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Posts By: Sarah Peachey

When Military Life Feels Scary

by | Jan 9, 2020

Few Americans have missed the news from the Middle East in recent weeks.

It’s difficult to scroll through social media without seeing calls for war, specific response, restraint.

But in the military community, it isn’t the politics that matter as much to as what will happen with our service member spouses.

As we watch the news our stomachs drop through the floor.

Our chests tighten to the point we can only inhale shallow breaths.

Our hands shake a little.

Our hearts beat a tiny bit faster.

Images of yellow ribbons, hugs and kisses goodbye, waving flags, and overstuffed olive drab bags littering the entrance to our home, and uniforms in a combination of browns and greens packed tightly run through our minds.

It’s hard to stop that flow through the channels of our brain, the rolling images of what we’ve done before.

Soldier, Baby

by | Dec 13, 2019

This holiday season, from my military family to yours, I hope you’re able to celebrate with people you love. Whether you’re celebrating far from home, making a dash home for a few days, or starting new traditions with your own family, I hope your holiday season is filled with hope, love, joy, and peace. 

And in case you’re looking for a new-fangled holiday song to carry you through the season, I bring you a new and improved version of “Santa Baby” called “Soldier Baby.”

Advent: Spread Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace

by | Nov 28, 2019

One of the best parts about living all around the world is picking up new traditions along the way. After three years in Germany, it was hard not to come back with German traditions. After all, they know how to celebrate the entire Christmas season, beginning in late November and lasting until Christmas Eve.

When touring a local Christmas market during our first year there, I picked up an Advent candle holder. It’s nothing fancy; after all, durability is the first thing I think about when buying something new (especially with seven moves under my belt over the last 11 years). It’s a slab of wood, candles in simple gold holders, and a red silk flower in the center edged with gold glitter. It’s enough to lend a bit of sparkle as the candlelight dances around the room.

The tradition is to light a candle each Sunday leading up to Christmas Eve. We will light the first candle on Dec. 1, and every Sunday until Dec. 22. My family lights them at dinner time, so we can talk about what each candle means.

Celebrating the Holidays Far From Home

by | Nov 21, 2019

We have entered that time of year when the hustle and bustle begins. Many of us are planning meals, travel by car or plane, what we’ll pack in our luggage, and exactly what is the best way to tackle a long-distance journey and maintain everyone’s sanity. 

But for some of you, you may live too far away to conveniently travel the distance, or your finances aren’t in a place to support hotel stays, gas, or plane tickets, or you may have new additions to your family and prefer to celebrate in the quiet of your own home or in your own way. Maybe it’s a combination of all three. 

Not everyone enjoys spending the holidays away from family—and for some of us, we feel a deep absence in our hearts. 

Milspouse Empowerment: Where To Find It

by | Oct 28, 2019

For those just entering military life, either as a spouse or significant other of a service member, it can be overwhelming. There are so many things we need to learn, sometimes quickly, and it’s shocking when the military tells us where we’re moving. We get comfortable in a location, but then we move on. We must find ways to adapt and overcome the obstacles.

But as I often say in my writing, remember that there is a “you” here, even when you have to quit your job and move to a new location to potentially start over. Again.

While it doesn’t get easier saying good bye and uprooting once every two or three years or fitting ourselves into military life, we can certainly get better at coping with it. One of the best ways is by empowering ourselves in this military life.

We hear the word “empowerment” a lot—almost as much as we hear “resilience”—and sometimes, the meaning gets lost in the repetitive use of these words. Although it has become a buzzword, because it’s important.

When Living Overseas is Difficult

by | Sep 2, 2019

I always say that it’s worth taking a shot on an OCONUS PCS. Living overseas in a new place can be exciting with plenty of things to see and do.

But it can also feel isolated, scary, and too new for comfort.

I spent three years overseas in Germany, living in a very small German village, so I feel I have a little bit of perspective on this. I didn’t live on post. I was in a set of six row homes, all of whom were Americans, but we were surrounded by Germans.

It. Was. Hard.

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