I grew up in a military household. I learned early that “Home is where the Army sends you.” Although I didn’t have traditional stability, I am fortunate that many of my dad’s career assignments included repeat stops in Oklahoma, Virginia, and Washington, where I grew accustomed to some familiarity with my surroundings. Nevertheless, shopping at the commissary, the post exchange, and even attending church at the main post chapel seemed normal to me, not Martin’s, K-Mart, or the local Baptist church. The Army Wife lifestyle is something that I always thought about: traveling, Hail and Farewells, deployments, and even the frequent PCS.

However, my journey to become an Army spouse didn’t happen exactly as I imagined!