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Makingyo urspousefeelspecialfromtheothersideoftheworld Holidaysaway fromho me 20 Fort Campbell Families-Winter BY BRIAN COATNEY When you have four boys from ages 11 to 1 and your husband is an Army veteran of 10 years life is challenging but its espe- cially challenging at Christmas during a deployment. Its a reality for military families everywhere but each one deals with it in their own way. The last holiday deployment for the Ellis family was 2013. Rebekah lived with her in- laws in Miami while her husband Matthew was overseas. Though Miami isnt the land of snow and sleds the holidays are embed- ded in us no matter where we live and Re- bekah had to find creative ways to keep the Christmas spirit. Both sides of their extended family live in the Miami area so that meant lots of visit- ing presents and food. Christmas in Miami also meant flip-flops tank tops palm trees and swimming pools. I feel worse for my husband than for us when hes gone said Rebekah who is now stationed at Fort Campbell with him. That year she sent him a foldup plastic Christmas tree with a string of lights and or- naments. Matthew sent back a photo of the tree set up in his room. About Christmas Day Matthew said he missed not seeing the kids faces when they opened their presents. Even when deployed he helps Rebekah decide what presents to get their children. Its just hard when I cant be there in the moment Matthew said. Care packages also conveyed love during his deployments. The kids sent drawings of Dads favorite things and handwritten letters along with practical things like boxers and body wash and sentimental favorites like picture albums. With the wonders of technology there was regular communication during Matthews deployment unlike the days when deployment meant letter writing. The Christmas of 2014 brought a delight- ful change. It was the first time Matthew and Rebekah did Christmas at home with just the boys. They put the tree in the dining room and Christmas music set the mood. One of their family outings was a walk along the Cumberland River to see the lights and decorations. It was nice to have my husband home Rebekah said. Another pleasure last year was enjoying the holiday at a slower pace. Because ex- tended family stayed in Miami the couple said It was just us. On Christmas Eve the family enjoyed the fireplace and played board games like Sorry and Life while drinking egg nog which for Mom and Dad may or may not have been spiked. On Christmas morning the family ate a big breakfast complete with bacon eggs pancakes and fresh fruit. After opening pres- ents everyone wore Santa hats with elf ears around the house while laughing at each other. Dont stress about buying the perfect gift and keep things simple when you need to. Pick realistic goals and let the rest go. Remember Sometimes less is more. Start preparing for the holidays early. Avoid overcompensating and always thinking Thats not enough. Know your children and decide what gifts really matter and what gifts dont. Tips for handling holiday deployments