It is the small things that make your heart stop ..Day 319+

You all know you have done it.. you all have enjoyed that crazy rush when you were young and you ran up to a friends door late at night not to actually talk with them but to DING DONG DITCH them. You giggled, you ran, you hid... you had a blast doing it.
I am now that parent who hates ding dong ditching. I find it to be mean and unthoughtful. I say this because to a military spouse whose husband is deployed, it is. This is how it feels on the other side of the door. It is 11pm or later, and you are beginning to tire. You have just sent an email to your husband telling him how much you miss him and worry about his safety.  You have checked on the kids and they are all sound asleep.  The doorbell rings... instant fear creeps in to your head and your heart drops to your stomach. You slowly walk to the door not wanting to open it up, not wanting to see who is on the other side. You know your kids are in and safe. You know that no one should be ringing the bell so late unless....... unless it is for some horrible reason, this could be the notification about your husbands life.

No matter how much I keep myself protected by my bubble, no matter how much I pretend..... the fear of that notification stays buried deep in my mind until I get to hold Bill again, until I get to touch him, smell him and see his smile. 
That being said.... I hate ding dong ditchers... I appeal to every parent out there to explain the fear that this game places on ones heart late at night. It could be notification of a loved ones death, it could be the boogeyman.... these are the only two options the pre deployment brief prepared me for!
I beg of you all to remind these pranksters, as fun as it is and as exhilarating the rush may be... the heartache and fear they have invoked on the other side of the door is unmeasurable. Their friend whom they think they are doing it to...does not even hear it, for he is asleep and dreaming. The parent, however, will not sleep that night or any night until they hear from their spouse. For some, this could be weeks and others may only wait a day or two.

I am not going to sit idly by and allow this to keep happening and after a great suggestion by a friend......... beware! She suggested that I alter my doorbell so it has the ability to give a jolt or two. Not enough to place permanent harm to someone but enough to make them not want to press it again.  The pranksters, the bogeyman and the CACO (casualty assistance calls officer aka person notifying you of a death... the real bogeyman) all deserve a shock or two. My heart will have already had one if they arrive. To my friends and neighbors, please knock.... I would hate that my doorbell shocked you!

Bill-
Stay safe... thus far I have kept the bogeyman at bay. I am calling housing on Monday to see if they can offer me some assistance with my doorbell project. I know you worry about my safety when I begin working with electrical power.
Be sure to NOT ring the doorbell when you come home!!!!