Inside: If you're feeling weird about homecoming, read these military homecoming tips and you'll know everything really is normal. Or how to avoid the awkward altogether. "Hi," I said. "Hi," he responded. "Hi." "Um. Hi." This is basically how the conversation went when my husband returned home from his first deployment. I couldn't [...]
9 Unspoken Rules of FaceTiming Your Deployed Service Member
When my husband was deployed, being able to FaceTime him helped a lot. We would try to chat on a daily basis but obviously if he had to go out on a mission, it didn't always happen. But when it did happen, I'd be excited that I could see him. The kids would be thrilled to see their Daddy as well. It was precious time when I could pull out [...]
How To Cope When Your Spouse Works During The Holidays
Ahh, the holidays. It's a magical time. There are trees. There are twinkling lights. Cookies. Gifts. Santa. It's even more spectacular when you have kids because you can experience everything all over again through their eyes. But suppose you have a spouse that can't join you? Not because they're deployed, but because they have a tough [...]
How To Spot a Toxic Military Spouse Friendship
I should have known something was off when she told me she used to be best friends with someone and suddenly she wasn't. But you know, people change. It happens. People lose touch with one another. So I filed her comment away. We became military spouse friends rather quickly. Our kids got along. Our husbands got along, bonding over [...]
9 Reasons Military Spouses Don’t Want to Move OCONUS
I've never minded when my husband got orders, and we had to move. It meant we could start all over again. I mean, yes, having to pack everything is a pain and saying goodbye to friends is never easy. But the flip side meant we could explore a new place. Having said that, I always worry my husband will get orders overseas, and I don't [...]
The Hilarious Pros and Cons Of Attending a Military Ball
It's that time of year for the military ball, an event that usually happens once per year for each branch. You've checked out all the military ball dresses and grabbed some other military ball must haves. It can be a fun thing to attend--but not everyone goes. There are a variety of pros and cons on attending the military ball, and here [...]
The Difference Between Living Off-Base vs. On-Base Housing
We've always lived on-base housing for the fifteen years my husband has been in the Air Force. Until now. We decided to purchase a home when my husband was stationed at Joint Base San Antonio and right away I'm noticing some differences between living off-base versus on-base housing. The Difference Between On-Base and Off-Base [...]
7 Survival Tips to Help Your Military Child Adjust to a New School
We moved from Oklahoma to Texas because my husband was selected to be a MTI. As a military family, we were ready to move: we had been at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma for 5 years. But I worried about my daughter--a military child. She had gone to school in Oklahoma from Kindergarten to Third Grade. It was the only school she knew. My son [...]
What Really Goes Down on FaceTime During Deployment
My husband has deployed multiple times. He's gone to Korea for a year. He's been away on countless TDYs. So we've depended on programs like FaceTime and Skype to cope with deployment separations. It allows the kids to see their Daddy. It allows me to see my husband. But the conversations don't always go smoothly. This is, after all, [...]
10 Things Military Spouses Don’t Need to Do Anymore
I've been a military spouse for fifteen years. I enjoy it for the most part. I've gone through multiple deployments. TDYs. Daddy dolls (using this daddy doll tutorial). PCS moves. Having a baby with a service member. But I notice I'm different in what I choose to do. Maybe it's because I'm an introvert. Possibly it's because I'm rather [...]