Absent Husband

My husband is gone. Again. It has been incredibly hard for us. His work regularly takes him away from me for weeks at a time. In our first few months of marriage when all you want to do is constantly be around each other, we've had to learn to cope with the separation.

A nurse friend of mine recently told me that it was all that her and her husband could manage as newlyweds when they had to be apart for a single night. ...whenever she had to work a twelve hour night shift.

I think for the most part we have dealt with these long periods of separation. However, for myself, I still am having difficulties upon his return. "What???" You ask, "How does that make sense?"

Well, after my dear husband has been away for several weeks, he arrives home raring to go. Immediately, as soon as we walk in the front door, he wants to head into the bedroom.

I suppose I should be counting my blessings that I have a husband who wants me so very much. But my difficulty lies in this: I feel used...that I am just a pit-stop for a sexual fuel up before he goes out on the road again. I understand that for men sex is one of the ways in which they connect with their wives emotionally. But for me, my emotions are not quite there. I operate on a slower track. I need time to get used to my husband when he returns before we head off to the bedroom.

We've discussed this issue with each other. I've explained my feelings. For him leaving his job is not an option, and so we have not yet been able to come up with a solution. Any thoughts? In the meantime whenever we have intercourse upon his return I feel like crying.