Living apart from your husband for a year can be hard, especially when there's a big time difference. We miss a lot of things about being together, but especially those little things. Things like watching TV together while cuddling on the couch. While Travis is on the other side of the world, we decided to start a new TV series together. We can both watch them on our own, but stay on the same pace with each other. That way we can talk about the episodes whenever we talk, or leave each other messages about the episode to see when we wake up. It's something we can do "together" while we're Continue Reading
Free Apps for International Communication
One of my biggest concerns when Travis left for South Korea was figuring out how we would communicate with each other. He wouldn't be able to take his cell phone because of the international charges and fees he would have. He was able to put his cell phone on a military hold without any fees, and he bought a new phone in South Korea. Thankfully, we have found many ways to talk even on different sides of the world! For anyone else who is preparing for a move or long trip overseas, I wanted to share what we use to communicate, as well as other free apps for international Continue Reading
South Korea PCS Packing List
If you follow my blog, you know my husband will be boarding a plane for South Korea in the next couple weeks. That means we have been packing like crazy. I have been so thankful for any resource we can find about what to bring and what is provided and how an international PCS even works. I've been trying to read up on all the information I can get, but I do wish there was more. Because of that, I'm writing this post for anyone else who is preparing for a move to South Korea. Your destination, housing, or packing list might not be exactly the same, but I hope this gives you a better idea Continue Reading
Top MilSpouse Bloggers You Should Follow on Pinterest
With my husband moving to South Korea soon, I have found myself feeling more like a true Army wife than ever before. Because of that, I have been eating up all the military-inspired blogs I can get. I'm so thankful that in this next year of challenges and adventures, as well as right now during our first PCS, I can look to so many of the beautiful military wives who have gone before me. Most of whom are still in the midst of it themselves. There is just something about knowing you aren't alone. Knowing others are feeling what you are feeling. Being in community. I'm grateful that I Continue Reading
Gift Ideas for Moving Friends
This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for helping me keep this blog going! Moving can be stressful. There's a lot of planning and packing and (usually) driving involved. There are a lot of goodbyes and maybe even some tears. I know because I'm right in the midst of it. Do you have friends or family who are preparing for an upcoming move? Perhaps you'd like to brighten their day with a care package or gift. I've compiled this list of gift ideas for your friends who are moving or PCSing (if they're a military family). Some of these will be great if you live nearby, others can be Continue Reading
Tips for Visiting Patriot’s Point
Last weekend, Travis surprised me with a trip to Charleston, South Carolina to celebrate my birthday. I'll be writing a full recap post on that soon! But first, I want to tell you about Patriot's Point. Patriot's Point is a naval and maritime museum where you can walk through the USS Yorktown, an air-craft carrier known as "The Fighting Lady," as well as the USS Laffey, a battleship, and the USS Clamagore, a submarine. This was Travis' favorite part of our trip, not surprisingly. I really enjoyed it too! For those of you thinking about visiting, I want to share some photos and some Continue Reading
FAQ — South Korea
Since announcing our big news of Travis moving to Korea, people have had many questions. So I figured I'd write out a post for those of you who are curious to know more. If you are in the military or in a military family, you will probably already know these answers. But many civilians just don't fully understand it all. Here are the most frequently asked questions and our answers. When does he move there? Travis has to report to his new unit by March 1. He will take a couple weeks of leave before he moves, so we will be leaving Georgia mid-February to spend a couple weeks in Continue Reading
When I Found Out My Husband Was Leaving Me
I had just got home from a weekend trip to Indiana to surprise my family. Travis and I were sitting at the stools in our kitchen, eating our supper and talking about my trip. And that's when he told me. "I got an email," he said. That one email completely threw me for a loop. It was unexpected and unwanted. And it changed everything. That email said my husband's name was put in for a position in South Korea. As a soldier in the Army, my husband can be sent basically anywhere in the world and he has to go. Even if that means leaving his wife behind to wait for his return. This news wasn't Continue Reading
Ways to Sleep Better + A Bedtime Prayer
When my husband was gone for a month of training, I spent a lot of time with family in other states. But the days I did spend at home alone, I had the hardest time sleeping. It wasn't just that I missed my husband laying next to me, it was also the fear of having no one to protect me. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever felt so much fear before -- which was silly because I was safe in my locked house. I honestly believe Satan was throwing his flaming arrows toward me (Ephesians 6:16) to prevent me from receiving God's peace and getting a good night's sleep. Fortunately, I had many ways to help me Continue Reading
Just a Little Something
My husband left about two weeks ago for NTC (the National Training Center) in California. He'll be gone for a month. I wanted to do something for him so he would feel my love even weeks into his training, especially when we couldn't have any contact. It's nothing special -- just a little something. So I bought a few treats for him to take and included little notes with each one. I bought him some of his favorite candy -- Sour Patch Kids, Sour Gummy Worms and Mamba Chews -- a package of Golden Oreos, his favorite Kind bars and some new Kind bars he hasn't had before. For each of Continue Reading
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 Continue Reading
Reasons I Could Never be in the Military
He wakes up at 5:30 am. He works out for an hour. He can run eight miles. He can do 80 push ups. He can sleep anywhere, even on the hood of a HMMWV. He can eat anything including the egg omelet MRE. And he wears that uniform like it's his job. Because well, it is part of his job. He's in the military. I have so much respect for my husband. Not only because he is a kind, devoted, well-mannered man, but also because he is a hard-working patriotic soldier who makes sacrifices for his job and country. I have respect for all soldiers in the military. Most of all because I know I could never do Continue Reading