one year on

It's been about a year since my husband started working away. As a military family we are fairly used to separation, but this has been by far the longest. It's hard on all of us; me, him and the kids. Normally we would follow him as a family, but the children are coming up to exams and I'm in the process of a new career. After a year I would have thought it would be easier, but it's not. It gets harder every month. We are together about 1 weekend in 3 and every time he goes back it's more difficult to say goodbye.

This is my rarely worn wedding ring. Rarely worn because my finger blisters as soon as any dirt/soap gets under the ring. It's twenty years old this year. It's turning into an antique and is a little battered, like me, but still intact like our relationship. Like our marriage the ring still symbolises something wonderful and precious whether its on my finger or separated from me.