Marriage and Separations

Yesterday day here was Anzac Day. This year is was the 95th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing where so many Australians paid the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives. We had various services and marches that remember all the fallen heroes and those who have gone to war over the years and defended our country. Many people have had a husband, a father, a son, or some other relative or friend killed or maimed or who has served in the armed forces. It’s very moving to be part of such services. Our choir was singing at one of them. You … Continue reading →

Adrianna’s Odyssey

Of all the required reading I was assigned in high school English, one classic in particular endures to this day among my all time favorite stories: Homer’s The Odyssey. I got to thinking about it when I was trying to come up with something to write in the Marriage Blog in honor of Veteran’s Day. Adrianna and Gordon It all started last week when Jade sent me the link to an article from the New York Times by Michael Winerip titled “Parenting/The Home Front: For Young Newlyweds, a Life Deferred by War.” It was about a girl named Adrianna (17) … Continue reading →

Army Wife May Be Deported

Her name is Yaderlin. She entered the United States illegally from the Dominican Republic in 2001. She married Army Spec. Alex Jimenez in 2004. His lawyer along with Jimenez applied for a green card and legal residence status. Army Spec. Jimenez and his unit came under attack by insurgents in Iraq on May 12, 2007 – he has been missing ever since. Now, a judge has halted the proceedings because her husband is missing. Their attorney is seeking a hardship waiver to keep Yaderlin in the country. She is currently living with her spouse’s family in Pennsylvania. Under normal circumstances, … Continue reading →

Marriages Ending as Deployments Are Extended

Deployments are being extended with units assigned overseas to Afghanistan and Iraq. One article in the Chicago Tribune noted that for one unit in Afghanistan for over 16 months and just extended for another four months the toll on the unit has been extreme. Eight men in the squadron have died. Wives have given birth to babies, one soldier’s wife suffered brain damage after getting in a car wreck that killed two other people. Another soldier found out that his father had less than two weeks to live after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. At least three soldiers … Continue reading →