This column ran in the Periscope Newspaper, Kings Bay, GA

To see this previously posted and the comments click here.

This Column is Dedicated to The Spouses, “Those who Silently Serve.”

Anything But Dependent

Anything But Dependent is the title I chose for this weekly spouse column. I came up with this title because of the stereotype we are given. Our civilian counterparts have labeled us as dependent, needy, and whiney.  I am normally pretty reserved when someone has views different from my own.  I respect them, keep an open mind, and try to gain perspective from listening to others.  But this is something that I can’t keep quiet about.  I even caught myself snapping at a very rude woman in line behind me at the store once.  She was talking about living in “this town” and how she was tired of “these lazy military wives” to a friend on the phone. Continue reading →

Best Wishes to all those attending the 2012 Milblogging conference!

I was really looking forward to attending and meeting all the incredible writers, but my Son’s soccer try-outs are today and tomorrow. I know to some that isn’t a big deal, but to my 6ft 13-year-old ‘baby’, this is huge. After moving last year across the country, more than anything, he wanted to make a competitive team here. He has worked so hard and I wouldn’t miss it for the world. My ‘baby’, Zachary, will turn 14 this year and I know that these moments are limited. I have to be here when he finds out if he makes the team or not. And while everyone is enjoying their time in DC, I will be on the sidelines tonight anxiously watching my Goalie do his best. Cheers to all those in DC tonight. I wish I could be there! CHEERS! 

After a week of being sick near death with the Flu, I am finally starting to feel better. I started to feel bad last Friday and blamed allergies. Then, on Monday while sitting in the waiting room at the Jeep Dealership…I turned green. Like, I need to run to the bathroom or grab a trash can but can’t seem to move because it’s all happening so fast kind of green. At first I thought it was the diagnosis for our jeep that was causing me to literally feel sick. (They told us front and rear differentials, transfer case, transmission and so, so much more was broken….) I couldn’t even open my mouth to say, “Can you tell me what IS working on the Jeep?”  I was going to be sick. I somehow gathered some inner strength. <–The kind you find when your children are all throwing up and you have to stay focused, calm and try not to be sick…It worked. I was able to ‘keep it together‘ as we rented a car and drove home. I’ve been in Pajamas and covered in dirty tissues ever since. Continue reading →

My grocery list, by the way, was in my 16-month-old daughter’s mouth, and I was lamenting the fact that the next four aisles of needed items would pass by while extracting the last of my list from my daughters mouth, when I nearly ran over an old man. This man clearly had no appreciation for the fact that I had 45 minutes left to finish the grocery shopping, pick up my 4-year old from tumbling class, and get to school where my 12-year-old and her car pool mates would be waiting. Continue reading →

To the Spouses of Service Members past and present, Thank You.

There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t have a fellow spouse in my thoughts. The best way I could describe a Military Spouse is an ordinary man/woman who is called upon to do extraordinary things. We are given no manuals, books, or lectures. We chose to marry our partner who shares their heart with our country, but we didn’t ‘choose’ this life. We are tied to something, yet have no contract. We are parents, homemakers and professionals. We stand next to you in the store check out line, we are the teacher and your child’s school and the doctor you see when something is wrong. What most people don’t think about when we smile at them in line at the store, speak to them at their parent conference meeting or treat their illness, is that it’s been months since we have been touched…hugged…kissed by the ones we love. Our life as milspouses is not harder, it’s just different. We are proud, resourceful and strong. And I’m honored to be among them. Continue reading →