What is a MILITARY Wife?
They may look different and each is wonderfully unique, but this what they have in common.
They have THIS IN COMMON!
Lots of moving---
Moving.
Moving.
Moving far from home.
Moving two cars, three kids and one dog----all riding with HER of course.
Moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house.
Moving curtains that won't fit.
Moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours.
Moving away from friends, moving toward new friends.
Moving her most important luggage; her trunkful of memories.
Often waiting-
Waiting, waiting, waiting for housing; waiting for orders; waiting for deployment; waiting for reunion; waiting for phones calls; Waiting for the new curtains to arrive; waiting for him to come home for dinner----AGAIN!
They call her 'military dependent', but she knows better.
She can balance a checkbook.
Handle the yard work.
Fix a noisy toilet.
She is intimately familiar with drywall, anchors, and toggle bolts.
She can file the taxes, sell a house, buy a car, or set up a move, -- all with ONE Power of Attorney.
She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her.
Reinvents her career with every PCS; locates a house in the desert, the arctic, or the deep south and learns to call them all 'home'.
She MAKES them all home.
She is fiercely IN-dependent.
Military Wives are somewhat hasty.
They leap into decorating, leadership, volunteering, career alternatives, churches and friendships.
They don't have 15 years to get to know people.
Their roots are short but flexible.
They plant annuals for themselves and Perennials for those who come after them.
Military Wives quickly learn to value each other.
They connect over coffee, rely on the spouse-network and accept offers of friendship and favors and record addresses in pencil.
Military Wives have a common bond.
The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands, his commitment is unique. He doesn't have a job, he has a 'mission' he can't just decide to quit. He's on-call for his country 24/7 but for you, he's the most unreliable guy in town!
His language is foreign:
TDY
PCS
MOS
FOB
ACU
And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his.
She is the long-distance link to keep them informed the glue that holds them together.
A Military Wife has her moments----
She wants to wring his neck, dye his uniform pink, and refuse to move to Siberia...
But she pulls herself together.
Give her a few days, a travel brochure, a long hot bath, a pledge to the flag, and a wedding picture.
And she goes.
She packs.
She moves.
She follows.
Why?
What for?
How come?
You may think it is because she has lost her mind.
But actually it is because she has lost her heart.
It was stolen from her by a man...
Who puts duty first.
Who longs to deploy.
Who salutes the flag.
And whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military husband,
She will remain his Military wife.
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13 comments:
I'm going to have to share this with my sister-in-law. :)
Wow! Fantastic Blog!!!! This is Kathryn's sister-in-law
That sums up this crazy wonderful life beautifully! Thanks for sharing
I love it. We don't fully appreciate those who serve and what their families go through. Thanks!
Thank you, Amen. Mom
May our dear Lord bless you, every one of you wonderful military wives. \
we thank our military often, I think though that sometimes we forget to thank the "dependent" military personnel waiting at home.
Lillian
It has always been obvious that Military Wives are different. They have to be to do all they do.
Good for you.
DAD
Lydia,
I know this is late and I hope you read my comment. You have helped me remember my own mother. for all of the good or bad she too was a military wife. I am grateful to her example because as a military son I would not have made it without her. I have in my passession my father's discharge orders as well as my mother's release from service issued by the Air Force. I would like to thank the wives of our servicemen who make possible their service an may those men cherish their wives always. -- Drew
I don't think I can say "Well Done" enough.
Thanks to all the wives, families and sevice men.
-Della
military husbands are a breed apart as well. I love their understanding and willingness to love despite the continual "special" circumstances.
we keep you in our prayers
~Emily Hugo
Wow not fun! I know several military wives and I truly have great respect for you all.
We move a lot, my husband is a project manager for a construction company, but I always do the moves with him around and well with a moving company that his work pays for to.
I don't know how you do it.
Moving company's do make it easier but it is still a move.
two questions, did you write this, and can I use it at the retreats I help with!! Thanks for making me cry! I read it while on the phone with my husband, and he cried too!!! I also am putting this on my blog!!! I love it!
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