The Military Spouse!

Yesterday was Veterans Day.. and it truly was about the ones who gave and still give today. The men and women who sacrafice everyday for the freedom of others.

However throughout the day I was reciving random text messages that said "Happy Veterans Day to you and your husband". It was not until about 8pm when I recieved a facebook comment on my wall by my good friend Sara that read this ...

Military Wives

 Each one may look different and each is wonderfully unique, But this is what they
have in common:
...

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
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 move; Locates a house in the east, west or out of country.
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
NOK, PCS, OPR, SOS, ACC, BDU, ACU, BAR, CIB, BDF 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 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.

Author Unknown

After reading this I cryed because alot of this I have endured and alot of what is above I will endure. Every day a military spouse is doing this and at certain moments in life people tend to forget that we do sacrafice for our country in a different way and because it is our husbands path to be a soldier we help him to achieve and accomplish all that he can as he protects America!

I am so thanful to have a support system as a military spouse to have friend, family, and people within my community who remember me and my husband on a daily base.