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Posts By: Retired Blogger

Making Space at the Table

by | Dec 21, 2019

When I was in high school, I used to pride myself on how filled the calendar pages of December were—events and deadlines coordinated by color. Busy equaled success and accomplishment.

But now, as I look at my calendar for December, I realize just how quickly January and 2020 are approaching and 2019 slipped through my grasp. All of the events and deadlines on my calendar no longer fill me with pride, but rather with an unwanted desire for this season to be over so I can simply move on to the next (hopefully) less busy season (spoiler alert: it won’t be less busy).

Be Flexible

by | Dec 15, 2019

How flexible are you?

I’m in my late thirties, and I can tell you that I’m less flexible now than when I was in my twenties. Simple yoga poses just hurt, not to mention it takes me awhile to get my heels down on the floor in downward dog. I know I need to be more intentional with stretching and finding time to do it, but it isn’t as much fun as going for a run or a hike (for me, anyway).

Now on to my next question for you: How flexible are you in your day-to-day life? I’m not talking about being flexible physically, but mentally—being flexible with your attitude, your plans, and your will, especially when things don’t go your way.

Called to Wait

by | Dec 14, 2019

They said he’d be back in December.

No. They said he’d be back in November, but that hadn’t happened. At the last minute, he’d been detained, called to do something else—only God knew what. She’d set that Thanksgiving table up right, taking care to have all of his favorites set out in their festive dishes. She’d seen a surprise homecoming video a time or two. Who hadn’t? They filled the internet at this time of year, reminding the world that there were still people who made sacrifices. Of course, she wasn’t one of those lucky ones.

And she’d eaten as much of that turkey as she could in the week following and then frozen the rest…along with the pies.

Last week, her mission included a rash of mad-cleaning. No kidding, even the dust on the light fixtures was gone. The other spouses called it nesting or preparation. She called it distraction. Either way, it had gotten her through another day.

Unchecked Emotions

by | Dec 11, 2019

I was only 20 years old when I got married. I was young and thought, even though we didn’t have a solid plan for the future, we had time and things would just find a way of working out. However, as with life, and especially life in the military, things didn’t happen like we think they will.

I always wanted to run my own craft store and enjoy my days painting and sewing. But when I said “I do” to my husband, I gave up the possibility to have my own brick and mortar business. I decided to follow his career wherever it took us, supporting him along the way with all the twists and turns, and more times than not, abrupt U-turns and walls.

As the years passed, my career and passions became a distant thought; superseded by motherhood, housework, and general life. I never gave it much thought—this was life, and I needed to love and cherish the good along with the bad.

Go Away, Murphy

by | Dec 7, 2019

We all know him. He comes around every time our spouse steps out the door. And no, I’m not talking about the Amazon Prime guy (or gal) delivering your secret purchases.

No, I’m talking about someone much scarier. He goes by Murphy. Murphy’s Law of whatever can go wrong will go wrong.

As soon as your spouse steps out the door. Maybe he’s leaving for just an overnight live-fire. Possibly, it’s an even longer trip to the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, CA. Murphy doesn’t care the reason, he shows up regardless. Seriously, my husband has hardly ever been home when one of my children decided to explode with vomit. It has literally happened as soon as he has stepped out the door. My motto in life is to laugh through it all, so sit back and enjoy some of my finest Murphy’s Law moments.

Stopping Father Time

by | Dec 3, 2019

Most hospitals have a certain smell to them. I think it’s a combination of bleach, sweat, blood, and tears.

Did you know that the sense of smell is the strongest of the five senses connected to memory? So, maybe as I walk through the hospital I’m reminded of my own personal and frequent time spent in the hospital as a child, then later in life due to procedures related to my endometriosis and as a mother giving birth.

Today, was not about me though. It was about a family member who had cancer removed from his body. A family member who was given that ugly diagnosis of cancer several months earlier.

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