My First Army Wife Experience

I walked out of the gym, feeling great after my workout. And then I saw them. The tires on my car were low.  Great — of course this would happen once Travis is gone. My husband had left early that morning for two weeks in the field. Military spouses always joke that everything breaks or goes wrong when the service member leaves, but I had yet to experience it for myself being a fairly new Army wife.

I got out my tire gauge and checked the air pressure. I couldn’t even remember what the air pressure was supposed to be! I texted my dad who lives 800 miles away and asked what the tire pressure on my car is supposed to be. Of course, just as I suspected my tire pressure was low.

I had been with Travis when he’s added air to his tires at a gas station on post. I decided I would go there. Of course, I always just sat in the car while he did it so I wasn’t sure how to use it. But how hard could it be, right?

My First Army Wife Learning Experience

I pulled my car up to the pump. No one else was around. I unscrewed the cap and put the air pump where it should go. I squeezed the handle … nothing seemed to be happening. I did it several times and then rechecked the air pressure. It hadn’t moved.

I started praying. God, please let someone pull up here who can tell me how to do this. Someone who will understand that my husband would normally handle this, but now he’s gone.

I tried the handle again.

Nothing.

Suddenly, I realized I could google it! I found a Youtube video on how air up tires. I began to watch it while sitting in my car. As far as I could tell from watching the video, I had been doing everything I was supposed to. So why in the world isn’t it working?

That’s when I realized someone had pulled up to the pump next to me. Thanks God. Prayers answered.

I told the man I couldn’t seem to get it to work and asked him what I was doing wrong. He explained to me how to do it, showing me on his truck. It was exactly what I had been doing!

“That’s what I did,” I said, “but it doesn’t seem to be working.”

“Did you push the button?” he asked.

Ah ha! A button. All I had to do was push the button to turn the pump on! Who knew?

I felt a little silly, but I was thankful that soldier could help me, thankful God sent him at the right time, and thankful I got my tires aired up.

And that was my first figure-it-out-for-yourself-because-your-husband-is-gone-Army-wife experience. Welcome to Army wife life!

What was your first experience like this as an Army wife or military spouse? Did you have to learn how to fix a toilet or a leaky faucet? 

Check out these other posts:

• 6 Things I Learned as a New Military Spouse
• The Best Countdown App
• A Strengthening Playlist for Deployment

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