I will pray for you and your family and the safety of your husband.

I wish you all good luck, good patience, and good friends to make this time easier. 

It's unfair that people are expected to ( feel obligated to / decide for fear of judgement to / subconsciously ) subdue feelings about this.  It smacks of living amidst a witch hunt, not knowing where the line is drawn and what is OK to say.  You have my respect for speaking honestly, as is your practice.

Some may take this approach in self-defense, if making light of a trauma or detatching one's self lessens its impact on the day-to-day ability to get by.  I think it's better to just say it let people know who you are and what you feel.

This is true in general, of course, about anything, but especially about something like this which will impact all of your lives so much for so long.

I fear you've triggered my tendency to ramble - as if by saying many things, I might accidentally stumble on the right thing to say, even though there really isn't one.

If there isn't one, then at least know that we're listening.

I have been staring at my keyboard for far too long waiting to find the right words.  I do not believe they exist.  You are right--I cannot guess, I do not know.  I do, however, share your rage.  To you and your husband, be safe, and hurry home!

Is there a word that could connotate the emotions this stirs?

My sympathy can do nothing for you

I can only say the world scares me today

I am sorry.

clarifying:  sorry he's going away - not sorry because I voted for that asshole (I didn't).

What a beautiful tribute to your husband, your family and a wife and mother's love. 

Thank you for making all of us proud to be human again -

May God protect your husband and your family.

I don't know how much you love your husband, but I know how much I love mine, and if it's in anyway similiar then I somewhat know your situation and what you must be feeling.  My husband has been gone since July 14th of this year.  He was in the states until October 23rd, but I could not see him until he was able to come home for 7 days this month. He has since been deployed to Kuwait and will be on his way to Iraq in a few days. 

His deployment is for 15 months and that started in July, so he won't be home for good until October 2007.  I, too, have felt the same way with everyone telling me how sorry they feel for me. Most of the time they tell me how they couldn't imagine being so far away from their spouse for such a lengthy time.  God, I hate that.  We have no children and no family where we live.  Which in some ways feels doubly hard.

I have sat and cried many days over this and my anger with our government is constantly with me.  I am proud of our soldiers for sacrificing their time and their lives for a cause that is not our own.  But I admit to being selfish and have asked myself, "Why couldn't it be someone elses husband?" 

So as I said, I have no idea the love you feel for your husband, and I have no idea how you are feeling, but I do know how I feel about mine.  As I pray for the safe return of my husband, I'll include yours in my prayers, as well.