Please tell me how do you prepare for this?

I realize it has been a few days since I've blogged...and I do apologize...we have been super busy and by the time I get home I crash and my mind can not even begin to think straight for a blog. You would be wondering what I was on for sure. :) But there is something I would like to share with my deareset blog friends. Something happened to me a few days back that caught me off guard and I thought I had plenty of time to prepare for it...but it happened sooner than I thought. Has that ever happened to you? Cause if it has...then you can very well relate to what I am about to say. So as most of you know...my husband is in 5th Special Forces Group...and if you still have no clue...he's a Green Beret...you know like John Wayne. LoL There that should be clear enough. :) What does this mean you ask...well it means he is gone a LOT! But let me stop here for a sec...this blog is in no way, shape, or form written for you to feel bad for me or to think I'm more of a woman or whatever...I am NOT that kind of Army wife! This is just me being open...I don't need sympathy..I chose this life and we adjust...and my husband loves his job...I couldn't be happier. I have a lot to say about Army wives who constantly whine and complain and are always looking for someone to say "poor you"...and what I have to say about that is not good. :) But anyway...that is another blog in and of itself. haha So my husband is gone a lot...for instance we got married in June...he left in July and I did not move to be with him until the following January. The week after I got there he left for training and so on and so forth. This year alone he has been gone every month and some of those months were consecutive...meaning he didn't come home some months. I of course miss him when he is away...but truth is it has become life...I thankfully am very independent...so I just keep going...never giving it another thought. On October 30, 2007...it changed. Our beautiful son was born and the thought of Wesley going away honestly frightened me a little. I could take care of myself when he was away...but what about another human being...especially one that depended solely on me? So the day come...duty called...Wes was off again for God only knows how long. I prepared myself as best I could and you know what...I survived. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. We got in our little routine and everything just seemed to flow. So that's how it went...Wes would leave...we would go on with life and then celebrate when he came home. Until Ian started getting older..then it changed somewhat...daddy would leave and Ian would act out for a few days...then all would be well...and then when daddy would return Ian would be excited for the first day and then jealousy of sharing mommy would sink in...but that was to be expected. I had prepared for that...we once again adjusted to the new way of things. Well now my son is almost 2 (I can't believe it) and as you can imagine...my husband is gone again...and something happened to me (or should I say us) that in the back of my mind I knew I needed to prepare for...but honestly thought it wouldn't happen for a while. So my husband leaves and everything is normal...Ian has gotten into this habit that when Wes leaves for work Ian ask him for a kiss...well when we dropped Wes off at the airport he was in quite a bit of a hurry and didn't get to kiss Ian bye. Well Ian was greatly disappointed and kept pointing at the double doors Wes had went through crying "kiss, kiss". I was very sad for him...but what could I do...Wes had a plane to catch. Thankfully...they delayed his plane for several hours so Ian finally got his kiss. We drive home that evening and all is well...the next day Ian has a bad day acting out...but it is very normal cause his daddy just left. The day after he is just fine...things are going very normal....we are in our "daddy's away" routine. Then it happens...Wesley finally gets the time to call..and it's right before Ian's bed time so of course I ask if he wants to talk. What happens next is what I was NOT prepared for...Ian takes the phone and as soon as Wes says "hey buddy" Ian starts crying and pointing at the phone saying "daddy" over and over. He was so upset he wouldn't stop crying (now mind you this wasn't hysterical crying..but tears were coming out of his eyes and down his little chubby cheeks). I ended up holding him for a bit and then putting him to bed. What more could I do? I'll tell you...it broke my heart. I sat there after I put him to bed wondering what he must be thinking...how could he know what was going on..how could I explain it to him...or most importantly could I have prepared him more? I felt so helpless that night wondering if this was going to happen from now on...every time Wesley leaves. I'm going to be honest...I don't know if I can deal with that. As I am writing this I am crying at the thought of my little broken hearted son wondering why his daddy isn't there to play with him or tuck him in for the night. That is daddy/son time there...bed time...when Wes is home he always puts him to bed and they talk and play for a bit before he actually puts him down. Of course...Ian being the 2 year old he is...wakes up the next morning as normal and happy as can be. And thankfully the next time Wes got to call (which was today :) Ian was fine...talked to him like normal. But I sincerely ask you...how do you prepare for that...please tell me!