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"When all is said and done, the real citadel of strength of any community is in the hearts
and minds and desires of those who dwell there."
At some point, after juggling multiple challenges of military life, relocating your family, re-starting your career, and navigating a lot of time apart from your spouse, you’ve gained invaluable experience and become a seasoned spouse. On the one hand, for some, there’s a badge of honor that comes with being a seasoned spouse. You have interesting stories to share. You
Last month I ran – well, sort of ran – a virtual 5K. It was the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) Carry Forward 5K, delivered by CSX. I ran in honor of caregivers, those heroes who care for our wounded servicemen and women. A caregiver’s quiet contributions to our society and our country are too often overlooked. Fortunately, Wounded Warrior Project provides
At-Home School. Distance Learning. Virtual Schooling – all terms we never expected to associate with our child’s education. And yet, here we are. In some states, districts, and schools, parents are feeling well supported. In others, parents are struggling – with technology, expectations, educational support. For those navigating this uncertainty, Pride & Grit contributor Lindsay Kuniyuki summarized NINE years of
I saw a meme online the other day that essentially said (and I’m paraphrasing): “You’re upset that the government is telling you what to do and changing your plans without notice? Welcome to life as a military spouse.” I’m not trying to make light of our world’s current state of affairs as our nation works to collectively combat COVID-19 and
It hit me a few weeks ago; times are changing. We, the military spouse, are the reason. And I’ve never been prouder to be associated with a group of people. In 2019, military spouses are testifying before Congress in record numbers. Spouses are organizing petitions. Spouses are sought out by members of Congress, who see that the path to an
I began referring to my fairy-tale life back in 2011. I adopted the expression while my husband was in Afghanistan for twelve months. It was a rough deployment. Many Soldiers have experienced longer and more difficult combat deployments, I know, but this one was our first. Soldiers died. Families mourned. I often wondered whether or not my own Soldier would make it
While I was packing up my Christmas decorations, let’s just say not in a timeliest of manners, I had one of those bubble thoughts pop into my head that took me by surprise. I was wrapping up all those precious handmade ornaments that my military kids have made at each school they have attended. Each special thing assigned a duty
While the days of back-to-back-to-back deployments have waned a bit in recent years, ask any military spouse and they will tell you that the OPTEMPO – or Operational Tempo of their service member’s unit – or how busy they are – isn’t exactly one of late mornings, early evenings, and consistent family dinners. We remain a nation preparing for the
I have had a few people say to me, “Your life is like that Lifetime show Army Wives.” I guess this is something in the mainstream media that people can grasp at to compare a military spouse’s life to. Admittedly, although my husband joined the Air Force, not the Army, this statement is not entirely untrue. It’s true in the
For years, I’ve wanted to write a book. I didn’t know what the topic would be, but I knew there were few things I enjoyed more than spending the day in front of my computer making the words reflect how I felt. So, maybe I was a writer. Maybe I was a blogger. For sure, I love being a story
“I could never do what you do.” Uuuuuuuugh. Cue me, sighing dramatically and rolling my eyes. Listen, friend. Or Mom. Or college roommate. Or cousin. Or Great-Aunt Sally. Or check-out cashier at Target. You could, and you would. You would move. You would sacrifice. You would let yourself be pushed beyond the limits you ever thought were possible. Your spouse
Husband: What are you going to miss most?Me: The people. Had you told me this would be my answer two and a half years ago when we landed in Europe, I would have laughed you right out of the room. Until now, I never integrated our family into military life. We always lived off-post. I consistently held a job. I
Pride & Grit is a Trademark of Hinshaw Consulting Group, Inc 2018© and Pride & Grit Consulting, LLC. 2022© All rights reserved.
Pride & Grit is a Trademark of Hinshaw Consulting Group, Inc 2018© and Pride & Grit Consulting, LLC. 2022© All rights reserved.