military marriage - Mission: Milspouse

Check Your Marriage Thermostat

by Retired Expert | Sep 6, 2015 | Blog, Expert, Relationships

I am blessed that my wife, Joy, the “joy” of my life, supports me in my crazy athletic endeavors. Today, I am in Myrtle Beach with almost 3,400 of my “closest friends” to play in a week long golf tournament. I’ve been doing this for most of the last 15 years, and I’ve developed some great relationships with a number of the players from around the country.

Usually, a small group of us rent a condo together and share expenses. We also share meals, talk trash about each other’s golf games, and make random wagers on our golf skills, or lack thereof.

This year, I was the first to arrive from our group. After calling my wife to let her know that I had gotten here safely, I got the guys and myself checked in with the management company. Next on the list was getting checked in for the tournament, shopping for some supplies, and opening the condo. I carried in my golf clubs, grocery bags, and luggage and went to the sink to wash my hands.

We had no hot water.

Don’t Be the “But” in Your Marriage

by Retired Expert | Aug 8, 2015 | Blog, Expert, Relationships

There is a particular word that often comes up in the normal course of conversation. It usually goes something like this:

Your boss says, “You did really well on that project, but…”
Your dental hygenist says, “You’re doing a good job on flossing, but…”
A co-worker says, “I appreciate your input on this, but…”
What happens in your mind when the person, normally after a brief thoughtful pause, says that little word before they say anything else?

I think that color looks great on you, but…

I appreciate how well you’ve been sticking to our budget, but…

I really loved dinner tonight, but…

At first you feel good and affirmed, and you’re soaking up the praise. You’re happy about what is being said and considering how you are going to respond. And then after the pause you hear it.

5 Tips for Better Discussions

by Retired Expert | Jul 5, 2015 | Blog, Expert, Relationships

A couple of weeks ago my bride and I had a “discussion.” The project I had been planning was due, and I was running around at the last minute trying to gather all the things I needed. It went something like this:

Keeping the Home Fire Burning

by Sharita Knobloch | Feb 21, 2015 | Blog, Experience, Household 6, Relationships

My husband is an infantryman.

I believe he chose this MOS because of the opportunity to serve, the thrill factor, and the challenge that comes with boots-on-the-ground-kicking-in-doors-and-taking-names.

Plus, he loves the color blue.

Recently, however, I have learned another interesting piece of his genetic service member make-up.

Growing Your Long-Distance Relationship

by Retired Blogger | Feb 15, 2015 | Experience, Military Life, Relationships

My husband and I have been cohabiting for a little more than a year now, and it’s been such a delight to see him as much as I have. Crazy, huh?! It was unusual for me to see him so regularly! In the past year, there were a handful of instances that the military took him away —about three months total—but, there would be long spans of time that he spent at home. I knew we would get to this point eventually and made every minute apart during our long-distance relationship worth it. Before we got married (and even shortly after our courthouse wedding), we had a full-on long-distance relationship.

AWTR Show 507: 30 Lessons for Loving

by Retired Blogger | Feb 9, 2015 | Podcast

On this week’s empowering episode of Army Wife Talk Radio, we’re chatting with guest, Dr. Karl Pillemer about his book 30 Lessons for Loving: Advice from the Wisest Americans on Love, Relationships, and Marriage.

AWTR Show 506: Fear of Intimacy

by Retired Blogger | Feb 2, 2015 | Podcast

On this week’s empowering episode of Army Wife Talk Radio, we’re chatting with guest, Dr. Jeanette Raymond, author of Now You Want Me, Now You Don’t! Fear of Intimacy: Ten ways to recognize it and ten ways to manage it in your relationship.

6 Relationship Books for Your Marriage

by Retired Expert | Feb 2, 2015 | Blog, Expert, Relationships

I’ve been blessed to be married to my wife for almost 20 years. It hasn’t always been easy; we work on it all the time.

To help enhance your marriage, here is a list of relationship books that have helped us. They are in no particular order, and I’ve included brief reviews. You can find them in print, digital, and audio formats in stores, online, or at your local library.

5 Marriage Tips from a Newly Married Spouse

by Retired Blogger | Jan 14, 2015 | Blog, Experience, Relationships

I didn’t have any doubts about us getting through my first year married to my husband. I knew there would be a lot of firsts and possible challenges. My mother told me that the first year of marriage can be trying, especially if you’ve never lived with your spouse before. Not only would it be a lot of fun, it would test my limits and help us understand each others’ quirks.