I Am Not Okay

I Am Not Okay

Originally published to Milspouse Conversations - 11/25/19 Let me tell you all a secret about me- although I am usually Little Ms. Sunshine, sometimes that's a front. I married very young. My husband and I were high school sweethearts from Podunk Town, Mississippi. He wanted to join the Navy, and because that was his dream, I eagerly followed. I had no idea what military life entailed. No one close to me had ever served. Hell, I thought that (one of my all-time favorite movies) Top Gun, was the Air Force because of the pilots. I simply assumed that if you…
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4 Simple Self-Care Practices for MILSOs to Start Off the New Year

4 Simple Self-Care Practices for MILSOs to Start Off the New Year

This article was originally published January 2020. Military Spouse Life Military life is not for the faint of heart. Moving every 18 months-3 years on average means starting over. Finding new friends, service providers, activities, schools, church just to name a few can cause even the most seasoned spouse to put themselves on the back burner. Deployments, workups, on-call schedules, and the unpredictability of their spouse's work also come into play. There is added pressure of being both mother and father to their children while that parent is gone. (more…)
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Being Beautifully Imperfect

Being Beautifully Imperfect

Originally posted on Milspouse Conversations in 2019 Hello! My name is Annette and I am a 44-year-old female. I am a mother to a 19-year-old daughter who is a sophomore in college and a 16-year-old son who is a high school junior.  I am also a military spouse of over 21 years and a Retired Army Disabled Combat Veteran. Long title right? Well, it does not define me but it helps when I share my story… (more…)
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From Hopelessness to Activism

From Hopelessness to Activism

Right now, the country is facing some unprecedented struggles: with the COVID-19 pandemic, the highest unemployment rates we’ve ever seen, as well as the old sins of racism and genocide being reckoned with once again. It feels overwhelming to so many of us. We want to help, we want to make things better, we want to DO something -- but so often military spouses feel that our hands are tied because we never live in one community for long, and aren’t there rules about this sort of thing anyway? (more…)
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Military Move – 4 Things To Consider When PCSing

Military Move – 4 Things To Consider When PCSing

  Being in the military can be an amazing and adventurous journey, but it can also be tough and scary. Let's face it. It can be an emotional rollercoaster that few people truly understand. Many times, during a PCS, the military member is bound to their duty to serve while the spouse hates the new location. The children don't want to move; they don't want to start over and have to make new friends—they like their old friends just fine.  (more…)
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