I’m a seasoned spouse. And here’s how I know.
My husband and I were sitting with some close family friends we’ve known for quite a while, talking over a bottle of wine. As we sat around laughing and sharing stories, I made a comment about a young spouse making an honest-to-goodness military misstep. To which my husband replied, “I don’t think you remember what it was like to not be the salty ol’ vet.”
I see you now. I didn’t really see you or your pain before—I just saw a friend who was sad and hurt, but I didn’t fully understand. Now, my vision is no longer blurred, and I see all of it: the pain, the loneliness, and the anxiety.
Trudging through medical complications with a spouse in the military brings a whole new twist to this crazy ride.
I have been crafting my art piece of love with my husband for more than 13 years now. We met and fell in love 15 years ago and recently celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary. While I wish I could say that marriage has been easy with every brushstroke, I cannot.
Found among the trove of letters in my mother’s attic, which led me to write “77 Letters, Operation Morale Booster: Vietnam,” this note from Jorge H. Hernandez grabbed my heart and pulled on several heartstrings, compelling me to share his thoughts with you.
Watching my children making friends looks effortless on their part. They introduce themselves, and instantaneously, they’ve got a best friend. Me on the other hand, the uncertainty of the endeavor is always a challenge. It usually takes me a few months of getting the lay of the land to even attempt to make friends. If I do not have all my ducks in a row, it’s hard for me to concentrate on making friends.
Healthy eating has been one of my goals for this year, and I’ve done well (by my definition) with it up until recently when I PCS’d. I’ve fallen back into my old tendencies of grabbing food to-go quite often, because I make the excuse that it is easier or that I don’t have time. In reality, it turns into a money pit, and I’m always left wondering how in the world I spent so much money on food.
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