Military Life & Happy Holidays, is that an Oxymoron?

That answer might just depend on who you ask and at what moment you ask them.

 have a friend whom is preparing to spend Thanksgiving in hotel in a foreign land with her kids while her husband has duty. They just moved this new country so there have not made friends there yet. I know of another family who's husband just returned from deployment. I am sure they will be singing all kinds of Happy Holiday tunes. We have all heard of the Marines that recently lost their lives at Camp Pendleton. This will undoubtedly be a hard holiday season for their families. Personally this Thanksgiving I am preparing for a Disney movie marathon with my children and pizza because my beloved husband is deployed. Most of our extended family's for all intense and purposes are a million miles away.

Its ok to say! I HATE MILITARY LIFE "TODAY!"

Since starting this blog and my Facebook page I have come into contact with a lot of wives. From the newbies to the ones that have been around a day or two. I have read pages like "I hate the USMC" and have seen first hand how angry people get when you speak ill of being in the Military or being a Military wife.

If you happen to make a negative comment, people automatically start saying things like;

Deployment, sometimes you have just three choices; Sink, Swim or Tread!

Deployments stories might be funny in retrospect but sometimes when the metaphorical shit hits the fan. You are left thinking someone please pass me a life line, toss me a life saver ring, something. Oh, can I buy a vowel? Phone a friend??

Tissues, beer and a camera! Your set, Come on in!

Pull up a chair and enjoy the show! My deployment life should be a reality TV show. I mean really I have Romance, comedy, drama and all the good stuff!

Last months carnival ride!

I had been told once that life was like a carnival ride with lots of highs and lows. That it was up to me to enjoy the ride.This last month as been a ride to say the least! This next month is going to be just as amusing!

What is the Secret?

I look back sometimes on the day I got the news about the deployment my husband is currently on. I clearly remember thinking, one year! I can’t do it! I am not cut out for this! The day he left I drove home in the rain crying so hard I could no longer tell the difference between the rain and the tears blurring my vision. I have cried many times in my thirty something years of life but none as hard or as much as I did that day. A year felt like a death sentence and I kept thinking. I don’t know how I am going to do this! I am not cut out for this!

  

Love with a slice of humble pie!

 
I have spent the last couple of weeks visiting my husbands family in Washington state. It has been a wonderful, educational and humbling experience.