Anyone who knows me well would know how much i LOVE the military life. I have been reflecting on this lately because, now that the weather is nicer, there seems to be an influx of people out and about in the town. I have seen a couple of people in full uniform with a ruck sack practicing for a march of some sort. (translation: full daily uniform plus massive backpack with 50+ pounds of gear stuffed inside. backpack is called "ruck sack" and marches with them are called "ruck marches". often, for a competition or as a part of some sort of test, soldiers have to do a 20 or 50 or whatever mile ruck march.) i have also seen a lot of people running around town in their PT (physical training) uniforms. i just love it! i love to be on post and be surrounded by so many people who are disciplined, clean cut, upstanding citizens. i love to go to walmart and see the distinction between people. men with facial hair are not in the military, men without usually are. even without that, military families carry themselves differnetly. it's difficult to describe. i can tell who the young soldiers are and i can tell who is higher ranking. pride. wisdom. duty. it's all very much a "worn on your shoulder" kind of thing around here and it's beautiful to see and exciting to be a part of!
i live for such occasions as above. charles is the guy closest at the head of the rows, he is giving the commands for the retiring of the colors. not only do i love this life, but i am beyond proud of my husband. he is a great husband and will be an amazing father at some point, but he was made to be a soldier. it's who he is. i understand and deeply respect that about him. when we first were married, it pissed me off when he'd say "i love you, and you're my wife. but i'm a soldier first." well, it's just true. he is a man, yes, he is human. but he's a soldier. it just is. and i love that about him! i dont like to be apart, but that's part of the life, taking the good with the bad. he is a leader, he is a person with integrity, and he serves. every good woman has a great husband with those same qualities in some form or another, but i guess i feel cool because living those qualities is my husband's job.
i never imagined that i would be considered part of a "military family", but i am. here is my brother. another amazing man of whom i am extremely proud. cameron has been in the air force for 12 years this fall and has made his way up to the same rank that my grandfather was when he retired. God bless my parents for supporting their children and our decisions to live this life. i know it is not easy for them but they understand why we do it and why we love it and they are amazingly strong people. (plus they love to take trips to see us, even if cameron gets cooler duty stations than we do)
here is charles "living the life". if you've ever wondered what Guantanamo Bay, Cuba looks like, now you know. here's the bay. :) He has gone twice, both times were great learning experiences (for both of us), and both changed him. just based on the few things i am allowed to know about his time there, i can tell you - pray for our soldiers now and always. do NOT pay attention to the media slander. you want to piss me off? start a conversation about GTMO and that whole situation. the freedoms that this man and so many others fight to protect are daily responsible for besmirtching the reputation of our country and its soldiers.
and finally, this one. bar none, the best part about this life is my love. this was taken shortly after we got home from the airport when he took his mid-tour leave during his last deployment. we will be married 4 years in may, and my honeymoon period starts over after every absense. you want to put some spark in your marriage? send your husband to hell for 6 months, get a couple weeks with him, then send him away again for another 6 months. i consider myself lucky to have every second that i do with this man, and i know full well that all too soon the time will come again when i drop him off at an airport for a year or so. he does what he does for his country and for his family. he does it well and i appreciate it. i am happy to take some small part in his sacrifices by supporting him and being a strong wife while he is gone and when he needs my help. our military family is our family. we support each other in many ways. sometimes he gets frustrated with his job and talks about getting out but i admit, i always try to talk him into staying in. not only would he be miserable as a civilian (no matter how much he denies it) but, selfishly, i dont want to give this up. good and bad - it's my life. and i love it. :)
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