holidays - Mission: Milspouse

Gift of the Milgi: Part One

by Kathleen Palmer | Dec 12, 2020 | Blog, Experience, Military Life

Killeen, Texas, 2009

Darcy McNeal had been told (as a new spouse) that developing a routine was important during a deployment. Well, she had her routine down to a science.

Work, drink wine, sleep, and repeat.

Seven months in and she felt like she was doing okay. She avoided most news networks, checked her email daily (sometimes twice), and always had her phone by her side, charged and ready. But her favorite part of the routine was the trip to the community mailbox in their apartment complex. Sometimes (on the best of days), nestled amongst the bills, the flyers, and the catalogs of things she could never afford… there would be a letter.

A Moment of Reflection on 2020

by Sarah Peachey | Dec 10, 2020 | Blog, Experience, Household 6

You don’t need me to tell you that 2020 has been the year of all years, and I doubt you need me to describe the myriad changes we’ve experienced. But while this has been a year full of darkness for so many, there are a few things I’d like you to reflect on before year’s end to find a silver lining.

In my family, we do this by using advent candles. The tradition is to light a candle on each Sunday for four Sundays leading up to Christmas Eve. We lit our first candle on Nov. 29 and will light our final one on Dec. 20. Each candle symbolizes a different moment of reflection, something especially important in this year of hardship.

AWTR Show #787: AWTR 2020 Best of the Best

by M:M Command Team | Dec 10, 2020 | Podcast

AWN News 6 Correspondent, Jolene McNutt, is naming the Best of the Best Army Wife Talk Radio shows of 2020! You don’t want to miss this incredible show.

December: A Time of Waiting and Tradition

by Amanda Krieger | Dec 2, 2020 | Blog, Experience, Household 6

Whew. Welcome, December. I’m not firmly in either the “It’s December already?” camp, nor the “Is it New Year’s yet?” one, but I know many people do have a propensity toward one direction.

Why? (Not a rhetorical question. I also ask this in a general sense. Not just this year.)

I have a theory. Are you ready?

It’s because, by the time November closes its doors and December’s swing open, we are exhausted.

First Command’s Tips for Holiday Spending

by M:M Command Team | Nov 27, 2020 | Blog, Financial Planning, Partner Post

No matter how you celebrate the holidays, you undoubtedly think of it as a special time of year. There are so many festive activities that mark the season: Parties, home decorating, baking, watching classic holiday movies, taking time off from work and school to enjoy the company of friends, and big family gatherings with all the traditions that go with them. The holiday season is also a time to reflect on the year gone by, re-energize by connecting with loved ones and make plans for the year ahead.

Due to the pandemic, many typical holiday activities are not feasible this year. Gift giving, in particular, will be different. More gifts will be mailed and opened remotely rather than in person. And it’s natural to expect that holiday spending and gatherings will be scaled back. But with minor adjustments, you can preserve your gift-giving traditions while also being mindful of financial considerations.

Finding Your Heart of Thankfulness in the Year of 2020

by LaVaughn Ricci | Nov 19, 2020 | Blog, Experience, Military Life

For a long time, during our bedtime routine with the kids, we’d ask each one to share something they were thankful for that day. It was always intriguing to hear what was on their hearts.

Sometimes, it was quite serious for them: “I’m thankful I didn’t cry when I got my poke [immunization] today.”

Sometimes, it was a bit comical: “I’m thankful my hair is growing like Rapunzel.”

Sometimes, it was reflectively wise beyond their years: “I’m thankful we had food to eat today because the children in Venezuela don’t have much.”

When Giving Thanks is Hard

by Sharita Knobloch | Nov 18, 2020 | Blog, Experience, Household 6

There’s just something so special about this time of year. It’s true, fall is my favorite season, even when it’s slow to show up here in El Paso. I love the cooler temperatures, the beginning of the holidays, and the promise of fresh joy on the horizon.

This is a time of year that many of us press into generosity, hope, and gratitude.

November Is…

by Angie Andrews | Nov 6, 2020 | Blog, Experience, Household 6

Happy November! I wrote those two words before I had a fully-formed idea for writing this particular piece, as this sentiment is becoming my trademark for November writing. I thought a little bit about why November is happy and what I might share. The choices are as bountiful as a Thanksgiving feast—many of us don’t have to rack our brains too much to find a reason for November to be happy. We’re generally feeling pretty festive and thankful at this time of year and that often ties into happiness.

The Great Debate

by Anna Larson | Nov 1, 2020 | Blog, Experience, Household 6

I love a good debate, but when it comes to one topic, there seems to be a hard line drawn, and very few stand in the gray area and survive.

A huge pile of candy with skeletons and rubber spider rings sits in a bowl on the dining room table. The cobwebs are ripped from the bushes and tombstones pulled up from the ground to be replaced…but by what? Is there a cornucopia of gourds on the table or do you deck the halls with boughs of holly?

Are you a Thanksgiving die-hard or a Christmas whovillian?