I'm so thankful that so many amazing bloggers have been willing to guest post for me this month while I'm on "maternity leave." Today, we have Lindsay from Uplifting Anchor. She talks about how moving back in with her parents while her husband was deployed taught her many things. Be sure to go check out her website after you read this because I love the theme behind it! I’m 30 years old and this past year I moved back in with my parents. That statement used to feel strange, defeated, and wrong on many levels, but not anymore. I am a military spouse, and I moved back in with my folks Continue Reading
Acts of Kindness for the Military Community
We PCS every two to three years. We handle deployments and TDYs like a boss. We say goodbye to old friends, and welcome new friends. We shop at the commissary and PX. We enter a gate to get to our jobs and sometimes our homes. We are strong. We are resilient. We are the military community. And military life, although rewarding, can be hard. It can be knock-you-on-your-feet hard. On those days -- or let's face it, sometimes months -- a small act of kindness can mean so much. One simple act of kindness can be the hand that helps you stand back up. There have been plenty of times in my three Continue Reading
A Game to Strengthen Your Marriage
I'm teaming up with DaySpring to talk about strengthening marriages. They are offering a giveaway to my readers because they value marriage as much as I do. Be sure to read all the way to the end because we've got a giveaway and a promo code just for you guys! If there's one thing I learned last year while Travis was stationed in Korea it's how important it is to strengthen your marriage in any way you can. Being long distance put an incredible strain on our marriage, and I'm so thankful that God got us through and we survived. Today, Travis and I are celebrating our three-year wedding Continue Reading
On Being an Older Enlisted Spouse
Hello friends. I'll be taking a little blogging break, so I've gathered some blogging friends to guest post here. I wouldn't want ya'll to not have anything to read! My first guest post comes from Julie at Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life. I was 26 years old when my husband re-joined the Army. He went in as an E3 at age 30. A few months later, he promoted to an E4 and that is how he spent the rest of his time as an active duty soldier. A lot of people join the military at a younger age, 18-20 years old. Their spouses are young too. They work their way through the ranks and can make it to E5 Continue Reading
Uplifting & Strengthening Playlist to Overcome Deployment
This is my first time away from Travis for so long. It's been hard for sure. Although, this isn't technically a deployment -- the separation and lack of communication makes it feel like one sometimes. One of the ways I am getting through these months is through uplifting and strengthening music. Listening to certain music can change my mood and attitude. I think this playlist for deployment can help you overcome and feel strong. This list of more than 60 songs has many different genres of music, so you are sure to find something you like! Add these songs to your playlist for Continue Reading
Ways to Bless a Military Spouse
Looking for ideas on how to show kindness to a military spouse? Well, you've come to the right place. As a military spouse myself, I have always been so thankful to those friends, family, and even strangers who have blessed me, especially when my husband is away. It means so much to know we are supported and cared for. Some of these ideas are my own, and I've asked other military spouses to chime in with their ideas too. Here are 10 ways to bless a military spouse. 1. Invite me over. It can be for dinner or just to watch TV and hang out -- I just want some company. Especially Continue Reading
6 Things I Learned as a New Military Spouse
I've been married for almost two years to a man in the military. Right after our honeymoon, I moved in with my husband who was stationed in Georgia at the time. Moving near a military base, spending time there, and listening to a husband talk about his job made me learn so much about military life. As an Army girlfriend, I really had no idea about so many of the things I know about now. Today, I'm sharing the six things I've learned as a new military spouse. 1. Revelry & Retreat Every morning, the American flag is lifted and Revelry is played over speakers throughout the 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
My Marriage Makes Me Feel Ugly
I always thought I was a nice person. Kind. Thoughtful. Great at planning and organizing. I would have definitely described myself as a good Christian girl. I didn't think of myself as selfish. Not at all. Until I got married. In almost 20 months of marriage, I've learned a lot about my husband -- as I imagined I would. But I never realized how much I would learn about myself. One of the best wedding gifts God gave you was a full-length mirror called your spouse. Had there been a card attached, it would have said, "Here's to helping you discover what you're really like!" - Gary and Continue Reading
Loving Your Husband When Your Own Love Tank is Low
I just wasn't feeling the love. If everyone has a love tank, mine was low. And it was making me cranky. I have read about loving your husband, but love was the last thing I was feeling. It wasn't my husband's fault really. Due to military life, I hadn't seen him in a month and didn't get to talk to him as much as when he's home. I wasn't getting my quality time. Or my words of affirmation. Or my acts of service. Or physical touch. Or gifts. None of the five love languages, and I was feeling it. The lies began in my mind. "He doesn't really want to come home." "He would be texting you Continue Reading
50 Ways to Show Love to Your Spouse
Marriage takes work. Everybody knows that. A loving, healthy marriage doesn't come easy. A husband and wife both have to be intentional about showing love to one another. You have to be willing to serve one another. The best marriages include spouses who both have a desire to make the other person feel special, important, respected, and loved. So what are some ways to show love? Depending on each person's love language, different acts can have more meaning to certain people. Some spouses really appreciate when the other person helps with chores. Others just want to spend some quality time Continue Reading
The Best Part of My Wedding
There was one main part of my wedding that made it so special and so beautiful -- and no, I'm not talking about the white dress. My Wedding: How We Included Prayer One of the things I loved most about my wedding was how it was wrapped in prayer. Including God in our wedding planning, wedding day, and marriage was so important to me. I loved how so many people helped me include Him. Before we began decorating the day before the wedding, everyone came together to pray in a circle. We prayed for the day to go smoothly, the next day to go smoothly, and for our marriage to be blessed. Continue Reading