Yes, you read that title correctly. Thankful Through Deployments. Seriously? What, in all of the deployment training, preparation and packing, family separation for six, nine, maybe twelve or more months of tour, and the reintegration back, is there to be thankful for?!
If you walk into a military family’s home during a PCS, you will find a good portion of their belongings squished into Ziplock bags, or stuffed into large, plastic totes. These items are an absolute necessity to keep liquids from leaking, and objects to remain clean, protected, organized, and maybe even color-coded. I sincerely love Ziplocks and totes! I can’t imagine my life without the use of them…because they are not only a necessity during our PCSes, but they are also still a part of my daily life.
Being a military spouse is already stressful and deployments essentially make them single parents for months or even years at a time. This makes pursuing their own career opportunities increasingly difficult. However flexible work can help them leverage resources to create work flexibility while achieving financial stability.
Hiring our Heroes reports that 33% of military spouses have even lived apart from their spouse in order to seize career opportunities. As more and more Americans are jumping on the flexible work bandwagon, there are ways for military spouses to also reap some of this change in how people work to grow their skill sets while juggling other obligations, including childcare.
I love how when you are in the military long enough, friends from past duty stations start circling back around to you. Though I’m not an avid social media user, I am thankful to have it. At times, it’s the only way I’ve discovered where old military friends land again. And sometimes they land with me…or near me….or I travel near them…or some interesting situation brings us back together.
Independence Day never seems quite right unless I attend a good ‘ol downtown parade. We haven’t had opportunities to attend any in the past several years; but, this year, I heard about one in a nearby town that supposedly was this town’s “thing.” It’s a big to-do, drawing in thousands of people from all over, no matter how hot it gets. I was going to have to attend as the solo parent with the children, so I debated whether I wanted to fight the chaos and heat. But I remembered how much I enjoyed Fourth of July parades as a child, and I wanted my children to experience the same joyful events.
“Hi, I’m new.” I can’t keep count on how many times I have said that in my married life. I’m sure you can relate. As a servicemember’s spouse who has moved numerous times, you find yourself in many new circles. You make introductions and small talk, it comes around to you, with a little hand raise you chime in “…and I’m the new one!”
I remember the first time a kind woman came up to my husband in uniform and thanked him for his service and sacrifice, and then turned to thank me too. We were in our second year of marriage, and I hadn’t yet heard that from a stranger. I was caught off guard – – taken aback that someone would turn to recognize me, just a normal woman standing by her serviceman’s side. I felt very undeserving.
I wasn’t the one in uniform.
I wasn’t the one sacrificing.
I wasn’t the one serving.
Purple is the color of royalty and strength,
Dandelion flowers bloom and adapt at great lengths.
You radiate the essence of these pillars and more,
They represent how special you are, for much more is in store.
Oh hey! Don’t mind me. I just popped into the laundry room here for a little peace and quiet. Why the laundry room? You see, it’s right across from the pantry. And I just stole a piece of chocolate from my children’s candy bowl that is hidden in the pantry. They sometimes forget about their treats, but I don’t! And on days like today, I can’t help myself. I grab a piece and then sneak around the corner to enjoy it before my kids catch me. Then, sometimes I run out and grab another piece, or two, or three.
Depends on the day, you know?
Mission: Milspouse is a
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hello@missionmilspouse.org
P.O. Box 641341
El Paso, TX 79904
