Friday, March 27, 2009

What is a MILITARY Wife?

I just finished closing on the house. It is no longer our responsibility. I'm just glad I can close the book on that one. I'm not overly excited or relieved. It's just life. One less thing, but I know there will be many more things. Last night at a dinner for deployed families I picked up this paper with the following poem written. It is very accurate. I like to try to understand different lifestyles, but it's hard unless you live it or someone gives you a really good run-down.
This is a good description:
What is a MILITARY Wife?
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A Military wife can be tough to describe.
She is a southern belle, a northeastern Mets fan, a California 3rd generation recycler, a Pacific Islander.
She is short or tall
a tomboy
a fashion diva
a physician's assistant
a Republican
a Democrat
a home-schooler
a scrap-booker
an accomplished cellist
an auto mechanic
What IS a Military Wife?
WHAT is a Military Wife?
What is a MILITARY Wife?
They may look different and each is wonderfully unique
But they have this in common.
They have THIS IN COMMON!
lots of moving---
moving
moving
moving far from home
moving two cars, three kids and one dog --all riding with HER of course
moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house
moving curtains that won't fit
moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours
moving away from friends moving toward new friends
moving her most important luggage; her trunk full of memories
often waiting-
waiting, waiting, waiting for housing; waiting for orders;
waiting for deployments; waiting for reunion; waiting for phone calls;
waiting for the new curtains to arrive;
waiting for him to come home fore dinner ----AGAIN!
They call her 'military dependent', but she knows better
she can balance a checkbook
handle the yard work
fix a noisy toilet.
She is intimately familiar with drywall, anchors, and toggle bolts.
She can file the taxes, sell a house, buy a car, or set up a move, --
--all with ONE Power of Attourney.
She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her.
reinvents her career with every PCS; locates a house in the desert, the Arctic, or the deep south and learns to call them all 'home'
She MAKES them all home.
She is fiercely IN-dependent
Military Wives are somewhat hasty
They leap into decorating, leadership, volunteering, career alternatives, churches and friendships.
They don't have 15 years to get to know people.
Their roots are short but flexible.
They plant annuals for themselves and perennials for those who come after them.
Military Wives quickly learn to value each other.
They connect over coffee, rely on the spouse-network and accept offers of friendship and favors and record addresses in pencil.
Military Wives have a common bond.
The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands. His commitment is unique. He doesn't have a job, he has a 'mission' he can't just decide to quit.
He's on-call for his country 24/7 but for you, he's the most...
Unreliable guy in town!
His language is foreign: TDY, PCS, OPR, ACC, BDU
And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his.
She is the long-distance link to keep them informed the glue that holds them together.
Military Wife has her moments---
She wants to wring his neck, dye his uniform pink, and refuse to move to Siberia.
But she pulls herself together.
Give her a few days, a travel brochure, a long hot bath, a pledge to the flag, and a wedding picture.
And she goes.
She packs.
She moves.
She follows.
Why?
What for?
How come?
You make think she has lost her mind.
But actually it is because she has lost her heart.
It was stolen from her by a man
who puts duty first
who longs to deploy
who salutes the flag
and whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military husband,
She will remain his Military wife.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow.

Cinda Boshart said...

That's all true, Bec. My mom lived it and I can see it in you both.