Saturday, September 10, 2011

A Little About Myself

As a little girl, I loved to write stories.  I wrote stories about a lot of different things.  Even as a young girl, I was a romantic and many of my story ideas involved the military.  There was a beautiful young woman waiting faithfully for her handsome soldier to come home to her.  There was a young girl hoping and praying that her daddy would come home.  I wrote about World War 2, the Revolutionary and Civil wars, and even modern day military stories.  It is interesting that someone with no personal experience with the military would have such a fascination with the military life.  However, even though I loved to write stories about fictional people's military experience, I always knew I never personally wanted to marry a military man.

I met my husband two years ago on a blind date.  He told me on our first date that he was considering joining the army.  Right then and there, I almost said goodbye and made a beeline for the door.  But I stayed put and we fell in love.  After a short four month courtship, we got engaged and two months later we were married.

After a wonderful three week honeymoon/family vacation to Germany and Thailand, we returned to the States and said goodbye as my husband left for basic training and I stayed to move into our tiny apartment in Utah. (More on that later.)  I spent the summer indulging in the military lifestyle looking through endless Facebook support groups, websites and blogs looking for support and information on how to survive this new life that I have inherited because of my dear husband.

One year later, I feel the need to give back to the military community that has helped me so much in my quest to educate and accept this new life.  It's taken me a while, and there is a good reason for that.  I have felt like although it has been a year and a half since my husband enlisted and a year since he has been back from basic and AIT, I haven't had much experience with the military besides the one weekend a month for drills and two weeks a year for AT.  My husband has never been deployed.  However, thinking more about it, I realize I do have experience.  Since my husband is in the National Guard and will soon be contracting with the ROTC during law school with dreams of being an active duty JAG officer, I deal with the military issues almost daily and will be a lot more.  I feel the need to share my experience even if just one person is uplifted and encouraged to embrace their military lifestyle and enjoy it.  This lifestyle is tough at times, but there are many reasons to love it as well.

2 comments:

Taylor {OurMilitaryHome.com} said...

Welcome to the military blogging community! I can't wait to read more from you ; )

Lydia @ This Marine Wife said...

Your life as a little girl sounds a bit like mine. I always wrote and imagined stories of military relationships. Quite differently though, I had a deep sense that I would marry someone in the military. No matter where her husband is at in the military scene, every wife has a story to tell. I too look forward to reading more.