Military Spouse Appreciation Day

The Friday before Mother's Day is known in the US as Military Spouse Appreciation Day.  It means to recognize those who are or even those who were a military spouse.  It isn't a paying job it is a lifestyle that sometimes you often have no control over.  This means you know all the jobs that a mom/dad has like chauffeur, cook, maid, medic, referee, coach, etc... well add a whole lot more into it like:


1) Moving every few years to a new location anywhere in the world sometimes with less than 30 days notice which means:

2) Packing then unpacking, packing and then unpacking, more packing and unpacking so that means:

3) Having 20 sets of curtains that fit any window, pictures on the wall of every place you have been to, and going from a place that is 900 square feet to 2000 square feet back to 1000 square feet,  which in turn means:

4) Having copies of the medical records from who knows how many hospitals and clinics, along with the kids school records from 10 different schools, and who knows how many pounds of paperwork that you got from each residence for changing addresses.  That means:

5) Your family and friend's address book now no longer has room for you under your last name and has had to put you in another place because you have had so many addresses they have run out of room.  That can mean:

6) When asked where you live you respond by saying "Do you mean where I was born or where I was married? Or maybe do you mean where I lived the longest? Or is it where I was last year? What about where I am actually living now?  which means:

7)  When trying to find a job it is difficult because there is gaps in your resume with the places that you did only volunteer work, or were a stay at home parent, or just couldn't find a job. You have had a hard time getting an education to because those transcripts you have from the 3 colleges you attended haven't yet amounted to a degree.  This in turn means:

8) You know how to shop using coupons, the commissary and the exchange in order to save money because often you are on one income, you belong to coupon exchanges, know 1001 things to do with peanut butter, bread, noodles, soups, no name products, etc...  Which means:

9) You have had to adjust your budget at times from a full family to a family minus 1 then back to a full family.  Then add in the care packages you send constantly along with the letters and the phone calls.  Meaning:

10) You have had to explain to your child(ren) why daddy/mommy isn't home days, weeks and months on end after leaving in the middle of the night; you have had to sleep by yourself trying not to cry; you have had to scramble to be both the mom and the dad; you have had to do all the paperwork, packing, unpacking, and everything else to move on your own.  This means:

You are part of an elite group of men and women who have served their countries in a different way by making sure the homefront was kept running so those who were in the military could concentrate on their job.  You have made friends who became part of your family.  Sometimes they have been with you helping you along the way in person and other times from a distance away.  There has been friends who only lasted for a short time while others have been there from the beginning.  Some friends you have never met and never will but that doesn't mean they do not care about you any less and will stop giving you support necessary at the time.  That is part of not just a group, a FAMILY.  A family that is unique, one-of-a-kind, special, there no matter what.   That is a family of MILITARY SPOUSES!!