Category Archives: Military Families

Things to Do on Camp Lejeune

Whether you are new to the area or have lived out here for some time, you may be wondering what to do this weekend without leaving the base. This is actually pretty easy and can be a lot of fun, but it does take a little bit of creativity. The Base Stables Long ago we use to have the base stables, which meant on a Saturday you could take your kids up to the stables and give them a pony ride for $5. But they did away with this, however my youngest daughter is so in love with horses we … Continue reading →

Staying at a Hotel in the Middle of the Week

Believe it or not you really can have a lot of fun on a military base, without spending a ton of money. I won’t say that everything is FREE, but it is cheaper. For instance, last night I didn’t sleep in my own house and before anyone jumps to conclusions I didn’t sleep in someone else’s house either. Around midnight I was able to walk out to the back porch and watch as waves crashed across the shore and the only way I can see this was by the beams (rays) coming from the moonlight. Actually, the entire family decided … Continue reading →

They Just Joined For The Education

One of my biggest pet peeves is to listen to someone go on and on about someone who really didn’t want to go to Iraq, Afghanistan or anywhere else that the military sent them but instead they joined the military for the education benefits. After ten years of marriage to a soldier, I have stood there as he has taken the oath that every member of the military [takes up enlistment and re-enlistment]: “I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I … Continue reading →

Base Medical vs. Off Base

Base Medical vs. Off base What’s the difference from going to a doctor/midwife on base versus off base? Many come to this question when it comes time to move to another base or they find themselves pregnant. I have had to figure this out with each pregnancy and it would take a lot of thought of whether I wanted on or off and then if I could even get approved. Here are a few things to think about before you decide and a bit of my own experiences to help you along the way. We haven’t moved that many times … Continue reading →

Military Families Review (Jan-Feb 3)

January may have come and gone but the military hasn’t. Here’s is a quick overview of what we learned about the military from the end of Jan to the beginning of Feb. Don’t just think that deployment is a one person deal. Nope, deployment deals with everyone that has ever been touched by the military member that is about to be deployed and kids really go through the brunt of it all. Kids, Deployment And Depression talks about all the feelings that may go with it. Are you preparing to have a loved one deploy? If you are this is … Continue reading →

Meet My Soldier

It’s been a rough week on our military and their families. We have dealt with an anti-war protest that included the police being told to stand down during an incident with spray paint and then we discovered that William Arkin considers our troops “mercenaries”. For that reason, I would like to introduce you to one of those so called mercenaries: my husband. My husband Carl grew up in a very small town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Carl joined the Army at the age of eighteen for two reasons: First, to get some kind of training that would give … Continue reading →

It’s Time To Take A Stand

In my last blog I responded to a small part of a blog from The Washington Post by William Arkin and I promised to share my ideas about supporting our troops and taking a stand against these kindS of attacks on our troops. Military members and their families have always been more or less encouraged to just let it all go; don’t engage in the discourse when it comes to remarks such as those made by William Arkin. I do my best to be a good military wife and I hope that when all is said and done that my … Continue reading →

My Response To William Arkin Of The Washington Post

I have pretty thick skin when it comes to those who protest the war and even those who bad mouth the troops. I spent a year writing a column in Greenville, Michigan, during my husband’s deployment to Iraq. I refused to write under any name but my own, though I was encouraged to do so for my own protection. I don’t like being bullied and I refused to hide or be ashamed of my husband’s service. This week, even my thick skin was penetrated to the core of my being as I found the same link in my email three … Continue reading →

A Day in This Military Wife’s Life

I thought long about tonight’s entry but figured since this is a blog about military families why not do one on a daily look at the life of one. Before I begin I want to add this is in no way saying this is how every military family is, some families have no children while others have one or more, some have working moms while others stay at home and some even have additional family members living with them for a while, so all of these schedules would definitely look different. If you are a military family member I’d love … Continue reading →

Understanding Your Deployed Soldier

While my husband was in Iraq, I discovered a brand new side to his personality. My husband is generally pretty laid back and it takes a great deal for him to really get upset in the everyday world. To say the very least, this was not the case while he was deployed. I was lucky enough that my husband had internet access in his tent so we were able to talk everyday online and without a doubt this was a blessing; it could also be a huge stress factor as well. I arranged my life around the computer as my … Continue reading →