We are preparing to say good-bye again this year. We have two deployments this time. Both going to Afghanistan. My oldest son is facing his 3rd deployment in 6 years of service. This time he will be a father when he returns to war. I wish I could say I was joyful, knowing that he is doing what he loves and …
Human connectedness and resiliency are believed by many to have a strong positive correlation. Resiliency theories are often very complex and complicated, and they should be. Resiliency should not be argued on a nature versus nurture basis, but rather it is more noted as being on a continuum without an absolute polar on either end. Both personality type …
I was recently lamenting an upcoming trip to the grocery store when I had to stop and ask myself 『why?』 I loathe some aspects of shopping. If I could, I would hide in my home and use Amazon or UPS to avoid the unpleasant aspects of the grocery store. After prayer as well as a lot of soul searching I have …
Military wives and military mothers have a reputation for being tough and tenacious. These characteristics come in helpful when we are facing deployments, separations and the demands of life, and provide for us a patchwork robe of dignity in very stressful times. They can also be to our detriment when we pride ourselves in them instead of remembering …
This is a photo of our family reunion. 11 weeks of separation, one phone call, and a dozen letters were all that filled the gap in that time. I know that there are many military families who have been separated for much longer, and with less contact. If you have never had to keep a marriage strong and viable — and …
I have been slow at working on this blog. It’s been a long hard year with a lot of obstacles for me to overcome. I have a few things I have yet to 『unpack』 in this new blog-home of mine, and my all-time favorite pictures of my loved ones are certainly ready to be unpacked and hung-up in the new …