Life on the Trail…..

Were do even start….It started out ruff….we got used to it….got into a routine….I got used to the hours…him being gone all day and night….never home on the weekends…but then I hit a wall…and I hit it hard. Him being deployed sucked to no end I'm not gonna lie, It was the worst time of our relationship so far. Although sometimes I almost think this is WORSE than a deployment. Yup I really just went there. Of course you don't have the constant worry, stress and "what if" moments that you do with a deployment but I really think Life on the Trail puts more strain on your relationship. We've been through more together in the past almost 8 years that we've been together than any average couple has been through in a life time. I wouldn't wish it on any one and I sure as hell don't want to live another day through it sometimes but I suck it up and put a smile on my face because I love that man with all my heart. And I do anything and go any were for him. It doesn't mean I'm not melting inside because I haven't spent more than 24 hours with my husband awake in the past week. I know I should be grateful that he is home and trust me I am but when he's home you expect him to be home. Yes there is extremely late hours and countless CQ days when it comes to being a Drill SGT. But when the BN says they are pushing for more family time and more time away from work during reset, yet you schedule countless training and regrouping exercises during every day of cycle break you are going back on every word you've just said. When you make a event mandatory to attend and spouses are invited yet we have to pay for tickets to go, doesn't help your plea any more.

Now don't get me wrong my hubbs is quick to offer a hand and stay late to help out his fellow battles when he see's they are needing help with one thing or the other. The only thing that kills me with that is they do NOT do the same for him. When their work day is over they are out and don't think twice about making sure everything is covered. I guess that is were my husband values his job and the people he works with more than others do. I just hate how he always goes above and beyond for others only for it to be over shadowed or gone unrecognized. I absolutely HATED the brown round when he first got it, I though it was the ugliest thing ever known to mankind. Over time my thoughts on it have changed and I think it quite attractive and will be so sad to see it go.

Him on the other hand not so much. He's amazing at his job and I'm not saying that just because I'm married to him but I've had countless Drill SGT's, PVT's CO's and Spouses come to me and tell me that. Hands down he's an amazing Drill SGT and makes a world of a difference in the lives of these young kids. But there's no doubt that he's ready to get back to a line unit. He's so tired of "training joe" aka Privates "America's Future". He wants to be trained, he wants to do field problems were he does the work and not direct what needs to be done. He wants to go to schools, he wants to go back to a line unit, he wants his squad leader time. He wants to deploy again. This is what he joined the army to do and he's not done doing that. Life on the Trail isn't for everyone that's for sure. Its been a experience that we can say we've been through but I wouldn't wish it on any one. People come here to go through the Trail to get some down time and let me tell you its so far from it. 

I miss my husband more than ever, we can never plan anything because thing are always changing around here with work. When he does have a day off here or there he's so tired the last thing he wants to do is go out. When he comes home from work at a decent time I get excited then remember he's been up since 3 or 4am and next thing you know we've had dinner and he's fast asleep on the couch. The only guaranteed time off is VBL- Victory Block Leave which is over Christmas. Don't bother making family vacations because your not gonna get the time off. He gets one 4 day weekend a cycle. That's every 10 weeks. Sometimes we plan something to do then but most of the time we just stay here local because he's so tired from work he just wants to hang out at home and relax. Of course I don't blame him one bit, I'd be doing the same thing if I worked his hours.

 Can you imagine the pay check if they got paid over time. HAHAHA Wishful thinking. Speaking of Pay did you know that a Recruiter gets paid more special duty pay than a Drill SGT does. Tell me how that makes any sense. February 13th he graduates his last cycle and we couldn't be more excited. Although we still have a few months left here after that he is most certainly counting/ Our upcoming move (more on that later) is definitely bitter sweet for many reasons. I go back and forth multiple times a day on my feelings about our move. Sometimes I'm ready for it and other times I'm hoping time creeps by. Its a daily struggle, but at the end of the night I CAN NOT wait for our next adventure and were its taking us. 

Life as a Army Wife Married to a US Soldier, current Drill Sergeant. 

What Military Wives Are Made Of

It was just another harried Wednesday afternoon trip to the commissary (grocery store on military bases). My husband was off teaching young men to fly. My daughters were going about their daily activities knowing I would return to them at the appointed time, bearing, among other things, their favorite fruit snacks, frozen pizza, and all the little extras that never had to be written down on a grocery list. My grocery list, by the way, was in my 16-month-old daughter's mouth, and I was lamenting the fact that the next four aisles of needed items would wait while extracting the last of my list from my daughter's mouth, when I nearly ran over an old man.

This man clearly had no appreciation for the fact that I had 45 minutes left to finish the grocery shopping, pick up my 4-year old from tumbling class, and get to school, where my 12-year-old and her carpool mates would be waiting.

I knew men didn't belong in a commissary, and this old guy was no exception. He stood in front of the soap selection staring blankly, as if he'd never had to choose a bar of soap in his life. I was ready to bark an order at him when I realized there was a tear on his face.

Instantly, this grocery aisle roadblock transformed into a human..."Can I help you find something?" I asked. He hesitated, and then told me he was looking for soap.

"Any one in particular?" I continued.

"Well, I'm trying to find my wife's brand of soap." I started to loan him my cell phone to call her when he said, "She died a year ago, and I just want to smell her again."

Chills ran down my spine. I don't think the 22,000-pound Mother of all Bombs could have had the same impact. As tears welled up in my eyes, my half-eaten grocery list didn't seem so important. Neither did fruit snacks or frozen pizza.

I spent the remainder of my time in the commissary that day listening to a man tell the story of how important his wife was to him -- how she took care of their children while he served our country. A retired, decorated World War II pilot who flew missions to protect Americans still needed the protection of a woman who served him at home.

My life was forever changed that day. Every time my husband works too late or leaves before the crack of dawn, I try to remember the sense of importance I felt that day in the commissary.

Some times the monotony of laundry, housecleaning, grocery shopping, and taxi driving leaves military wives feeling empty -- the kind of emptiness that is rarely fulfilled when our husbands come home and don't want to or can't talk about work.

We need to be reminded, at times; of the important role we fill for our family and for our country. Over the years, I've talked a lot about military spouses...how special they are and the price they pay for freedom too. The funny thing is; most military spouses don't consider themselves different from other spouses. They do what they have to do, bound together not by blood or merely friendship, but with a shared spirit whose origin is in the very essence of what love truly is. Is there truly a difference? I think there is. You have to decide for yourself...

Other spouses get married and look forward to building equity in a home and putting down family roots. Military spouses get married and know they'll live in base housing or rent, and their roots must be short so they can be transplanted frequently.

Other spouses decorate a home with flair and personality that will last a lifetime. Military spouses decorate a home with flare tempered with the knowledge that no two base houses have the same size windows or same size rooms.

Curtains have to be flexible and multiple sets are a plus. Furniture must fit like puzzle pieces.

Other spouses have living rooms that are immaculate and seldom used. Military spouses have immaculate living room/dining room combos. The coffee table got a scratch or two moving from Germany, but it still looks pretty good.

Other spouses say goodbye to their spouse for a business trip and know they won't see them for a week. They are lonely, but can survive. Military spouses say good-bye to their deploying spouse and know they won't see them for months, or a year, or longer. They are lonely, but will survive.

Other spouses, when a washer hose blows off, call Maytag and then write a check out for having the hose reconnected. Military spouses have to cut the water off and fix it themselves.

Other spouses get used to saying "hello" to friends they see all the time. Military spouses get used to saying "goodbye" to friends made the last two years.

Other spouses worry about whether their child will be class president next year. Military spouses worry about whether their child will be accepted in yet another school next year and whether that school will be the worst in the city...again.

Other spouses can count on spouse participation in special events...birthdays, anniversaries, concerts, football games, graduation, and even the birth of a child. Military spouses only count on each other; because they realize that the flag has to come first if freedom is to survive. It has to be that way.

Other spouses put up yellow ribbons when the troops are imperiled across the globe and take them down when the troops come home. Military spouses wear yellow ribbons around their hearts and they never go away.

Other spouses worry about being late for mom's Thanksgiving dinner. Military spouses worry about getting back from Japan in time for dad's funeral.

The television program showing an elderly lady putting a card down in front of a long, black wall that has names on it touches other spouses. The card simply says, "Happy Birthday, Sweetheart. You would have been sixty today." A military spouse is the lady with the card, and the wall is the Vietnam Memorial.

I would NEVER say military spouses are better than other spouses. But I will say there is a difference. I will say, without hesitation, that military spouses pay just as high a price for freedom as do their active duty husbands and wives.

Perhaps the price they pay is even higher. Dying in service to our country isn't near as hard as loving someone who has died in service to our country, and having to live without them.

God bless our military spouses for all they freely give.

Deployment Ceremony

With a million things going on today both at home & work to through in the mix was the ever so dreadful Deployment Ceremony for 2nd Brigade. It wasn't dreadful at all, just gave me chills and reminded me of what the men and women do for our country. They, my husband included lay their life out on the line so we the families & others can sleep peacefully at home. I don't know so much about the peaceful part. Having my husband at war in harms way it the worst feeling ever. No one in the world can say they know what we as Military Wives go through unless they truly have been in our shoes before. It is a honor to be married to such an amazing man who is willing to put his country first. He is truly not only the love of my life, my best friend but my hero in so many more ways than one.


I was so blessed to have my bestie Crystal & her fam. there to show their support as well. They have truly been a God sent in our life & we are blessed with a life long friendship that will only grow from here and I'm so excited to see what the future holds for our families together.


From the Opening Music played by the band, The Formation of the Troop, Presentation of the Colors, Honors to the Nation, Retiring of the Colors I have to say it was a very touching Ceremony.
The Host of the event was Colonel Malcolm B. Frost whom I have had the chance to prior meet both him and his wife Mrs. Col. Frost. They are a very sweet down to earth couple. He is the Commander of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.


~My love standing in Formation~

~All of 2nd Brigade~

~PRAYER~

~Retiring of the Colors~

~The weather was perfect, not a cloud in sight~

~<3 My Solider & I <3~

Military Wifes are better because its what we do....

Recognizing these often underestimated, unseen, and unheard heroes.
*This is for the sad military wives, the angry military wives, and the strong military wives.
*This is for the young women that are waking up at 6 a.m. every morning, laying out clothes and packing three lunches for those small precious children that they have been left alone to care for.
*This is for the pregnant military wife wondering if her husband will make it home in time to watch their miracle happen
*This is for the childless military wife, living in a town or on a base alone where she is a complete stranger to her surroundings.
*This is for the women that feel like a third leg when they go out with their friends and their husbands.
*This is for the military wife that canceled all her plans to wait by the phone, and even though the phone broke up and cut off every time you spoke to him you waited anyway.
*This is a pledge to the women that cry themselves to sleep in an empty bed.
*This is to recognize the woman that felt like she was dying inside when he said he had to go, but smiled for him anyway.
*This is for those of you that are faithfully in that long line at the post office once a month, handling 2 large boxes and 2 small children like a pro.
*This is for that woman that decided to remodel the house to pass time, and then realized that she had no idea what she was doing and sighed and wished she had a little help.
*This is for all the lonely nights, all the one-person dinners, and all of the wondering thoughts because you haven't heard from him in days.
*A toast to you for falling apart and putting yourselves back together. Because a pay check isn't enough, a body pillow in your bed is no consolation, and a web cam can never compare.
*This is for all of you no matter how easy or hard this was for you. Our marines/soldiers/airmen/sailors/coast men are brave, they are heroes, but so are we. So the next time someone tells you that they would never marry a military guy, don't bother explaining to them that you can't control who you fall in love with.
*Just think of this and nod your head, know that you are the stronger woman.
*Hold your heads up high, hang that flag in your front yard, stick 100 magnets on your car, and then give yourself a pat on the back.


IT'S A HARD LIFE BUT I LOVE IT AND STAND BY JARED 100% SUPPORTING HIM AND CHEERING HIM ON EACH AND EVERY STEP OF THE WAY!!!!!!