Today’s Blog Carnival question is all about the military spouse!
Three years ago, my husband got a whole lot of Christmas presents under the tree. Most of them, if not all, had to do with his upcoming deployment to Iraq which he left for on Jan. 4 that following year. That was also the year that I got ONE present. A thoughtful gift, to be sure, but a little lonely compared to the piles of gifts sitting next to my husband and son that Christmas morning…. but I digress. I should say though that it’s never happened again. 
That Christmas was the first Christmas I felt like a military spouse, despite Cliff having been in the Navy Reserves for ten years. I was SO grateful my husband was home with us for the holiday considering his unit’s advance party almost had to leave before Christmas Day (his command ultimately decided to let the guys be with their families and the advance party left on Dec. 26 instead). I also got to know a great group of military wives online and we’d made a Christmas ornament that year with all of our usernames included. (See photo: I wrote about this in the December issue of Military Spouse Magazine – sorry, the article hasn’t been posted online yet.)
So far we haven’t missed Christmas, though I’m preparing myself for the possibility at the end of 2010. Cliff’s battalion is on the schedule to deploy again and there’s a chance they may mobilize before the winter holidays this time. It’s true that military families sacrifice but so many women I know truly do it with grace, patience and perseverance and I aspire to be like them. Most can only do it through faith that God is seeing them through.
So here’s my list.
You Might Be a Military Spouse at Christmas if…
1. You breathe a silent prayer of thanks that you’re spending it together this year.
2. Your Christmas shopping includes ordering out of military catalogs with names like Soldier City or U.S. Cavalry.
3. When unexpected guests drop in, you consider pulling out those MREs your hubby brought home the other day…
4. You think the fruitcake in those MREs isn’t that bad and wonder if your husband can get any more of them.
5. You wrap up t-shirts for your kids that read “My Daddy’s a Hero.”
6. You have a camouflage tree skirt.
7. Your kids ask if Santa leaves his sleigh the same way their dad leaves a perfectly good airplane.
8. You decorate your Christmas tree in yellow ribbons while you wait for him to return.
9. You think mailing Christmas packages stateside is a cake walk compared to filling out all the custom forms for care packages.
10. The star for your Christmas tree is sitting to the side; that’s his job for when he finally comes home.
For more “You Might Be a Military Spouse” thoughts, visit Wives of Faith.
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Loved reading your post today Sara!
The last one made me tear up..that was a great list!!
Oh man. Tearing up again! This really is my favorite topic so far
Where did you get a camo tree skirt?! I’m def interested in that!
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oh sara you had me tearing up too…number 10 ugh…and ditto to number 5 =)
thanks for this it is great!
Jolene, I don’t have a camo tree skirt… but I’m sure there’s a military wife out there who does!
Aww great post! Loved it!
I so agree with #9 and #1 is just an awesome thing to do every day