he made it

Finally got the phone call that I have been waiting for, and it honestly kinda sucked.

Hubby finally made it to his new 'home away from home' so I at least feel relieved that the travel nightmare is over (and this trip was worse than any that I know of).  He is SAFE. For now, at least.

But he sounded really depressed, and then we had the usual conversation, consisting primarily of me saying "I'm sorry babe, I can't hear you, can you please repeat that", or even just asking "huh?" or "what?" and I could tell he was getting really frustrated with that - I worry that he will get mad at me, say I am just not listening, etc.

I strain SO HARD to hear him over the static, the echo that distorts everything, and his MUMBLING.  Yes, he does mumble.

When he is not deployed, we have problematic phone conversations, because he doesn't seem to understand basic phone etiquitte, and he gets mad at ME for this.   I remember one time when he actually hung up on me because I asked him to repeat himself so many times, and later we argued about this - he asked me why I wouldn't just LISTEN to him more carefully......and I was forced to point out that I am not the only one who has to ask him to repeat things over the phone (and I don't generally have to ask other people to do this).

I finally figured out during a training exercise last year that he has a reason for thinking I am not actively listening to him on the phone....it is because when HE asks ME to repeat something over the phone, he is doing so because he was distracted, for instance by the TV.  So he assumes that I am not giving him my full attention if I didn't hear something.

ANYWAY, this post was not supposed to be such a rant, but I am feeling cranky after waiting and waiting to hear from him, and then having the conversation be so.....well, watered down by all the technical issues. 

I need to stop worrying that he will be MAD at me over this. 

His first care package could be delivered to him as early as TODAY, so maybe that will cheer him up :)