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No Resolutions This Year, Just Good Intentions

By Tiffany Shed

If you are like me, you are slowly dragging yourself into the new year. The tree has been taken down. The ornaments and decorations all packed away. You’re looking around for places to put all the new toys and gadgets your family accumulated over the last few weeks.

If you’re also like me, you probably are thinking about change, because that’s what the new year brings … change. Some changes aren’t voluntary, like all the holiday flavors disappearing from menus and store shelves. Bye, bye peppermint hot chocolate. But some changes are those that we make ourselves. Those dreaded new years’ resolutions have probably already started popping up in your Facebook newsfeed or on your favorite blogs.  

I don’t like the word resolution. To me, I associate it with the word resolve, and to resolve something means that there will be a definite solution or ending point. That’s a lot of pressure. What if I can’t resolve my resolution before December 31st of this year?

I think that this year, I will make some intentions.

I intend to make use of all of the resources that I have at my disposal to get my family all of the care they need. Being a military spouse comes with a lot of perks sometimes. There are tons of ways we can seek help for ourselves and our families. Usually a simple Google search will lead to a whole host of ways to help.

If that doesn’t help, check out a couple of my favorite places: Military OneSource, Army Wife Network, and the National Military Family Association. Whether you need to know how to register for EFMP, find out how to ship your household goods, or just need a laugh to make your day brighter, you’ll find it on one of these websites. These are just a few examples of great online resources available to us though. Do a little searching and find your own.

I intend to take full advantage of any and all time I can get with my mommy group and special needs mom support group. We all need someone to lean on, especially when we’re dealing with a special needs family member.

Military life is tough in and of itself, but add special needs to the mix and things get far more complicated. I have been lucky enough to find an excellent group of moms that have helped me through the last year.

I found them through The Mommies Network. Luckily, the Mommies Network is all around the country. The next time we get PCS orders, I know that my first internet search will be to find out if there is a Mommies Network group in the area.

If there isn’t one in your area, don’t despair. Your search may be a bit harder, but there are groups where you can find support. Talk to your PCM or go to your Community Resource center on your installation (that’s ACS for all you Army folks). They will be able to help you find a support group in your area.

My biggest intention for 2015 is to try not to worry as much about the things that I have no control over.

I don’t have control over my husband’s training schedule. I don’t have control over my son’s epilepsy. I don’t have control over when or where our next PCS will occur. These are just a few of the things I worry about - a lot.

I can’t do anything about any of these things, but they consume so much of my daily thoughts. I intend to trust my son’s doctors. I intend to stay calm when my husband is gone (because I have my mommy group and my literal mommy, who thankfully loves visiting her grandson). I intend to enjoy the time we have left here in our house and not worry about what to do with it when we have to leave or having to find a new one until the time actually comes.

Will I succeed with my intentions? Who knows? The most important thing is that I am going to try. Happy New Year, everyone. I hope you intend on making the most of it.

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