Being a military spouse…

… is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. Being a military spouse is challenging (but, it definitely is not harder than being in the actual military) and it is not a fairytale dream.

The majority of our marriage has consisted of living in two separate locations (we’ve been married for 8 months and we have spent 3 of those together *shoulder shrug*)

Communication is hard and becomes almost nonexistent at time – Joey has extremely long days and we talk for maybe 3 hours a day if we’re lucky. Which makes our conversations tense at times.

Life is uncertain, at best – Things do not settle down (I honestly don’t think they ever will). Life changes at the snap of fingers. It’s like you start to get comfortable in one place and his command is like “HA HA NOPE!” He goes where he is needed, no questions asked and no hesitation.

I don’t try to make plans for birthdays, anniversaries, or even holidays anymore – It has become a reigning tradition that we just won’t be together. Text messages, phone calls, and cards are how we celebrate now.

“Hurry up and wait”– Wow, if that doesn’t describe military life to a tee than I don’t know what does.

I know I know, I just made it sound like being a military spouse is all doom and gloom… but, it’s not. Despite the lonely nights and all of the tears shed, the good moments come out stronger.

Hello’s are so much sweeter– Seeing him after months of being apart is like our first date all over again. Butterflies, jitters, nervousness, the works. Countdowns to when I’ll see him again cover every calendar I own. I feel like a little kid on Christmas every time I get to see him again. It definitely makes up for every birthday, anniversary, or holiday missed.

The little things matter– A simple ‘I love you’ text, a hand-written letter, phone calls, and FaceTime dates have become like little pieces of treasure. It shows us that we’re thinking about each other even from 500 miles away.

The time we do get to spend together is like pure gold– We laugh more (so much at times that we start crying) and we smile more. Not a single second is taken for granted. These are the moments that make the lonely, tear-filled nights melt away. The good outweighs the bad and makes it all worth it.

Pride and joy– Every time I see my husband in that uniform, that’s what I feel. I am so proud of what he is doing. It takes a brave and courageous person to defend their country. He amazes me every single day.