War Hits Hard for Families of Soldiers Sent Off to Fight

Deployment worry feels different. Physically, it feels like cold sweats and heart palpitations. That is exactly how I felt when I heard, while driving somewhere in the spring of 2024, that hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones were heading directly toward my husband’s location overseas.

“Ballistic missiles?” I remember texting him. “Please stay safe.”

Mentally, deployment feels like dread, usually followed by a quick reality check. I was pulled back to the present moment by my toddler daughter, who loudly requested “Baby Shark” from the backseat of the car. I switched the radio from news to my Spotify app. I zoned out. I sang along. “Baby Shark, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo.”