Those who quietly serve, patiently wait

Those who quietly serve,  patiently wait... I saw that on a bumper sticker on the back of a car. Proud Army Wife sticker right next to it, as I was trying to get all three of my children into the family van, after a hellish trip to the grocery store right before a winter storm. As my kids continued to act like bad behaved monkeys, that sticker made me think..

For so many of us spouses, regardless, what is going on in our lives, we stop everything we are doing to focus on the careers of our spouses. For me, its been 12 years of marriage, three kids, 4 moves and multiple deployments and now a Geo Bachelor. My husband has been gone for most of our marriage. I always joke that its a wonder that we have children. I don't have enough fingers or toes to count just how many birthdays, holidays and special events this man has missed.  I can't tell you how many times when I have had days like today, where I would have loved to just pick up the four things at the store by myself. Or when all three are sick over a major holiday and I am the only one standing and all I want is 5 minutes without someone throwing up. Or maybe that time, where the toilet exploded and then furnace deciding to take a turn for the worst all in the same month and I had to figure out what to do. I don't have enough digits on my appendages to count the missed doctor appointments when it comes to our children that have special needs. Or when Autism and ADHD tagged teamed me and all I wanted to do was scream. 

I patiently wait. I wait for the day my better half comes home. I patiently wait for someone to take my hand and tell me its going to be ok after a crappy day. I patiently wait for him do what he must in order for us to live life. I patiently wait for the Military to cut us some slack. Which I know is never going to happen. I will wait with abated breath when my husband will be able to finally enjoy his family.

But will I do this quietly? No. I will not. I will fight on for my husband and his shipmates. I will not sit and look at the four corners of my living room. I will make sure that my husband who does proudly serve has a voice when he doesn't. I will do what I can with what I got. I will do what I can, because there is a need. I will do what I can because that is what it means to be a Military Spouse.