Did you know… Mission: Milspouse published its 3000th blog post in 2023 and is still growing!
January Brings…..The “Not Enough” Blues
As the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Day, the world ushers in a new chapter filled with resolutions, fresh beginnings, and optimistic goals. However, for me, January arrives with a different vibe—a subtle slump.
How the National Memorial Day Concert Changed Me
It’s no secret that military spouse life is full of surprises: the constant changing of the no-plan plans, PCSes that end up a little bit backward, and even small day-to-day experiences we encounter. One thing I’ve learned through the years is that all milspouse experiences can change us, usually for the better, be they big or small.
And recently, I had one of those very life-changing experiences: I attended The National Memorial Day Concert in Washington, D.C.
Positive Footprints
We all want to leave positive footprints for our children to follow in, something they can carry forward with them in life. One footprint that seems to run through our military families is volunteering. Where there is a parent who volunteers, there tends to be a child who’s either in tow or volunteers themselves.
In a normal year, military installations will submit hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours. There are Volunteer of the Month, Quarter, and Year, and Service Member awards. Behind all of that, there are hours that are never submitted or recognized, but our children see them.
Attend the Things
Whether you’re a veteran who has just started a new civilian job or a military spouse trying to maintain a career despite yet another PCS, sometimes it feels like all of your challenges boil down to one: Keep all the plates spinning (and in the air).
It seems like it should be enough, this focus on sustaining what you already have. There’s a cyclical quality to it that’s almost hypnotic (or maybe you’re just really that tired).
When the Going Gets Tough: Part 3
All good things must come to an end but not before we go out with a bang! Welcome to our final installment of tips and tricks on how to survive (and maybe even thrive) when the going gets tough as milspouses. (Just joining us? Check out our previous posts in this mini-series by clicking here and here.)
Today, my tip for toughing-it-out survival is once again pretty simple. My go to when I start to feel a bit cray-cray? Get. Some. Rest.
Marriage: “I needed to hear that!”
This time of year is a tradition for weddings, which is why I thought of revisiting some of the advice from my FlipTip book: Barely Married: Navigating the first years of a military marriage.
Being early in a marriage and new to the military lifestyle can be a daunting experience. Both bring lots of new challenges, and many new joys. The key is to find ways to make them both work together.
We’ll smooth out some of the speed bumps you might incur along the way by bringing you helpful tips, information, and advice right from others who have lived through exactly what you’re feeling now. You just might find yourself saying, “I needed to hear that!” For those of you who have been “married to the military” for longer, you may find something below that you’ve forgotten about. We can all use reminders.
A Real Life Military Spouse
Ask any of my friends and they will tell you…I have the best conversations with baggers at the commissary.
One time, this lady told me that I was buying too much meat. Another man once told me that I was buying so many eggs (it was Easter time, I was making deviled eggs for a potluck, and I was doing a Whole30, thank you very much) I would save money if I bought some actual chickens, instead.
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