Friday was Military Spouse Appreciation Day. It is no surprise that they would have put it a few days before Mother's Day. No, not all military spouses are women or moms, but a lot are...a lot. More military spouses are men now...in fact, the military spouse of the year for 2012 is a guy. But since Rob is in the infantry, most of my military spouse friends are women. This is for you all; never underestimate your power.
In high school and college, I only had a few female friends. Most of my friends were guys. Girls seemed petty and silly and unfocused (probably a false assumption based on a few, but none the less). Now it is the opposite. I enjoy having quite a few very close female friends. I find I need them. Sometimes more than I need my husband around. They know how to read my mood, how to help me cope, how to listen to my struggles, how to bite their tongue and let me work the problem out. I love them for that.
When I first entered the Air Force I couldn't understand how a woman could just give up he life to follow some guy around. I had my own trail to blaze, and damn it, he could follow me. But now, I can't imagine not following him to Timbuktu (in fact that sounds fun...lets go!) He is my other half and I need him, and all my military spouse friends totally understand why I would never say, "I'll just stay here for the year while you go to school, or where ever." Instead, they help me pack, tell me the best restaurant in the new city, call ahead to friends at that location, and then bid me farewell with promises to see each other again.
Before I was a mom, I could not believe that someone would pick to stay home rather than exercise her brain and be working outside the home. I did this for a while...it was hard. I now love being home with my kids and seeing EVERY first, second, and 500th time they do something (ok, but the 500th, I am a little over it).
I know some of the most amazing women on the planet. They make miracles happen everyday.
They make father daughter dances special even when the father is half way across the world.
They video games, recitals, practices, songs, and anything else so their better half doesn't miss out.
They fix houses, pipes, decks, walls, electronics, skinned knees, broken fingers, and broken hearts with a smile and without complaint (mostly).
They balance work, families, the military, checkbooks, and more.
They learn to read the 'daddy' voices in the books, but also remember to not be too good so that everyone remembers that dad is irreplaceable.
They count minutes till bed time, hours till skype time, days till reunion time, weeks till he leaves, months till you move, and years in the military.
They know the number to the first sergeant, the unit number, the number of people needed for a good bunco game, and the number of times they got to see their husband last week at the dinner table.
They know that a house is filled with things and home is filled with love, and then work everyday to make their house their home.
To all the wonderful military spouses that have picked me up when I fell, that dried my tears when I cried, that held my children when I was too tired to even sit up, or that made me laugh and sing for joy so I would stop feeling self-pity....Thank you. You make me a better person.
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