Life as a military wife

I have been approached by many family members and friends and asked the same dreaded question, “Why don’t you find a job?” So here are my typical answers:

A) B has a very severe congenital heart defect. When I was working, I constantly had to take days off to take him to his appointments and constantly had to call in sick. Not a very good way to work. So I stay at home with him.

B) I have been looking for a part time job but NO LUCK.

C) I am now homeschooling the kids.

Letter C brings forth a whole bunch of questions but the bottom line, my kids need to be challenged in their education. So how am I going to do that? I am going to teach them myself. Don’t worry, it is what I went to college for. I used to work with kids in their grade levels. It will be tedious but I am sure it will bring forth some positive experiences for us. BUT it doesn’t really help with the financial aspect of our lives.

Which really brings me to the title of this blog. Recession has hit us all BIG TIME, as my dad would say, but why are the prices for kids’ stuff going up? I don’t get it. It really is pretty frustrating. I wish my husband got paid more. It isn’t easy being in the military. Heck, he’s done 4 tours to the sandbox. But people who don’t work half as hard as him and his military friends aren’t getting the pay they deserve. But I digress, there really is no price tag that you can put on the work that they do and the sacrifices they make. But during times like these, I wish he got paid more! *sigh* I bought a lottery ticket. Let’s hope I hit it big! I promise to give back! =)

Every time I venture out of my shell (you see I like to be a recluse, although that is hard when you have four children) I realize why I do not like to socialize. There is SO MUCH DRAMA! Oh my goodness, when are people going to act like adults and not high schoolers. It is just so sad because some of these people have children. What kind of examples are we being to our children? It is so sad to stand by and watch how poorly some of these adults are behaving, but I digress. It is not my drama. i just think it is very sad to see everything unfold so ugly!

So I am enjoying my time with the kids. I love that they are off from school because everything is so relaxed and so calm. I don’t feel like I have to rush here and there. I am actually getting some sleep! Unbelievable! I love it. You know one thing I noticed though? Why is it when you don’t have to wake up early, that’s when you actually do? Insanity!

I got to talk to my DH. He is doing well. He was so excited because he got to chat with the kids on SKYPE. The kids had a blast. Our youngest was dancing around and singing for his dad. He thought it was the funniest thing. Of course the older ones were goofing off and then fighting. I love seeing him. Technology is great. Seeing him makes me feel like he isn’t too far away. I do miss him.

I find that the nights are the hardest. I am so used to falling asleep on his arm and turning around to see him there. I miss my chats with him, however mundane or off the wall, they were, they were ours. I miss venting to him about the insanity that surrounds us. I really miss the little things he does around the house, like the floors, ironing…lots and lots of the little stuff that I find myself struggling to do.

Being a Navy wife isn’t the most spectacular job (yes it is a job), but it is the most truly rewarding. I am so proud of my DH and the sacrifices he makes. It isn’t the easiest, that’s for sure.

This was a boring post and I apologize for that. It is one of those days where you just don’t know what to write.

Another day closer to seeing my husband, that’s how I see it.  I must say that the last couple of weeks have zoomed by.  I guess that is what happens when you have four kids.  Yeah, you read that right, FOUR KIDS!  How do I do it?  I have an awesome mom we live with.  She’s my right arm, my role model, my best friend, all rolled up in one.  Plus she used to be a Navy wife, just like me, so we have a lot in common.So I guess with me being new on here, I should give a brief introduction.  I am LD (to give my family some sort of privacy) and I have been married to my sailor for nearly 12 years.  We have four kids, boy (10 years old), girl (7 years old), girl (five years old), boy (just turned one).   My DH (dear husband, for those who don’t know), has been in the Navy for nearly 12 years.  We live in beautiful California and will probably never leave here.  I bet some of you are scratching your heads thinking, “What is she thinking?  She’s a military wife, she’ll go where the Navy sends her.”  Well, normally that would be true, but our first born was born with a very severe congenital heart defect.  So there are only a handful of places we can be transferred to.My DH deployed for his fourth tour to Iraq.  I was a little scared about this because the last two trips he made out there was with an infantry unit.  He lost some friends during those tours so it took its toll on him.  I honestly cannot imagine what it would be like to watch several friends die.  I know it has left some scars that will remain with him forever.  The past few days I have been battling with the joys of being a military wife.  It is an inside joke among military wives that once our hubbies leave, something always goes wrong.  Yeah, well something went wrong alright.  The water heater broke and now we have water damage.  Of course our insurance agent is not returning our phone calls.  Are you kidding me?  How long do I have to wait.  So among everything else that I have to do, I have to call the darn insurance agent.  Wish me luck!I also have to adjust to having all four kids home.  Don’t get me wrong, I welcome the ability to sleep in for a couple hours longer.  I hate waking up at six in the morning, but having all four kids home all day means having a whole lot of noise, whining, fighting and screaming too.  I just need to take them out and have them run around a bit.  I want to take them out sometime next week.  I don’t know where, perhaps down to SD.  I am not sure.I must say that I thoroughly enjoy the fact that I get to speak with my husband on a daily basis.  I remember when we did our first deployment, a decade ago, we relied heavily on snail mail and random drunken phone calls from some foreign country.  My have things changed!  I do think it is ridiculous that they charge the military personnel out there $60 a month for internet.  Yes, these guys will pay that amount to be able to communicate with their family, but does it really have to be that steep?  Haven’t they sacrificed enough?  Well, that’s just my two cents.I have a one year old screaming for my attention, so until tomorrow, have a great night.