Friday, February 26, 2010

Spousey-ness

I am many things to many people. Depending on how you ask you may even find out some deep dark secrets, like I can be a royal b*tch when put to the test. I admit it, it's true. I'll even admit that when I get angry (not just petty angry, but furious end of my rope p*ssed,) I get cold. I also admit to being a wife, mom, daughter, waitress, nurse, and let's go with...cheerleader. I am defined by a lot of different things and titles, but one of the ones that I wear with the most pride is that of a Military Spouse.



I have made the choice to stand tall and proud beside my husband while he supports our country and her military needs. It is not an easy life. Some days I cry. Wednesdays I often sit in the bedroom and watch internet TV shows all day while cuddling with baby Lu and Walker. Sometimes I get grumpy when it's 2000 and my husband has just been realized from his 14 hour day. And I am not alone. There are hundreds and thousands of spouses out there of all ages shapes and forms who are much the same as me. They are married to Marines and Seaman, and Privates with fuzzy spots and Generals with stars, Men and Woman, but all of them are married to those people strong enough to stand behind our flag. Our life is not one of ease and glamour. We often get phone calls in the middle of the night from single soldiers stranded at the club (or occasionally naked on the side of the road...depends on the night.) Sunday interruptions when your husbands soldier does something stupid like urinating on someone elses car.



We are as alike and as different as can be. No two of us have the same background, ethnicity, or skill set, and often we need as much help as we can find learning the fine art of being married to a military man (or woman.) So where do we turn for the support that we need? Often to family, but they never seem as upset as us when we use the dreaded words 100% recall. And other spouses are a great resource, but sometimes you need something else in print to answer questions and browse on your own time. Many of us turn to blogs or publications such as Military Spouse magazine. This magazine used to be a great resource filled with articles about and for military spouses, but recently they have been leaning towards a lot more "fluff." Rather than a spouse centered magazine, it is slowly leaning towards a health and beauty magazine aimed towards spouses. This is not what I want when I purchase a copy, and I hope it's not what you want. I will avoid going into anymore detail on the articles because it has already been wonderfully said right here. Instead I will end my little rant/opinion post with this thought. Military spouses have a hard enough time on their own why would we question their intelligence my trying to feed them "fluff" when their world doesn't need any more crap in it?

3 comments:

  1. Thanks so much girl for posting about this. I was nervous about that letter but so glad to hear others agreed.

    I really really want to encourage everyone to speak up and send similar letters to Military Spouse. They are listening they just need more people who feel this way to say so.

    And I have already had an article pitch accepted and am currently working on it. If you see something that needs changed then speak up and pitch in! As military spouses we deserve a great magazine..I'm proud to have written that letter and to be part of something useful coming out of it. Hopefully in the June or July issue :)

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