Downnout,

It doesn't make you a bad mother to want some me time away from your children, it makes you human. Unless a person has taken care of their kids 24/7 for an extended period of time they have no idea of the stress that you deal with on daily basis.

Hubby was offered a job like that when he first got out of the service. The civilian company that serviced and installed the equipment hubby worked on in the service offered him a job at 5 times what he could make otherwise. Sounds good, but like you, I would have wound up being a single mother (also of four children). They would not guarantee more than 2 weeks home at a time.

If he's home that infreqently it would be hard to go to couples therapy, but try, it might make all the difference in the world.

I'm not defending hubby, but I know that there have been times through the years that what my husband is saying and what I'm hearing is two completely different things; and vice versa.

Good luck and welcome to PC!