A Real Military Spouse

I am up. Its almost 3am here, and I am sick and can't sleep. I can't tell though if it's because I feel compelled to write this blog post, or that I have insomnia tonight.

I have gotten several links today to vote for this year's military spouse of the year. Each of the links were of people that I am proud to say I know personally. Each one has made sacrifices, and supported their soldier and others. And I hope that one of them win.

I know that this is just my own thought, but sometimes I don't feel like a real military spouse. My husband has never deployed. I have never been asked to be a key spouse. I don't participate in spouse events because my husband has our only car at work with him when they are all scheduled. We don't live on base. We have gotten orders, but they have always been cancelled for one reason or another, so no PCS either.

How do we define a REAL military spouse? Distance, time, location, works? This life is so competitive. Our military men and women compete for rank, and the best places to move to, and here we are trying to measure our own worth by those around us.

I know my value as a mother, wife, daughter, and sister. But, I am the only one close to me who has an active duty husband. So, I guess that I get to decide what makes me a real military wife.

I have moved across the country, not to mention out of my parents house, to be with the man I love. I have known the fear of possibly giving birth on my own. I have seen my soldier walk away, knowing it was not a normal day and he would be gone for only a few weeks. I have argued with finance because they messed up our pay. I have celebrated my birthday by myself more than once. I have been to every PT test I can because he needs my support. I have packed a mobility bag, and put all of my husband's uniforms together when he wasn't at home...and I say, I am a REAL military spouse because I married my soldier!

You don't need an award, or to be nominated for one. You don't need to have been through a deployment. You don't need to move to Japan. If you have been married to your soldier for 1 second, you ARE a real military wife!

2013

Today marks the first full week of 2013. I can't believe 2012 went by so fast!

I gave birth to our first daughter, and third child, in March. My grandpa died in June, and my husband's grandpa died a month later. Our oldest turned 3, OH where does the time go? And, our youngest son turned 2 on the day that the Myans thought the world would end....We knew we were either going out, or going on, eating birthday cake!

2013 has already proven to be off to a wonderful, and quirky start. I am here in Virginia with our three children, staying with my in-laws, so that I can take a class. My husband had to leave VA and go back to Oklahoma and get back to the military. At this point, my class which was supposed to have been started yesterday if things had gotten ironed out by the school, is now in limbo. I have no idea how long it's going to be until we go back to OK. My husband is dealing well, but he has already said that this is one of the hardest things he has had to do. Our babies and myself are doing about as well has he is with this situation, but I guess we have it easier since we have his dad and step mom as support, and he's all alone.

His birthday is Valentine's day. This is the first one I will not be with him since we met, and I am going to act as if he is deployed and go with a care package theme. So, some deployment goodies and ideas may be showing up on the blog, with links to other things that have caught my eye in the next couple weeks.

I also have our daughter's first birthday to plan. If Daddy can't be here we may have to do something when he finally gets here; it's only the first birthday, she's never going to notice that it may be a tad bit late. My little Pepper is going to be a big girl! And this will mark the longest I have not been pregnant since our marriage in 2008.

In honor of my un-impregnated state I am going to try to work my booty off. I finally got some answers on my thyroid, so I won't have that little organ holding my fat cells hostage anymore...bye, bye! I really want some super cute pics the next time we have a baby, all baby and NO momma belly. Please pray for me.

Our oldest son will have some homeschooling goals to help prepare him for kindergarten, we will be working with phonics and penmanship this year. We have not pursued much beyond the goals I had set for him this year because he met them all by Christmas. He's my little smarty pants, I am a proud momma. And our youngest son is going to begin his homeschool preschool journey this year as well. I can't wait to see my babies around the table together working on their lesson for the day!

On top of all of this I will be working on my quiet time, and being consistent with that. I need my babies to see their mom making time for God every day.

2013 is going to be AWESOME!