A Military Mom

As a new Military Mom I have found many support groups and other moms who have helped me process the different thoughts and emotions. Through it all, I have not only made some great friends but I have found some inspirational things that remind me that it is all worth it. Here are some of those inspirations…

THE MAKING OF A MILITARY MOM

When the good Lord was creating mothers, he was into his fifth day of overtime.
An angel appeared and said, “You’re having a lot of trouble with this one. Why not use the standard model?”
And the Lord replied, “Have you seen the specifications on this order? Give birth to a child that will become one of my warriors; instill values of duty, honor, and country into them from birth while teaching them to be compassionate and loving; safeguard this treasure through flu, sickness, cuts and scrapes knowing that she can’t be with them when country calls; embrace them but let go of her precious gift to perfect strangers; brighten their day when all seems confused not knowing the pain they are enduring; have the patience of a saint when waiting for them to return home; and have two sets of shoulders to handle the weight of both love and uncertainty.”
The angel shrugged slowly looking down and said, “two sets of shoulders… no way!”
And the Lord answered, ”Don’t worry, we’ll make other military mothers to help carry the burden. Besides it’s not the shoulders that are causing the problem, it’s the heart. It must swell with pride, sustain the ache of separation, beat on steadily when it’s too worried to do so and be large enough to say, “I Understand” when it doesn’t.
“Lord,” said the angel, touching his sleeve gently. “Come to bed… finish this tomorrow!”
“I can’t,” said the Lord. ”I’m so close to creating something special and unique. Already I have one who heals herself from within; can send joy a thousand miles away in just a small box; able to cheer them up with one phone call and can wave good-bye from a pier, a car or off a runway and understand that it is important to her country that they leave.”
The angel circled the model of the military mother very slowly. “It’s too soft,” she sighed.
“But tough,” said the Lord excitedly. “You cannot imagine what this woman can do or endure.”
“Can it think?”
“Can it think? It can home school if need be”
Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. “There’s a leak,” she pronounced. “I told you that you were trying to put too much into this model.”
“It’s not a leak,” said the Lord. “It’s a tear.”
“What’s it for?” asked the angel.
“It’s for joy. Sadness. Disappointment. Pain, loneliness and pride!”
“You are a genius,” sighed the angel.
The Lord looked somber and replied, “I didn’t put it there.”
* Author Unknown *

Being a Military Mom is not easy. Many won’t understand. Finding your tribe of other Military Moms can help getting through feel less painful.

Military Moms

We wait daily!
We worry daily!
We cry daily!
We miss daily!
We pray daily!
and that’s ok…
* Author Unknown *

Having boots in the house is something we wait for, no matter how long the wait!

Some people only dream of meeting their hero. I raised mine!

If your child is still in BMT (Basic Military Training) one great way to stay connected to them even though you feel they are on the other side of the planet and you will never hear their voice again…Sandboxx will help you send them letters in a timely manner so they know that you are here loving and missing them. https://www.sandboxx.us/ I didn’t find out about it until the end of my son’s BMT and always stressed if he was getting my letters because they took so darn long. It’s easy to use and even has an app that you can download.

There are also some great support groups on Facebook for the specific branches and bases. They really help me feel more informed and present in what my son is doing and where he is. We often want to respect our military child and remember that they are an adult now, but they will always be our baby. Being able to see base updates and link up with other parents who have children on their base really helps to set a worried mind at ease. I love watching for pictures that just might have him in them. I’ve spotted a few and it always warms my heart to see my boy in action. I totally recommend finding a group for the base your child is at.

If you are a military mom and have found something inspiring or that has helped you through it all, please share with us in the comments. We are in this together, helping each other stay strong for our soldier/airman/hero/child!

XOXO