Why I Write

I never thought I would be married to a Soldier - never in million years. Never.

And I am.

I started this blog at the beginning of my husband's second deployment. I did so for many reasons - but mainly just a few.

For that deployment I moved home while we waited for a post house. This ended up being the majority of the deployment. And it brought up a dilemma. I was returning to a non-military community as the wife of a deployed soldier. I was returning to friends who did not have experience with this life. And I was leaving the life I loved of supporting families around me. To make such an adjustment back while adjusting to a deployment and to being the mother of now two boys was going to be difficult.

I wanted to be able to continue to support military spouses which I truly enjoy doing. I wanted those who have recently entered into this very difficult and very rewarding life to understand it. I didn't understand it in the beginning, I was closed-off and if I could prevent one wife from being the same way I could feel the same fulfillment I get when I am in a military community helping however I can. I firmly believe that reaching out to other spouses, to help them to know how many resources are available to support them in this life, helps to strengthen and even save marriages. Building strong military marriages builds strong soldiers. Providing our soldiers with a solid home-base helps them to be better focused, allows them to better execute their mission, allows everything that I love and hold dear to my heart to remain safe. I have been very blessed to hear from new and soon-to-be military spouses since I started this blog. I hope to continue to do so.

I knew that in coming home so many of my friends would have questions that they wouldn't know how to ask - because I have been on their side of this. I had very different opinions on this war, on the military, on all of it. I didn't understand and didn't even realize that I had formed a very strong opinion without having many facts. And I had questions before that I wouldn't know how to phrase to a woman in my position. But I also didn't know anyone in my position. So this could serve as a go-between. It would give insight, understanding, perhaps begin a dialogue. And it has. People have come forward, have begun to open-up, have asked good questions and truly listened for an answer. That, in itself, has become a true support for me.

I was fed up. It is no secret that I may be a little hot-headed at times. I have a temper that takes everything that is in me to keep my mouth closed on occasion. And it is a struggle. Because people will always say stupid things. People will always ask the most moronic questions. That is just the way it is. But every military wife hears the same things over and over and over again. SO this allows me to vent - selfish, I know, but important. We all need to be able to vent. And so if my venting can prevent these "dumb questions" from escaping a person's mouth maybe it becomes less selfish.

I write because I believe in this life. Because I believe in the strength and tenacity of the military family. Because I believe that the more people who understand the men and women who defend this country and the many who stay behind loving them, supporting them, praying for their safety - the better this country will be.

God Bless our troops. God Bless their families.

(I love hearing from readers! Please email me at toloveasoldier (at) gmail.com)