11 Reasons...

I love being a Soldier's wife. Hmmm 11 reasons to love this Army Wife Life.... I haven't had a chance to read all the other posts yet today at Wives of Faith Blog Carnival so forgive me if I am redundant with anyone else but here goes:

1. Community -- we lived on post the first 18years of this military life and now have been off post for the last  three I miss the community on post, yes even the myriad number of times a day the doorbell would ring or a child would knock to ask if mine could come out to play. The sense of being in this together and knowing that others have your back if you need it. The ability on warm Georgia nights (and I do mean warm and muggy) to sit outside with the neighbors after the kiddos were tucked up into bed and chat about everything and nothing, making trains out of little tyke cars roped together at Fort Lewis, impromptu picnics on nice days in Germany, etc! I really do miss hearing the bugle calls everyday!


2. The Adventure --- where are we off to next? when? learning new things, seeing new places, new friends.


 3. PWOC -- Protestant Women of the Chapel, I love knowing everytime we move I can find a group of likeminded women who will accept me, laugh with me (and maybe at me?), encourage me and plain tell me to suck it up and drive on if necessary all the while pointing me towards God. They have truly been a lifeline and a blessing throughout our career!

4. Moving -- ok so I don't love ALL of moving but I do enjoy the process of getting things organized,getting rid of things I don't need, and the feeling of being unencumbered when the moving truck pulls away and the "vacation" begins!

5. Sense of Purpose -- that what we do matters and makes a difference somewhere in the world even if I may not see it in our house that particular day! I remember telling our children when the 1st Iraqi elections rolled around and the picture was shown of the woman holding up her purple finger -- Look! That lady never got to vote before and now she can, and WE helped!

6. Vision -- that wider sense of scope that you gain. The world is so much bigger.....

7. Friends -- that I treasure! People I never would have met staying in one place my whole life. I love that I can still call my very first Army Wife friend and pick up where we left off or close to it, even if that was over a year ago! And others who I might not have sought out had they not been in the same boat I was in.... yet who became dear to me all the same.

8.Camaraderie/Willingness to Help -- everywhere we've moved someone is always willing to help with the kiddos while the movers are there, bring a meal over, give you a ride somewhere,offer a shoulder to cry on or a glass of wine,  etc. The Military Wife Network is amazing and there truly isn't another group out there that's the same! That so quickly takes care of one another.

9. The ways God has shown me a little more of Him in the midst of the suffering (sleepless lonely nights, sick kiddos, another deployment, more month than money, feeling like you don't quite fit, etc......) and that He promises to make it something Beautiful....

 10. Red, White and Blue -- the fact the military community still waves Old Glory proudly, patriotism isn't something talked about it's something lived everyday, For God and Country really means something. That people aren't ashamed to show it.

 11 .... and of course the fact my honey still looks hot in his uniform! ;)