Did you know… Mission: Milspouse published its 3000th blog post in 2023 and is still growing!
Things to Remember When Buying Sight Unseen
As military families all over the globe prepare for their next move, the process of finding a new home can often be daunting, especially when relying on the virtual process for buying a home.
Be Flexible
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
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.
Soldier, Baby
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.”
I Wish I Was This Wise 50 Years Ago
I recently completed a walk across America to raise awareness and advocacy for our veterans. It was a 110 day walk, from May 15 to Sept. 1, from my home in Newburyport, MA, to San Diego, CA. I took only five days off to rest. You will undoubtedly hear more about my walk in the following months, because it was the one of the most meaningful events in my 72 years of life.
But, today, I want to talk about women who are so supportive of their husbands/partners during times of deployment. (I am well aware that many women are also on active duty and have partners supporting them, and I will write about that topic in the future).
Unchecked Emotions
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.
Run Like a Girl
A tradition started in 1997 at the 13th Army Ten-Miler—the Commander’s Cup for the top U.S. active-duty female team. In the first year, the ladies from Fort Bragg set a standard for others to follow. The teams are comprised of eight members with the top four to score. The concept is the combination of individual and team effort. Each member is out to give their best performance, and in the mix is the Coach who provides the technical guidance. We all like winning, but it comes down to all giving 100% and leaving it out on the road.
The Fort Bragg women’s team for 2019 was under the leadership of Erica Chabalko (Womack Army Medical Center). The pressure coming into 2019 was 14 wins for the team plus holding the team record of 4 hours, 13 minutes, and 49 seconds (set in 2016). There were 11 teams going for the top honor.
It is one thing to take care of your own exercise program, but to play a part in seven others takes more dedication. I asked Erica to share some thoughts.
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