Against my better judgment, I will make a few comments on this so called, "Spouses Corner" thread.
I was fortunate to miss many diaper changes during the "bang bang" 16-month separation birth of our two rug-rats, by being on cruise or on a det for the first few years of their lives.
In fact, our daughter was born late, bass ackwards in breech, and a month after a 9-month cruise, while I was eating great enchiladas in China Lake on a long scheduled and very important det. (Our skipper graciously gave me an F-14 to quickly fly back to Balboa Naval Hospital overnight to visit mother and child.)
Fortunately, our new daughter not only has my obnoxious personality, but she also has the same "slight ear deformity" that her true father has - me- and not the mailman.
(She is also the only person who has ever taken the flight controls from me ever, in my 40 years of aviation... and she was.... right to do so).
I may have been a little too, "Great Santini" with both of them. But they both persevered. And we are all tight now.
The pics below were at our VF-1 fly-in in the late '70s. The munchkins are probably older now than most readers here. But family separation, and the wonderful return of the father (or mother) after a long separation forever remains the same. And it is remembered forever, especially for the parent if not the very young child.
But isn't that why we do it? For our children, and for our friends and neighbors and for their children, in addition to our desire to serve? Somebody has to!
Ironically, our small son became what I fantasized about - a rock star on tour making 'bank' and with women fawning all over him, albeit briefly for two years. Now, he is a high school counselor, while still enjoying his professional musician career too. And our daughter, after graduating and waiting tables, finally decided to try flying. She is now a corporate jet captain.
Life is long, hopefully. And sometimes separation builds family strength. We as a family, after many bumps in the road and mistakes, are fortunately as tight as any. And as close as ever. May any of yours be the same.
And the little girl on the left, some almost 3 decades later......
But just found out he goes to TPS this summar, ergo will be only a couple hours from home!
Made the wife promise to wait 'til I got back for his first haircut. Precious pictures, I'll have to dig them out and scan them in. 
