I would just suggest hang in there and don't have to high expectations just yet. It sounds like he is there for you but let him think a little more about what he is missing. Keep up the good work in supporting him and be strong you can do it.
It is hard with them gone. I know its twice as hard when the kids are little but you have to be the strong one. Try and do stuff for you not jsut Him.
Hang in there. Hug for you and stay strong.. You can do it.
First of all, hats off to you for toughing it out this long.
It's good you understand his situation (I'm pretty sure the last thing your man wants is to be assigned somewhere far from his family), and it's equally good that you are being the anchor of the family and keeping everyone together.
Be good to yourself...no sense in wanting to smack yourself upside the head when you're already doing such a fine job of staying strong and being the loving and supporting wife he needs you to be.
I used to watch a TV show called "The Unit," and it's about a bunch of Marines being sent off to God-awful places doing God knows what.
The only reason why I bring it up is that the wives they have left behind always adhere to the adage: "A distracted Marine is a dead Marine."
While that sounds completely bizaare, you have to think about it closely.
What you're doing is helping him keep focused with what he needs to do. It's natural to feel a little frustration when the warmth seems to be absent. But considering where he is and what he's doing now, every e-mail that comes through that Inbox (whether it's yours, your kids or other loved ones --- and sometimes not necessarily in that order) is a blessing.
Just hang in there! The reassurances will come when you need it.
