reach out and touch someone

Normally, when my cell phone rings, I cross my fingers that it will be my husband on the other end of the line.  Lately he seems to only be able to call me late at night or early in the morning (in other words, when I am sleeping) so I already KNOW it is him as soon as my groggy mind registers the fact that my phone is ringing.

After the past few phone calls from hubby, I now find myself crossing my fingers, hoping I will be able to HEAR at least part of what he is calling to tell me.  He is traveling right now, and has very limited access to any kind of phones....and when he can get to a phone, more often than not his voice is either distorted like something from a sci-fi movie, or broken up into meaningless unrelated syllables, or just completely drowned out by static.  Or all three.

Here's a sample of a very frustrating conversation from late last night:

Me: Hello?

(static)

Me:  Babe, is that you?

Hubs: Ca - ------- e?

Me: I can barely hear you, hang on.  (turning off the white noise machine by my bed - the only thing that can help me sleep these days)

Hubs: I'm still in ---- wi ------ ok? (more static)

Me: Honey, I'm sorry but you're breaking up pretty bad, I can't make out anything, can you please repeat that?

Hubs: I said I am stuck at the airport, not sure how lo------- bu---------a --------- and I ------- ba ------ch -----.

Me: (sigh) Babe, I'm really sorry, all I heard was that you're at the airport....

Hubs: Neverm -(static)----d --- oo --- mail that package yet?

Me: Yes, I sent it out yesterday, priority mail

Hubs: OK hopefully  - - - -  e there in time to get it.  How  - - - oo--  ----ing?

Me: (guessing at the missing content) I'm doing OK, just really miss you.  I have that checkup with the OB in the morning, I will email you to let you know how that goes.

Hubs: Do yo --------- a -------------nd  ------------ar?

*@!!#*^#@&^! (that part was just in my head, not out loud)

This went on for a couple more minutes before we finally gave up.  4 minutes, 38 seconds. 

GRRRRRRRRRRR!

I don't care how much it costs, but if he ever deploys again, we are BUYING OUR OWN SATELLITE PHONE for him to take with him.

It has only been a few days since our last 'real' phone conversation, but it feels like forever.  Especially because I am just now beginning to let it sink in that he is really gone.  For a loooooong time. 

Yikes.

I have some pretty good info that the base he is headed to has decent connectivity, so I am hoping to at least get a 'real' phone call from him soon.  But judging by his last couple of phone calls (or what I could make out, anyway) the travel portion of this is not going well, taking way longer than expected, etc.

So now, even more than wishing/hoping/praying that he will call me, I am concentrating more on wishing/hoping/praying that he arrives safely at his destination.