Before the Soldier deployed for his third tour earlier in the year, we decided that it would be best if Little Man and I came back home to stay with my family in civilian world.
There are many days I miss military land and the people in it because there is a silent understanding of the lifestyle we have. If you meet someone new in military land and find out the spouse is deployed, you can share advice, stories and simply just talk. It doesn't quite work that way in civilian land. Lately once civilians have found out the Soldier is deployed, the question du jour has been, "Oh. So, then what do you do all day?"
I admit it has caught me off guard simply because there was something about the question that bugged me. I wanted to tell them about the 60 deployment list I have, the different teams I'm a part of on Soldier's Angels, the small business I've been working on for over a year, raising a 2 year old while trying to teach him two languages, trying to figure out potty training for him, and overall being a wife and mom. If anything, I have found that living back home has increased my responsibilities and if you're a spouse who finds yourself back at home then you might agree with me.
Only until recently did I finally understand why the question bugged me. If it had been a military spouse I was meeting for the first time then it probably would not have been asked. Plain and simple, there is no need to. We understand certain things about our lifestyle that others couldn't. It is almost as if we belong to a secret society.
One of the things I loved about the first Spousebuzz conference I attended two years ago, as a brand new Army wife, was that for the first time I met others who understood. They understood my worries and concerns about militay life,deployment, shared funny stories, and gave advice when it came to conquering the gremlins. Overall, I finally felt like I found a place that made me feel welcomed.
I am very honored to be a part of the team and look forward to sharing my life and the experiences along the way with you, thank you!
