How does one get ready?

Is there really anyway to prepare yourself or your children emotionally for the deployment of your husband, their father?

I believe that my daughter is very advanced for her age. Kaitlyn is 3 and knows just as much as normal 5 year olds, yet she understands complex life ideas. She knows about death, about birth, how time works and distance. Kaitlyn understands this happens because you do this. But how much does she really understand when I tell her that her daddy is going to be far away in Afghanistan and not with us? Does she really get it that she won't get to hold her daddy's hand for a year? or get a pony ride from him or have her own human punching bag, or someone to say "ok, you can watch one more show" or "ok just a few more pieces of candy" after mommy says no more.

And then there's Kaylee. She's not even a year old yet. Is she going to remember her daddy? Will she be scared of him? In time will she even notice that he was gone?

Ok, now what about me? Is he still going to be in love me? Will he realize what he's been missing? Will he be more in love with me than ever or be more distant that ever?

All of these things run through my mind on a daily basis. But who wouldn't this effect? This is a huge life event.

I know that I will do everything in my power to ensure my girls remember their daddy. We will draw pictures and write letters. When Kaitlyn goes to Karate and gymnastics classes I will video it for him to watch and I will show them pictures of him and talk about him everday. And thank god for Skype! Hopefully we will be able to talk to him everyday.

I know that we are not the only one's that are effected by this. I know he thinks about it too. But shit, is he not hard headed! I know he has worries and fears and all kinds of emotions running through him, but does he talk about any of it? Not to me. I just hope that before it's too late he will spend more precious moments with these two beautiful girls. I hope he realizes that I'm here for him, I love him and want things to get back to perfect with us. Well, as perfect as a marriage can be anyways. I want him to know that he can trust me and confide in me all the things that he once thought he couldn't.

And most of all I want him to understand that it's okay to be scared, we all are. But scared or not, we will get through this. We have no doubt gotten through worse things and we are still intact. Remember that God will never throw more at you than you can handle. We've proven that and will continue to do so. Our family will persevere. Love conquers all.

So, is there any way to get ready for all of this???