Ask the Wife: How do you fill the “Void”


            Picture from: http://randijasmine.com

Marie,

Thank you for writing this blog and sharing so much with the world.  I wanted to ask, how do you fill the void when your husband is away? Thank you for your answer and time. Respectfully, “A Sub Wife”

Dear Sub Wife,

Thank you for the kind words and heartfelt question.

At first I thought since I am a Sub wife, this would be an easy one, yet I find myself a little too close to see the answers at times.  This is a very broad question.  There are so many “voids” when my husband is away.  There is a void in my marriage, friendship, parenting, and family. In addition, my children have their own “voids” needing filled.  I can give you the standard issue of “keep busy,” but that is a broad answer.  Only a wife that has been there, done that, can truly explain what that “void” is.  And even if you know what it is, most of us don’t know how to fill it.  We just keep busy and try desperately to distract ourselves from the reality that it sucks.  Don’t be misled by my statement.  Staying busy is key, but it won’t fill the void.  It fills your time. Continue reading

Remembering


I wrote this last year, on the ten-year anniversary of 9/11. A year later, my feelings are the same. Thank you to all those who gave and continue to give their lives to something bigger than themselves. 

REMEMBERING

Just over ten years ago it was a beautiful day in St. Louis, MO when my then fiancé walked out of the federal building with a young sailor in his dress whites. He just enlisted in the United States Navy. I didn’t know he was signing the papers. I still had so many questions and felt a rush of emotion. He smiled at me as the Sailor said to me, “You are looking at the newest addition to the United States Navy!” He then shook my hand and walked away leaving Nick and I standing in the sunshine together. I’ll never forget Nick’s reassuring touch. He took my hand and would squeeze it over and over as we walked to my car. I wasn’t able to say anything yet. I didn’t know what to think about it all. I was madly in love with him, but he was leaving college to serve. He and I had spoken about it, but I didn’t ask the questions a soon to be military wife should ask. He opened my car door, kissed me and said, “Everything is going to be OK, I promise.Continue reading

Confessions of a Milspouse


My current post was going to be about friendship. Then, as I wrote, emails kept coming. I didn’t realize it was such a big topic. 99% of those who wrote, asked to be anonymous. I didn’t realize it was a big secret topic. Then, I started writing. And writing. And writing some more. I didn’t realize it was such a personal topic. I didn’t realize a lot. There is more to talk about than friendship.  Sometimes when I write, I write to share a thought I already have. It’s easy to answer a question that has been asked a thousand times. With time, my answers evolve and hopefully become even more insightful. But, there are times I write, like this last week, that I feel like I was answering myself. I was digging for answers…searching my heart for the right way to go about such a sensitive topics. I walked away from this many times this last week. I wrote, then stopped. I started over, then stopped. It’s important for me to be honest, but to keep in mind who is reading this. My ‘sorority’ is one of the largest and diverse known. A Military spouse *club*, as many refer to it. All ages, experiences, backgrounds, genders and beliefs. So, this next topic has many parts. Some of it will apply to you and not others. Some will apply to all of us. Continue reading

Last Day To Vote For “TheyCallMeDependent” – 2012 Military Blog Finalist!


 Vote for “They Call Me Dependent”!! 

No login or sign up needed! It just takes two clicks! Click on the link, scroll and find “military spouse blog nominees” click on that, then “vote” by clicking to the right of my Blog! Ok, so that was three clicks…but see, it’s that simple and I really appreciate your votes and support! I’m hoping this will bring more families to the blog and grow an even stronger support system!! Don’t forget to share it wherever you think people would enjoy it! Thank you to everyone who has voted, sent me encouraging messages and shared the links! You guys are amazing! Don’t forget to ‘like’ the new FB Page, too!

**You can share this post by using the icons below it :) Share it to FB, Twitter, email…etc

CLICK HERE TO VOTE!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE NEW FACEBOOK PAGE AND ‘LIKE’ IT!! 

Red Friday 4/20/12 ~ The Military Spouse


It’s funny how Shore Duty can distract you from all the feelings of Sea Duty. As I searched this morning for a “Military Spouse Tribute” for this Red Friday Post, I found myself crying bawling…like a baby, while watching heartfelt videos and reading personal poems. I remember. I don’t want to remember, but I do. It’s like the feelings of a deployment are stored in the back of my heart/mind and the door had been shut. Deployments are like Child Birth. You forget the pain until someone starts talking about it or until it’s your turn to go through it again. Continue reading

Best U.S. Military Spouse Blog Nominations | Milblog Conference


Thank you to Jessica (reader who told me) I’ve been nominated!

Best U.S. Military Spouse Blog Nominations | Milblog Conference.

After reading through the post, I’ve heard of the Milblog Conference and badly wanted to attend this year to meet these amazing writers, but time just doesn’t allow. With that said, I am honored to just be nominated. I’m not sure if “clicking like” on my nomination has any bearing what-so-ever, but if you’d like to do so, I’m on the third page of Spouse Blog Nominees. Click away & Thank you for the nomination!

~M.H.

The late night unorganized ramblings of a military wife


Women write me and tell me how great they think I am. They complement my strength, intelligence, my heart…my parenting, my family, my home, my marriage and for sharing it all with them.

Isn’t it amazing how perfect it all sounds?

I get a lot of wonderful emails from readers of my column and blog. They all share a common message…they say thank you for what I do, which means the world to me and why I continue to write, and 99% give me at least one of the comments above. I’ve always preached about being transparent. If I’m not, how will others relate? If only one person reads a post I write and gets something from it, then it was worth the time and energy that I put into it.

If you’ve known my writing for years, you will remember that my “Sea Duty” columns/post were very different from this last year and a half’s writings while on Shore. I’m realizing that being on shore changed me. It changed my marriage, my family, it changed everything. My life is a fairytale in this moment. I have two beautiful healthy, smart, incredibly fun children and a husband of 11 years that I love and who is home more than he works.  Continue reading

A love-hate relationship with the Press.


I have done interviews and  been quoted many times. Every once in a while they do a pretty good job and I like to give them kudos. I did a quick response to an Associated Press Correspondent yesterday about the possibility of longer submarine deployments. I’m sure he found me by the power of Google, and normally it’s hit or miss if my thoughts ever end up in the final draft or if they are even my words. I just try to take part when I can. I think it’s great that a spouse is heard in these discussions.

This morning was normal as I reached for my iPhone while still wiping the sleep from my eyes. . .Until I saw the number of e-mails and alerts. I guess I’m not the only one who Google’s people. My blog or column was not mentioned in the articles, but my name and that I had one was….so people and the power of Google found me and felt compelled to write. I love that….well so far. There are all nice emails for now.  Continue reading

Ahhh…Deployment *Perks*


Today my Husband came into the house saying, “Marie Angela!” My first instinct was to hide. But, before I could dive behind the couch he was in the room looking at me the same way my parents did when they used both my first and middle name. “Yes Dear?” I reply lovingly with a tad of sarcasm. “Where is my hammer?” He demands. Continue reading

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