookstore and the drugstore, and am now home, thinking about playing EverQuest, but will probably end up watching CNN and writing instead.