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We’ve almost made it through April. And if you live anywhere near a military installation or are part of any social media, you’re most definitely are aware that this is Month of the Military Child.
And with this knowledge comes the fun fact that the “official flower” of the military child is the dandelion.
I’m a Kansas girl. When I’m asking about picturing home, it’s where my mind goes. I was born in a small-town hospital in northwest Kansas and spent the first two-plus decades of my life as a residential Kansan.
Now, several years and duty stations later, I still proudly call myself a Kansan. I’ve also learned how to field those always-predictable questions that immediately follow my answer about where I’m “from.”
“Kansas, huh? Have you seen Dorothy lately? What are tornados like? How’s Toto doing?”
Sometimes it’s hard to remember that my happiest moment was birthed from tragedy. Every joyful shout surrounding my happiest moment is shadowed by a painful whisper that my joy was rooted in grief and loss.
It’s almost paralyzing to look back on my life and select my happiest moment.
I start every military move (PCS = Permanent Change of Station) the same way: I purge, sort, and organize.
Just a couple of days ago, I found myself up to my eyeballs in all of our memories from our storage closet. We’re getting ready for another PCS in just a few short weeks, so I went to work.
I was surrounded by pictures from high school, trinkets and keepsakes from growing up, and so much military memorabilia.
I’m not one to get fired up and rant about stuff (and really, compared to some of the hoopla we see on social media, I’m not sure if what’s coming is even classified as a rant). But, there’s one response that people give me when I’m trying to articulate the struggles of military marriage that grinds my gears:
“Well, you knew what you were getting into when you married him.”
As I write this, we’re in the beginning of yet another PCS season. So, as I try and tell you a little about myself, please bear with me as my brain struggles to process everything! My name is Kathleen Palmer, and I’ve been a military spouse for 21 years.
We’ve moved 13 times (about to hit the 14 this summer), and as I think back over the years and reflect on how many times I’ve been asked, “What is your favorite duty station?” I find myself answering, “It isn’t the place, but the people.” That sounds vague and dismissive, but I truly believe the best thing about this crazy, unique life is the other people on the journey with us.
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