real lives “All I want is for us to be together”
Yvonne Costin, 38, from Lincoln, is hoping to spend Christmas with her husband Andrew, 45, and their children Alexander, 15, and Hannah, 8
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his December, Andrew, an RAF regiment officer, will be on five days’ notice to be sent anywhere in the world. He’s been in the RAF for 29 years so we’ve had our fair share of Christmases apart.
Having once worked as a medic in the Air Force myself, I understand the sacrifices you have to make in service life. But since having our two children, I find watching him leave has become even harder. When Andrew does spend Christmas abroad, we post
his presents to him and get a phone call on the big day, but it’s obviously not the same as having him at home. We still celebrate Christmas, but on a smaller scale with less decorations and fewer presents. We prefer to wait and have a ‘fake Christmas’ when he comes home. Last time Andrew went on an operational tour he nearly didn’t come home. In April 2008, he was on routine patrol in Afghanistan when his vehicle hit a bomb. The explosion killed two and threw Andrew and his driver from the vehicle. The first I knew of it
was when he rang me from hospital, 14 hours later. He had a broken back and wounds from the blast. Since then, he’s worked hard to get back to full fitness and last year he even canoed 100km (62 miles), which raised nearly £7,000 for the RAF Benevolent Fund. If we can say anything positive came out of what happened that day, it is that our perspective on life has changed. After coming so close to losing Andrew, we realised we needed to make as many amazing memories as possible, both for each other and for the children. We try not to take anything for granted any more – particularly
special times like Christmas. If we are all together this Christmas Day, we’ll be spending the morning opening presents before having a big traditional festive dinner in the afternoon. Then on Boxing Day we’ll visit the rest of the family. If we make this Christmas the best we’ve ever had, then when he’s away next year we can think back and talk about how lovely it was and look forward to our ‘fake Christmas’ when he comes home!
As told to Amy Salter, Helen Etheridge, Flic Everett Photos Thinkstockphotos.com Illustrations Alison Moffat