Years ago, I, as I am sure many of you have, came across this poem. At the time, the war in Iraq was just beginning and we as military families were still grappling with the hardships and reality of waiting for our deployed soldiers to return home. The origin of the poem is still debated, see the full story here.

Regardless, the sentiment rings true a decade later. Our thoughts are still with the soldiers who dedicate their lives to keeping us safe and the families that support them.

To all the military families still waiting for their loved ones to come home, and to service members everywhere who are separated from their family we wish you tidings of comfort and joy.

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.

Let’s just say, I’m not worried about the sudden drop off of the Mayan Calendar today. Why? Because, the universe has a sense of humor.

Here are my top five reasons why tomorrow is just another day:

1. I am nowhere near finishing a single project I began on Jan. 1, 2012. There are unfinished scrapbook pages strewn about my house, my garage looks like the base camp of Everest and the closets – let’s just say your world might end if you open the door without ducking for cover first. I predict a cataclysmic Earth shattering moment will only occur when I have successfully finished my long-standing, to-do list, giving me just enough time to bask in the glory for a handful of seconds before realizing that I spent my last days on Earth scrubbing marker off the wall.
2. On the first day of sixth grade, my teacher stuck a Twinkie in a baggie, sealed it, squished it and taped it to the chalkboard. On the last day of school she pulled it down so we could see how it was still perfectly preserved, save for the squishing. Her lesson: Twinkies don’t decompose or even mold. Twinkies are bad for you. My 12-year-old take: Twinkies are even more awesome than they taste! Supposedly the Mayan calendar’s cycles have predicted major changes in the past and great upheavals at the end of a cycle. Ummmm, Twinkies, gone forever? I think doomsday has come and gone my friends.
3. We’re still waiting for the next and possibly last installment of Indiana Jones and now a new Star Wars film after the purchase of the franchise by Disney. ‘Nuff said.
4. Mayans COULD predict the future and with the economic hit Mexico has taken after significant drops in tourism dollars due to the recent drug wars, they knew their future kin would need a boost in their wallets. Nothing drives people to stop and stare at you faster than an end of the world claim. CNN reports that hotels on the Yucatan peninsula, near the heart of the Mayan homestead, are booked solid through the end of the year. Way to look out for your great, great, great, great, great, you get the point, grandkids.   
5. The calendar was created and kept up to date by men.  Need I say more?

The text came from a friend of mine about two weeks ago, "When does he come home?"

As soon as she received my return text that read, "Tuesday the 11th," the phone rang.

She asked how I would feel about doing a big welcome home surprise for the kids with their dad. I said, "Let me ask my sweet soldier," and when he agreed, I made that fateful phone call to the sweet people at Kansas State University.

McCain Theater at KSU was hosting the traveling production of Beauty and the Beast.  As a special treat for military families, they were holding a ball fit for a princess or prince. They wanted to surprise my children with their dad during the ball. The event was billed as a "father/daughter" event, so my first statement was, "We have to include all of the Young children, or we will not be able to participate." They were so kind to include both sweet boys and sweet girl.

To be fair, the kids knew that sweet soldier was stateside. Originally, I had written his arrival date in my calendar and my kids read and processed that information. So when this opportunity was presented to me, I did what any mom would do. I erased the information in my calendar and I lied to my kids!

I told the kids that daddy had to stay at Ft. Campbell for a few more days to complete the exercise, but to ease the pain of dad not coming home on time we are going to KSU to this fabulous event.  

When I was young my parents took my brother and me to the Springer Opera House in Columbus, Georgia. There, they taught us how to behave and how to dress for the theater. That was the beginning of my love for the theater.

When I prepare my children to go to events such as the theater, a change of command or even a birthday party, we talk about presenting ourselves properly. The way we behave is the most important, but to dress appropriately for the event is a close second.

You see what is coming, right? I told sweet girl that she was going to have to wear a dress (because that is what you do) and she burst into tears. "I don't want to wear a dress. I don't want to go. Why do I have to?" was the tearful refrain.

I couldn't tell her why we were going, so I asked her if it would help if she were to pick out her own dress. She and I sat down with my iPad. We logged on to the website of a store that is in our local mall and she picked the "perfect dress".

I went to the mall the next day to find the "perfect dress" and, of course, they didn't have it. Epic fail. Ugh!

When I explained my issue and my need for this dress, the sweet employees at the store called around and found the "perfect dress" at a store in Nebraska. I completed the transaction over the phone and the next day (yes, the next day), the "perfect dress" was on my doorstep. Better yet, it fit and something happened to sweet girl when she tried on her dress. She began to get excited about the event.

So, the morning of the event, I briefed Team Young on how the day would go. As soon as the kids get off the bus from school, we get dressed and get ready to go. Don't worry about homework tonight. I will send a note to your teachers.

The kids get off the bus, race to their rooms, get ready and then come down the stairs for final inspection. Sweaters straightened, bows tied, tights on, all in red and the final touch, a token of daddy’s unit, a Big Red One pin for each of us! We are ready to present ourselves as a Big Red One Army family. We mount up and make our way to McCain Auditorium. 

We arrive to "Belle's Ball" and we're quickly escorted to our table. Thankfully, volunteers assisted the kids and I through the buffet. Sweet girl chose a chocolate cupcake as her dessert and of course she took a huge bite and smiled at me. Oh Sweet Lord! Someone actually came by and wiped her face and teeth before I could get out of my seat. I was both thankful and mortified all at the same time. We took pictures with Belle and the Beast. We ate. I waited anxiously.

I was given a vague overview of how the reveal might happen, and then, I realized it was beginning. The emcee came to our table to ask about our sweet soldier. “How long has he been gone? Where is he? Do you know when will be home?”

Then came the trivia question, "What was the name of Belle's father?"

"Ooh, I know!" I exclaimed. The emcee told me that it was a kid's question and I could tell one of the kids the answer. I beckon sweet girl over very quickly and told her the answer. She answered into the microphone and she received a Beauty and the Beast snow globe.

Then they asked us to come take a picture with Belle and the Beast as a family. We were seated with the characters, and the emcee said, "Something is missing. "Something major is missing."

As the emcee is speaking, the photographer is fussing with the positioning to distract the kids. When he steps back, I see sweet girl's head swivel, and she screams, "Daddy!" What struck me most was that littlest sweet boy was the first to leap into daddy's arms! Friends, there were tears. My tears. Kids' tears. Others' tears. It was an amazing moment!

I rarely ever take my kids to a formal reunion. I have a fear of how the kids are going to react. I don't want it to be uncomfortable for my sweet soldier or my children (especially the child with sensory issues). In that one moment, for as large as my fear had been, my relief and joy was equally as large.

It was an evening that would have made Walt Disney himself proud. The magic was bountiful. The cast members and volunteers were amazing. We were interviewed by the news, and the reporter asked to interview sweet girl. Holding my breath, I allowed it.

As she spoke, I realized that she was standing in semi-third position with her arms down and her chin high as she told the reporter that she was going to "prank" her dad for "pranking" her! My sweet soldier and I opened the dance floor with Belle and the Beast, and littlest sweet boy spent the rest of the evening with me dancing!

After five deployments over the course of ten years, it is difficult to find a way to keep things fresh and fun. This was an amazing opportunity for us to continue to shed light on military families. Being a military family is difficult on a good day. After ten years of deployments and sweet soldier missing birthdays, holidays, anniversaries and special occasions, it was our pleasure to bring a heartwarming story to our community.

Thank you to the Friends of McCain, the Institute for the Health and Security of Military Families, Kansas State University, the cast of Beauty and the Beast, and the myriad of volunteers that it took to bring this event to fruition! It was a night that my family will never forget.

From the Young Family to Your Family, have a very Merry Christmas. However you choose to celebrate, we wish your family safety and happiness and strength and courage ... sby

It’s nearing Christmas time and I’ve begun thinking about my new year’s resolution.  I’m not one to make resolutions, usually. It has always seemed a little silly to wait for a certain time of the year to make changes or better myself.  But this year, I have a few simple goals to work on once the busy holidays are over.

Like most moms (and awesome military spouses) I put my family first. I run around taking care of everyone and everything else.  And although I make a small amount of time each week to go to the gym, I never, ever, ever take a break outside of that time.

With no grandparents or family nearby to help, being new to base and PCSing again in a few months, I am not one to ask for help with my kids. Whether it’s a doctor appointment or errands, my kids come with me.  That’s just the way it’s always been. My kids are my responsibility.

But, I am realizing (after some very long and tough days) I cannot do it all, all the time.  I have days when my patience is non-existent and I am just going through the motions to get through the day. I am not afraid to say that the TV can be our best friend. But we need a change.

The military offers so many awesome resources and I am almost a little embarrassed that I have not taken advantage of them. I enjoy spending time at home with my boys. However, in short order I have had a second baby, a cross-country move, my oldest hit his terrible twos and I feel like I am going a little crazy. It’s almost impossible to keep it all together, all the time.  

I am lucky enough to have my husband home and for him to be an awesome hands on dad. He’s also not afraid to do the laundry or clean a bathroom. But, some days I am still struggling. I beat myself up thinking I must just be terrible at this whole stay-at-home mom/military wife thing.

I have met some amazing women here, including many who have similar challenges: new babies, 2-year-olds, approaching PCS. Some of them have babysitters, another brings her daughter to preschool once a week and a few of the women take advantage of the hourly care provided on base at the Child Development Center.

Holy moly! These women are awesome moms and take time for themselves. My kids have only ever been cared for by family, when they visit us. But the reality is, that isn’t often enough. Asking for help or taking a few hours to myself here and there does not make me a bad mother.

Whoa! There it is. I realize why I have put off asking for help for so long. I have tried to do it all because asking for help might mean I have failed at my job as a mom. Not true.

Help and resources for military families are available for a reason. We cannot do it alone and this lifestyle is not for the weak.  A happy mom who takes care of herself will make for a happy family. Things are going to get more complicated down the line when my husband is back in the fleet and deploys. I have to learn to stop spreading myself thin and just ask for help.

So there it is. Starting in 2013 I am going to look into hourly care for my kiddos and start taking care of myself. I’m going to start using more of the resources the military has to offer. Check in on me in the New Year to see if I can do it!

Special wishes for a safe holiday season to you all. This military family always has the men and women who are deployed in our thoughts and prayers as they are away from their families during this time of year. Special thanks to you all!

Online colleges are great for military spouses who have a busy schedule. I think they are the best and most flexible way to get your degree.

I attended an online college while I was in the Navy. My spouse is also in the Navy and between the two of us we had a very busy work schedule. I was also pregnant with our second child.

However, I was ready to go back to school. I talked to the Navy college counselor on base and he recommended a variety of colleges and universities that were military friendly and online. I enrolled in the school that best fit my needs and away I went.

It was great. At work, when I had a spare moment, I was able to log in and talk to my professor or check my next assignment and grades. At home I was able to do the same while changing diapers and doing my daily routine around the house.

In the middle of my semester, we had to PCS. I didn’t want anything to stop my studies. Attending an online school kept my semester rolling, despite the move.

I notified my instructor of my pending relocation and I asked about any upcoming key assignments such as midterms, tests and papers. With this advanced notice I was able to have my assignment due dates adjusted to accommodate my move.

Also, I aimed to complete all my assignments at least one week before I arrived at our next duty station. This was extra work for me but I was thankful in the end. By completing the majority of my assignments before the move, I had time to recover from the cross-country driving and adjust to my new surroundings.

After a day of relaxation, I set up my internet connection and could immediately access my course assignments. That’s one of the best parts of online education, as long as you have a laptop and internet connection, you are all set to go.

Within days of arriving in our new home, I was back to working on my assignments and daily studying. I also reminded my spouse that each day I would be dedicating time to schoolwork.

Online classes are accessible and flexible. For service members and military spouses, I think an online college means the least amount of hassle in our very hectic lives. Don’t let a PCS or work get in the way of achieving your education goals. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

My husband’s current TDY trip didn’t start out so smoothly for my family. The flu has now completed two laps through every member of my household, the car did break down, my cell phone stopped working a week ago and that schedule I stick my family of five children so tightly to has been shredded. I feel like I haven’t slept in two weeks.

However, there is a silver lining to these weeks apart from my husband. It is something many military spouses won’t even admit to. Time away is … nice. And dare I say it, possibly healthy.

After 42 combined months in Iraq I, as many spouses did, grew accustomed to living alone. I learned how to become a single parent. I learned how to change the oil. By the last deployment, I was ripping the cabinets out of my kitchen and replacing them with only the guidance of my good friend Sarah and not a man in sight.

And then a wonderful thing happened. My husband came home. For good.

It was lovely. We had so much fun. The kids adored him. But weeks passed and He. Was. Still. Here.

Something felt very off. The up-tempo of the war had changed the nature of our relationship. We had become used to dealing with each other for hours, days or weeks. Months and years were a length of time we could no longer comprehend.

As many military couples do, we had to endure a period of re-adjustment and even learn to know each other again.

But now, when he says he is traveling for a few weeks, yes I dread trucking five kids to their activities alone and dealing with the inevitable bout of flu that passes through only while he’s away. But secretly, my mind is also spinning as I plan all the time I’m going to have alone.

I can finally watch all the DVR shows I have stocked away. Hello, “Hoarders”, here I come! Seriously, I’ve tried, I can’t look away.

I can take a break in the kitchen and make kid food every night for three weeks – hot dogs, mac n cheese, tacos! No more whining children, every night is a winner.

And for my wild weekend nights, after the kids are tucked soundly in bed, I get to bust out the craft supplies and utterly cover the dining room table. And I even stay up ‘til midnight, listening to only the music I like. 

Granted, this TDY has held very little time for me, though I did doze off a bit during the last bout of my kids’ midnight vomiting.

However, I am a firm believer that a little bit of time apart can be time well spent. There’s nothing wrong with spending some time alone to do the things you enjoy.  And when it’s over, it’s amazing how much you realize you missed them and appreciate each other. 

I know I do.

I have to admit that I have been struggling to write lately.

My military life has been pretty calm, compared to the usual for military families. Most of my craziness stems from being a stay at home mom of two boys under two and all the chaos that comes with that.

However, this weekend we were slapped with some news that reminded me how you never know what the military will throw at you.

It's now December which marks the halfway point of my husband's school. We have five more months left here. Orders will be out in January but there are some families who already have theirs (that never happens for us).

My husband has been talking, networking and interviewing like crazy. He is anxious to figure out where we are going and what he'll be doing. In an earlier post I mentioned that we had been given several choices but it was frustrating to have the responsibility and control over our own duty station.

Be careful what you wish for people!!

We decided that Tampa was our first choice for a variety of reasons and just had to wait out a few weeks for the monitor to draw up orders. My husband checks on the jobs/billets available pretty regularly (probably more like obsessively) and was shocked to learn the billets available in Tampa were no longer there. For whatever reason, they are gone. Needless to say we were, and still are, crushed.

We had started looking at the area, at homes and had made plans to visit in March with realtors. We made the rookie mistake of jumping in too soon and too fast.

Everyone knows things change a lot in this lifestyle. Until you get that official paperwork, you can't guarantee anything. We learned this with our first PCS. We were told we were going to Hawaii and when my husband was given physical orders it said San Diego. Never believe anything until you see it with your own eyes.

My first reaction was to message my best friend and complain and vent, so I did.

After, I wanted to clean. Our tiny townhouse drives me crazy. As we waited for orders, I was so anxious to know where we were going and focus on a new home that it made me forget how unhappy this house actually makes me.

But now, with Tampa off our list, I look around and everything about this house makes me mad. For some reason cleaning at that time made me feel better.

My husband and I talked about how crushed we were, as we began starting this process over. He looked at his other options on the list and we both felt empty. Job wise and location wise, nothing seemed to fit our needs and family right. The hardest part to swallow was everything now available for his MOS (job) was deployable, something we are not ready for.

I looked at my husbands face and I could see the sadness in his eyes. This was so much more then just getting a new home for him. This job in Tampa was more family time and it was taken from him.

My heart sank. It was incredibly selfish of me to be upset about the house. The weight of the world had been on his shoulders as he had to choose between career and family. He finally made his decision, after turning down other opportunities and now it was gone.

No control, no say and only a few weeks to go back to the drawing board and find something else. I can honestly say I do not care to be in his shoes and wish I could take away some of the disappointment.

So I've snapped myself out of my pity party. The whole situation is a good reminder that as a military wife (and family) this is what we do. I support my husband, try to be as flexible as possible and adapt to the changes and challenges presented to us.

People always ask me, as a military family, how we do it. To be honest, I don't know any other way. This is what we do. Make the best of what we are given.

It may not be easy but there a lot of things that could happen that are far worse. Being together as a family is my priority and I'll do what it takes because I love my husband and believe in what he does. I can suck it up a few more months in this old, small house and enjoy our "normal" life a few more months.

By Melissa Palmer

Guest Columnist

The holiday season is a time to give and a time to heal. Sometimes the healing comes through the giving.

For example, someone afflicted with a serious illness, such as cancer, makes time to volunteer and support others who are sick. The acts of compassion translate into raising public awareness, bettering one’s self outlook, and becoming an inspiring example for all.

“Whether you’re a cancer fighter, survivor, or a healthy person, it’s powerful to be out there in the community working for the cause –or any cause, for that matter,” says Melissa Palmer (www.mysecretsofsurvivorship.com), a breast cancer survivor and author of “My Secrets of Survivorship” and of the upcoming book, “Survivorship: Breast Cancer at 40”.

“You can impact other people to want to give of their time as well. When you go through and survive health challenges, you’re inspired to give back, help others and let them know they’re not alone. You remember so well how people reached out to you when you were sick, and you want to do the same.”

 Palmer co-founded a support group for cancer fighters, Soul Survivors, shortly after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

“Life does not stop because you have cancer,” Palmer says. ”In fact, it’s great therapy to get involved with charity and to give of your time. And there’s no better time than the holidays to give back.”

Palmer suggests four ways to give back during the holidays:

• Visit a nursing home. This warms the heart of an older person. The more people you bring along on the visit, the merrier. “Bringing family or friends spreads the love,” Palmer says. “And you can further brighten their day by bringing cards, gift baskets, decorations and treats, and by singing carols.”
• Adopt a family. Religious groups and local organizations can help you sponsor a family to shop for during the holiday season. “There are so many needy families,” Palmer says. “Why not use some of your family’s holiday money to buy gifts for a family in need? And when you get your own kids involved in this and other give-backs, you’re giving them one of the greatest life lessons they could have.”
• Donate to a food bank. This is one of the biggest needs every holiday season. Get the whole family involved in shopping for non-perishable goods to be distributed to needy families. “Take your kids on a special shopping trip to pick up their favorite foods to give to someone in need,” Palmer says. “Giving back really starts here during the holidays. When so many people are consumed with high-volume gift-shopping, there are untold numbers who don’t have the fundamentals of survival – food and shelter.”
• Pack stockings for homeless people. “Kids can have fun picking out practical items to stuff in the stockings – healthy snacks like granola bars, water bottles, toothpaste and warm gloves,” Palmer says. One way to distribute these is to hand them out to homeless people on your daily commutes.

 “There are many ways to give back,” Palmer says. “And we all can. Having a serious illness prompts some people tochange their thought process about many things. Instead of thinking sadly about themselves, they think of others in need. The holidays are the right time for everyone to think of others.”

About Melissa Palmer 

Melissa Palmer (www.mysecretsofsurvivorship.com), author of “My Secrets of Survivorship” and the upcoming book, “Survivorship: Breast Cancer at 40”, is battling a rare genetic disorder, Pompe disease. A mother of five, she has an M.A. in Professional Counseling, created The Survivorship Foundation, is active in the American Cancer Society charity “Relay for Life” and co-founded a support group, Cancer Soul Survivors.

"Sometimes Mother Army gets it right," was the cheerful text that I received last Sunday on my trek home from Fort Campbell, Ky., and my sweet friend was right!

We have known for some time that my sweet soldier would take R&R during the month of December. What we didn't know was that we would get an extra surprise in the process.

He was assigned to assist the 101st Screaming Eagles with their pre-deployment exercise. When he e-mailed the good news, I believe his words were, "If you can get here the weekend of November 30, that would be great."

I think my exact words were, "I will make that happen."

For those of you keeping up, I have not seen my husband in nine months. The week I was scheduled to fly, I realized that I was nervous. You know, first date nervous.

My workout partner asked me if I had picked out my outfit and packed, and a small "no" crept across my lips. I had trouble getting focused. I was overwhelmed. I have dropped two pant sizes since I saw my sweet soldier, and let's face it, life has changed for me in the last nine months.

Will I pick the right outfit? Will I remember "what to do"? Will he want me? Will I want him? Will we have stuff to talk about? I hope I am not the only one with these questions the week of R&R, but these are the questions in my head.

But all of the tension melted away when my sweet soldier opened the hotel room door. I will not bore you with the details, but it was an amazing visit.

I was able to sit and drink beer and have pizza with my sweet soldier. I was able to share with him the fun things that are happening in my life and I listened to him talk about what is happening in his. I was able to look into his eyes and see his hard work and his love for me and his country.

We said, "See you soon," early Sunday morning, and I was glad to get home to my babies.

The question that I have been asked the most about that weekend was if my kids knew where I was going and what I was doing. My answer is yes, they did. They understood that this was a special visit for Mommy and Daddy and that Daddy has to work a little bit longer. I am so glad that my kids were gracious enough to understand that we needed that time.

The great news is that as you read these words, my sweet soldier is resting next to me in our home. Thank you, Mother Army, for the opportunities that you occasionally offer us.

This time, you really did get it right for our family.

Strength and Courage ... sby

Going to school is not easy to do. While some people may not consider being a student a job, I think it is.

You have to research the different schools and programs. Decide how this is going to benefit you and your family. Will you grow in your career with this new degree? And then, there is what I worry about the most: how I will pay for school.

I start, by doing my homework. I take advantage of all the scholarships offered, both military and civilian. Your local library should have a scholarship directory that will list the awards based on a variety of stipulations including student age, cultural background, state of residency and field of study.

 Here are some national scholarship programs you may qualify for:

ThanksUSA.org

This non-partisan, charitable organization provides need-based college, technical and vocational school scholarships for children and spouses of service members.

MYCAA

This program provides up to $4,000 of Financial Assistance for military spouses who are pursuing degree programs, licenses or credentials leading to employment in portable career fields.

Spouse and Dependents Education Assistance Program

This program is for families of disabled veterans and service members killed in action. Family members could be eligible for up to 45 months of education benefits for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training. If you are a spouse, you may take a correspondence course. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.

Salute to Spouses Scholarship

Bryant & Stratton College offers military spouses $6,000 in scholarship money to make their dreams a reality. Spouses can attend class both online and at Bryant & Stratton College campuses around the nation.

Pell Grants

Pell Grants are the foundation of federal student financial aid, generally awarded to undergraduate students. Unlike loans, Pell Grants are not paid back.

This is just a small percentage of the thousands of dollars of scholarship money available every year to students. Don’t miss out. Doing your homework before class starts will save you a lot of stress and help keep your pocketbook shut.