For Those Left Behind

It’s PCS Season, which in our little military world, means change is coming. It’s the cause of house-selling, purging, nerves and adventure. Well, at least for those who are moving.

Sometimes the hardest part of PCS season isn’t moving, it’s being left behind. 


Can’t you just be here?

Jason’s been home from his fourth deployment for about three months now.  We’re adjusted to being back to “us.” It’s been long enough to feel immense gratitude that our marriage is still strong, and long enough for the TDY’s to start.


Love Thy Duty Station

shoveling snowSo, I hear it all the time: how we should bloom where we’re planted, thrive in new environments, blah, blah, blah. Let me just tell you, I’m having this moment, where I totally, completely and utterly loathe my duty station. Now, no worries, this feeling is fleeting and will melt with the snow, but for right now, I totally get how people can hate their duty stations. 


One Bite at a Time

Woman on computer with babyMy husband and I met young, while we were teenagers. Within two years, we were married, and shortly thereafter, pregnant with our first son. I did something I swore I would never do, because we didn’t have another financial option: I dropped out of college. I told myself that I’d go back, that this was only temporary.


Reintegrate This

So Jason has been home over a month. The honeymoon period is mostly over, and we’re neck-deep in reintegration. 

This part sucks.


When the Gnome Strikes

Freaking Deployment Gnome. 

Ugh. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve uttered this phrase during this deployment. What’s the Deployment Gnome? Oh, that pesky little creature who shows up the minute your soldier deploys and begins to wreak havoc on every aspect of your life. 


Changes

Something happened this deployment that I never thought would: I got a book deal. Suddenly, my little “write to fall asleep” hobby materialized into the job I’d always dreamed about. But what blessed us simultaneously? The baby we’d been waiting for two years to appear was dropped off at hockey practice and we became instant foster parents.


You’re Not The Only One

I’m seriously losing my mind. Between my career, my house, four boys in hockey and our new Little Miss, well … things are slipping. Forget that. Things have slipped more than bald tires in a Fort Drum winter. 

While at hockey, because I’m pretty sure we live at the rink right now, I started talking with another mom who happens to also be in our unit. While we laughed about the things going awry in our eighth months of deployment, she said, “I’m so glad I’m not the only one.” 

Let me tell you, ladies, you’re not the only one. 


When He’s Not Home for the Holidays

Our village is putting up Christmas lights on the lampposts, and it’s not even Thanksgiving yet.  Most years, this gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling.  This year it’s just a reminder that Jason won’t be home. 


Big Changes Mean Teamwork During Deployment

If there’s one thing a military family knows, it’s that life never stays stagnant during a deployment.  Sure, we may be missing our spouse, but life continues here at home at the same pace as usual. For our family, that usually means a breakneck pace. This has been even more true this deployment.

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