A phone call from HIM is often the highlight of a day, week, or even month. In my case, I thought about it all day. I waited. It was my light at the end of a never-ending tunnel. And I was paranoid that I wouldn’t be able to answer. So how do you prevent missing that precious phone call during a work trip? I know I’m not alone. Have you ever felt like this?
- “I find myself carrying my cell phone to the bathroom with me and keeping it on by my bedside because I am petrified I will miss his call.”
- “It’s the waiting by the phone for the text or call and the worry for his safety that’s killing me.”
- “Do you have any tips on how to keep the worrying to a minimum and the anxiety of never knowing when the phone will ring? Feel like I’m going to have to be carrying it and sleeping next to it for the next 6 months because of the dreaded fear of missing his call…”
And let me tell you, the dread is real. Because I’ve missed a call before. And. It. Sucks. I cried. I bawled. I felt like I was letting him down. I plunged into discouragement and just wanted to rewind those few minutes so I could pick up and he’d be on the line. I listened to his voice mail over and over and over. And cried some more. So what in the world can be done to avoid this heartache and hear his voice on the other end of the line?
- Carry Your Phone Everywhere. Yes, it is totally normal to carry your phone everywhere during separation time/his business trip. I think most wives/girlfriends I’ve met do that too! Someone should invent something to just glue it to us haha. Oh ya…
- Get A Belt Clip. Total nerd alert. But do what you gotta do! Other options: carry it in your hands (novel idea), wear a lanyard, wear a Bluetooth in your ear… You don’t want to be on the other side of the house and not hear your phone ring!
- Secure It To Your Purse. If you have a huge purse like I do, filled with crap where everything gets lost inside… clip your phone to the outside or keep it in an outside pocket. It’s possibly the worst feeling ever if you hear it ring but just can’t get to it inside the depths of your Hermione Granger bag…
- During Work. Cell phones are often a no-no at work. However, talk to your boss, and he/she may be understanding. They may allow you to leave it out and take a call during work hours. If never hurts to ask!
- Turn Up Your Volume. Seems like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to have the volume off or down and forget to turn it back up.
- Make sure you’re charged up. Charge your phone at night, have a charger in your car, and carry one in your purse. Having 7% left when he calls is a recipe for a lot of disappointment.
- Answer Unknown or Blocked Calls. I never answer numbers I don’t recognize, let alone a blocked or “unknown” caller. However, on deployment it’s different. Always answer just in case. You can always hang up if it’s a telemarketer.
- Change Your Voice Mail Message. If you’re going to be w/o your phone for a short period, change your message on your voicemail. Leave a little message telling him to try you back in 15-20 min (or whenever you’re free) if he can. There’s a chance he could call you right back and you’ll get to talk to him after all. Just don’t leave to much personal info on the message since everyone can hear it!
What if a call was missed
Unfortunately, a missed phone call can still happen, no matter how diligent and on top of things you are. There’s no way to 100% prevent a missed call, and you have to come to peace about the chance of missing one. BUT you can be prepared and take the steps above to prevent it from happening. So if you do miss that call, here are some ways to deal with it:
- Know that it will stink and you’ll probably cry, and that’s normal too.
- Sit down and write him a letter telling him how you’re feeling and how much of a bummer it was, and that you’re thinking of him. And whenever he gets it he will appreciate it!
- Remember it’s ok to feel upset and grieve the loss of not being able to talk with him. Don’t stuff your feelings! Or if you’re somewhere you can’t be fully expressive, be sure to revisit how you felt later when you have some downtime. Emotions don’t just resolve on their own and we have to process them.
Remember it’s ok to feel upset and grieve the loss of not being able to talk with him. Don’t stuff your feelings!
- If you need a lift, call a friend or family member, send me an email or come post on my Facebook page. You’re not alone so connect with those of us who have been through this!