Monday, April 19, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
What If?
I'd like to start this with a disclaimer: I LOVE MY LIFE. No matter what you read in this blog, that needs to be very clearly stated.
Lately, I've been thinking a lot of "what if's". It started last Friday when my family and I took a trip into Boston on one of the first perfect days of spring. We parked by the public garden, walked down Newbury Street to Copley Plaza and the Pru then down Boylston. We happened to be in the city during rush hour when everyone was getting out of work and since the weather was fabulous, everyone seemed to be walking home. It made me wonder if that would have been me had I taken a different route in life. What if I HAD stayed here and finished college before getting married? What if I had applied to Northeastern as a transfer? Would I be like these young professionals with their iPods in their ears walking down one the streets of one of the best cities in the country?
It's probably not good for me to think like this because I don't live with regrets. I don't regret any of the choices I have made, it's just crazy to think how different my life would be if Matt hadn't joined the military or we hadn't gotten married when we did. Everyone has a path in life and I am 100% sure I was made to be with him and live this life. It's not for everyone. "God made the strongest women military wives".
Maybe it was just the gorgeous weather in the city that made me wonder. I should take a walk in the rain see if that changes my mind :).
Anyway, I want to stress that I am so happy in my choices. I am happy I married the man I love with all my heart and can't wait to grow old and gray with. I am happy I had my son young so I will be able to see him grow and see his children and maybe even my great-grandchildren. I am happy I am a military wife because it has taught me so many lessons in life already.
"This life doesn't get easier, you just get stronger"
Saturday, March 20, 2010
The Military Wife
Lots of moving...
Moving...
Moving...
Moving far from home...
Moving two cars, three kids and one dog...all riding with HER of course.
Moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house;
Moving curtains that won't fit;
Moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours.
Moving away from friends;
Moving toward new friends;
Moving her most important luggage: her trunk full of memories.
Often waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting for housing.
Waiting for orders.
Waiting for deployments.
Waiting for phone calls.
Waiting for reunions.
Waiting for the new curtains to arrive.
Waiting for him to come home,
For dinner...AGAIN!
They call her 'Military Dependent', but she knows better:
She is fiercely In-Dependent.
She can balance a check book;
Handle the yard work;
Fix a noisy toilet;
Bury the family pet...
She is intimately familiar with drywall anchors and toggle bolts.
She can file the taxes;
Sell a house;
Buy a car;
Or set up a move...
.....all with ONE Power of Attorney.
She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her.
She reinvents her career with every PCS;
Locates a house in the desert, The Arctic, Or the deep south.
And learns to call them all 'home'.
She MAKES them all home.
Military Wives are somewhat hasty...
They leap into:
Decorating,
Leadership,
Volunteering,
Career alternatives,
Churches,
And friendships.
They don't have 15 years to get to know people.
Their roots are short but flexible.
They plant annuals for themselves and perennials for those who come after them.
Military Wives quickly learn to value each other:
They connect over coffee,
Rely on the spouse network,
Accept offers of friendship and favors.
Record addresses in pencil...
Military Wives have a common bond:
The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands; his commitment is unique.
He doesn't have a 'JOB'
He has a ' MISSION ' that he can't just decide to quit...
He's on-call for his country 24/7.
But for her, he's the most unreliable guy in town!
His language is foreign
TDY
PCS
OPR
SOS
ACC
BDU
ACU
BAR
CIB
TAD
And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his.
She is the long- distance link to keep them informed;
the glue that holds them together.
A Military Wife has her moments:
She wants to wring his neck;
Dye his uniform pink;
Refuse to move to Siberia ;
But she pulls herself together.
Give her a few days,
A travel brochure,
A long hot bath,
A pledge to the flag,
A wedding picture,
And she goes.
She packs.
She moves.
She follows.
Why?
What for?
How come?
You may think it is because she has lost her mind.
But actually it is because she has lost her heart.
It was stolen from her by a man,
Who puts duty first,
Who longs to deploy,
Who salutes the flag,
And whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military Husband,
She will remain his military wife.
And would have it no other way.
Moving...
Moving...
Moving far from home...
Moving two cars, three kids and one dog...all riding with HER of course.
Moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house;
Moving curtains that won't fit;
Moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours.
Moving away from friends;
Moving toward new friends;
Moving her most important luggage: her trunk full of memories.
Often waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting for housing.
Waiting for orders.
Waiting for deployments.
Waiting for phone calls.
Waiting for reunions.
Waiting for the new curtains to arrive.
Waiting for him to come home,
For dinner...AGAIN!
They call her 'Military Dependent', but she knows better:
She is fiercely In-Dependent.
She can balance a check book;
Handle the yard work;
Fix a noisy toilet;
Bury the family pet...
She is intimately familiar with drywall anchors and toggle bolts.
She can file the taxes;
Sell a house;
Buy a car;
Or set up a move...
.....all with ONE Power of Attorney.
She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her.
She reinvents her career with every PCS;
Locates a house in the desert, The Arctic, Or the deep south.
And learns to call them all 'home'.
She MAKES them all home.
Military Wives are somewhat hasty...
They leap into:
Decorating,
Leadership,
Volunteering,
Career alternatives,
Churches,
And friendships.
They don't have 15 years to get to know people.
Their roots are short but flexible.
They plant annuals for themselves and perennials for those who come after them.
Military Wives quickly learn to value each other:
They connect over coffee,
Rely on the spouse network,
Accept offers of friendship and favors.
Record addresses in pencil...
Military Wives have a common bond:
The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands; his commitment is unique.
He doesn't have a 'JOB'
He has a ' MISSION ' that he can't just decide to quit...
He's on-call for his country 24/7.
But for her, he's the most unreliable guy in town!
His language is foreign
TDY
PCS
OPR
SOS
ACC
BDU
ACU
BAR
CIB
TAD
And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his.
She is the long- distance link to keep them informed;
the glue that holds them together.
A Military Wife has her moments:
She wants to wring his neck;
Dye his uniform pink;
Refuse to move to Siberia ;
But she pulls herself together.
Give her a few days,
A travel brochure,
A long hot bath,
A pledge to the flag,
A wedding picture,
And she goes.
She packs.
She moves.
She follows.
Why?
What for?
How come?
You may think it is because she has lost her mind.
But actually it is because she has lost her heart.
It was stolen from her by a man,
Who puts duty first,
Who longs to deploy,
Who salutes the flag,
And whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military Husband,
She will remain his military wife.
And would have it no other way.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
One Month Down!
Last Friday marked one month since Matt had left for Afghanistan. I am so amazed at how quickly these days have been flying and I am so thankful. Shane is keeping me so busy and entertained. He is quite the performer and always full of smiles. I thank God everyday for this amazing gift and the true blessing have a child is. I could not imagine my life without him.
As for Matt, he is still doing well. Working 18 hours days though so he has little time for much else besides sleep. He has "adopted" a dog named Hercules and soon we will be trying to raise money to bring him back to the States. It costs quite a bit to get him shipped back but he will have such a better life as our dog than he will in the Afghani mountains. Matt says he is more interested in being pet than dog treats! So if we raise enough money before Matt has to leave that particular FOB he should be on his way back to the States. We need to find a place for him to stay until I get back to Clarksville though since my parents have 4 cats and my mom isn't a huge fan of dogs. We will see how things go though. I'm trying not to think too far ahead though.
So far he has gotten some mail. I have sent him out a few packages and lots of cards but it takes about 2 weeks to get there. I can't wait for him to get his birthday package! For those of you who don't know, I sent him a cake-in-a-jar! We haven't been able to celebrate his birthday together since his 20th so I want him to have some comforts of home. He doesn't know about it though so I can't wait to hear his reaction!
I am going to be sending him a new USB cable for his camera so hopefully we'll be getting some pictures of Afghanistan soon! I'll be keeping you updated! Thanks for reading!!
As for Matt, he is still doing well. Working 18 hours days though so he has little time for much else besides sleep. He has "adopted" a dog named Hercules and soon we will be trying to raise money to bring him back to the States. It costs quite a bit to get him shipped back but he will have such a better life as our dog than he will in the Afghani mountains. Matt says he is more interested in being pet than dog treats! So if we raise enough money before Matt has to leave that particular FOB he should be on his way back to the States. We need to find a place for him to stay until I get back to Clarksville though since my parents have 4 cats and my mom isn't a huge fan of dogs. We will see how things go though. I'm trying not to think too far ahead though.
So far he has gotten some mail. I have sent him out a few packages and lots of cards but it takes about 2 weeks to get there. I can't wait for him to get his birthday package! For those of you who don't know, I sent him a cake-in-a-jar! We haven't been able to celebrate his birthday together since his 20th so I want him to have some comforts of home. He doesn't know about it though so I can't wait to hear his reaction!
I am going to be sending him a new USB cable for his camera so hopefully we'll be getting some pictures of Afghanistan soon! I'll be keeping you updated! Thanks for reading!!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
2 Weeks Down
I guess its about time I updated this.
It's been just over 2 weeks since Matt's left. 2 down, 50 to go. Shane and I have settled in up north in the cold New England weather. Can't say I missed it although looking at DC's winter this year, I sure am glad we aren't there!
Matt reached his final destination earlier this week and is also settling in. His job puts him on 6 hour shifts so he calls when/if he can. Contact has been sporadic. Sometimes every other day, sometimes every day, sometimes every 3 days. Internet is available for $100 a hook-up. I am still in shock they are trying to charge that much. You would think the least the Army could do is provide free or close to free internet for our guys. They are underpaid and under appreciated enough. He is doing well otherwise, missing home and his baby like crazy but we'll get through this like we did our last one. We're strong and are fully committed to our marriage.
No news on R&R yet. Hopefully we'll know more in a month or two. I'm already counting down the days till we take that long awaited drive to the airport.
School started for me this week and although my classes are pretty basic, I'm enjoying having something to do and keep me busy. I'm hoping to be able to jump right back into classes after this block but the Department of Defense cut off my main funding for this first year of school so I'm not sure if I'll be able to afford to go back until July when financial aid kicks in. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
That's all for now! More to come!
It's been just over 2 weeks since Matt's left. 2 down, 50 to go. Shane and I have settled in up north in the cold New England weather. Can't say I missed it although looking at DC's winter this year, I sure am glad we aren't there!
Matt reached his final destination earlier this week and is also settling in. His job puts him on 6 hour shifts so he calls when/if he can. Contact has been sporadic. Sometimes every other day, sometimes every day, sometimes every 3 days. Internet is available for $100 a hook-up. I am still in shock they are trying to charge that much. You would think the least the Army could do is provide free or close to free internet for our guys. They are underpaid and under appreciated enough. He is doing well otherwise, missing home and his baby like crazy but we'll get through this like we did our last one. We're strong and are fully committed to our marriage.
No news on R&R yet. Hopefully we'll know more in a month or two. I'm already counting down the days till we take that long awaited drive to the airport.
School started for me this week and although my classes are pretty basic, I'm enjoying having something to do and keep me busy. I'm hoping to be able to jump right back into classes after this block but the Department of Defense cut off my main funding for this first year of school so I'm not sure if I'll be able to afford to go back until July when financial aid kicks in. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
That's all for now! More to come!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
"It's never goodbye...."
Matt left yesterday for Afghanistan. It's been an emotionally challenging week for all of us which including but was not limited to: a very sick baby, moving, manifest day getting moved up... I am surprised I have an ounce of sanity left. It was really hard saying "see you later" (we NEVER say goodbye) but we made it short and sweet and not drawn out. It's hard enough as it is...
My trip home was long and stressful. Almost didn't make my connecting flight thanks to some weather in Chicago. But we made it here around 11:30 last night. Shane did great, slept almost the whole time which was much needed for me.
Matt emailed me this morning (and called but I just missed his phone call) and let me know he had a short layover in Germany. I probably won't hear from him again until he gets to his final destination.
So here we go, round 2.
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