Throughout her marriage, there have been times when Emily Baumann-Flitter has been the solo in-person parent. Jeremy Flitter’s Minnesota National Guard duties can require the lieutenant colonel to be away from home for extended periods.

“I knew there would be sacrifices...he’d be gone one weekend a month — or two weeks at Camp Ripley. That was not enough to prepare you for a long deployment,” Emily said.

“You just have to learn as you go.”

Jeremy is in Jordan, on his fifth month of a 10-month deployment. It’s the second time he’s been sent to the Middle East.

The couple had been married for three years when he was deployed to Kuwait.

“This time is a lot different,” Emily said.

“In 2009, we didn’t have the communication ability that we have now; but we could talk more, the hours were more convenient.

“Now, he works seven days a week — before, he had a day off,” she said.

Jeremy is serving as a member of Task Force Spartan, a multi-component organization, made up of active Army and National Guard units, rounded out by U.S. Army Reserve support units. Through Operation Spartan Shield, Task Force Spartan is able to maintain a U.S. military posture in Southwest Asia, strengthening defense relationships and partner capacity, according to a National Guard press release.

Units supporting the Spartan Shield mission provide capabilities such as aviation, logistics, force protection and information management, and facilitate theater security cooperation activities such as key leader engagements, joint exercises, conferences, symposia, humanitarian assistance and disaster response planning.

The time difference between Minnesota and the military base where Jeremy is stationed is eight hours.

On June 1, Emily was watching the tail end of a son’s afternoon youth flag-football game, when her cellphone rang.

Jeremy was checking in before reporting for duty. It was about 8 p.m. in Jordan.

“Asher got a touchdown,” Emily said in her update about another son’s morning game at Caswell Park’s soccer fields.

She then continued with news about the family’s older sons; while making an effort to keep the conversation upbeat.

“During our calls, I try to fill him in on what he’s missing ... what the kids are doing and what not...,” Emily said.

“We only have a 30-minute window of opportunity ... and that includes time for Jeremy to talk to the boys.”

Jeremy and Emily are co-owners of the Stahl House building. His civilian job is with Goodrich Construction. She operates a business, Emily’s Esthetics, at Vivid Beauty Lounge.

Emily also works to hide her stress from sons Oliver, 7, Asher, 12, Spencer, 17, and Jaden Froelich, 21.

“Oliver keeps asking how many more days until his dad is back,” she said.

“It’s not just the absence (of Jeremy); it the region he’s in,” she said, referring to Jordan’s proximity to Israel.

“My kids need me to be both mom and dad right now. I don’t want them to see my worry and sadness; that’s what keeps me going. I try to take it one day at a time and to find things to keep me busy ... projects that I normally wouldn’t be doing.”

Last month, Emily removed the “popcorn” texturing from the ceiling of a room in the Flitters’ home.

“I also repaired walls and painted,” she said.

“I’ve never been more proud of her,” said LeAnn Baumann, of Madison Lake, Emily’s mother.

“She’s much better at compartmentalizing than I am,” she said.

Baumann knows what it’s like to be the family member of someone serving in the Minnesota Guards. She is daughter of a guardsman who was in charge of Worthington’s armory.

Emily said she’s grateful for the way her family’s stepped up to help during Jeremy’s deployment.

“My mom helps out; my dad helps out ... Jaden is my muscle.”

“I’m in Mankato almost every day,” said Baumann, who jokingly describes herself as “one of those people who’s retired but more than busy.”

Baumann’s deployment-time duties have included feeding the Flitters’ “house full of pets” while Emily and her three youngest vacationed at Wisconsin Dells.

Jaden also helped feed the menagerie, which includes dogs and reptiles.

During the Feb. 1 deployment ceremony, the Minnesota National Guard reminded its soldiers of their responsibilities to those back home.

“Stay connected and make time to engage with your family; communication helps your family know that you are OK,” said Maj. Gen. Johanna Clyborne, the Minnesota National Guard’s assistant adjutant general for Army.