I am just so moved by this D..

I am just so moved by this D..

If you liked that, you might like this too:

The Military Wife

The good Lord was creating a model for military wives and was into his sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared. She said," Lord, you seem to be having a lot of trouble with this one. What's wrong with the standard model?"

The Lord replied," Have you seen the specs on this order? She has to be completely independent, possess the qualities of both mother and father, be a perfect hostess for four to 40 with an hour notice, run on black coffee, handle every emergency imaginable without a manual, be able to carry on cheerfully, even if she is pregnant and has the flu, and she must have six pair of hands."

The angel shook her head. "Six pair of hands? No way!"
The Lord continued. "Don't worry, we will make other military wives to help her. And we will give her an unusually strong heart so it can swell with pride in her husbands achievements, sustain the pain of separation, beat soundly when it is overworked and tired, and be large enough to say, "I understand" when she doesn't and "I love you" regardless.
"Lord," said the angel, touching his arm gently, "Go to bed and get some rest. You can finish this tomorrow."

"I can't stop now," Said the Lord. "I am so close to creating something unique. Already this model heals herself when she is sick, can put up six unexpected guests for the weekend, wave good-bye to her husband from a pier, a runway or a depot, and understand why it's important that he leave."
The angel circled the model of the military wife, looked at it
closely and sighed.

"It looks fine, but it's too soft."
"She may look soft," replied the Lord, "but she had the strength of a lion. You would not believe what she can endure."
Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the Lord's creation. "There's a leak," she announced. "Something is wrong with the construction. I'm not surprised that it has cracked. You are trying to put too much into this model."

The Lord appeared offended at the angel's lack of confidence. "What you see is not a leak," he said. "It's a tear."
"A tear? What is it there for?" asked the angel.
The Lord replied, "It's for joy, sadness, pain, disappointment, loneliness, pride and dedication to all the values that she and her husband hold dear."
"You are a genius!" exclaimed the angel.
The Lord looked puzzled and replied, "I didn't put it there."

Author Unknown

 

I'm not very theistic, but I like the general theme.

I'm not very theistic, but I like the general theme.

ya do not have to "believe" to believe. I liked this too D.

I thought this was about your Laryngitis.

This is such a wonderful tribute to yourself and families like yours. The wives who stand quietly behind and take care of their families. My hats off to all of you, you deserve a lot more than words on paper, however it does makes one feel good to know how appreciated they are because without you there would be no silent ranks!

Amen Dharma... Amen.

I was as Assistant Signal Section Chief when I went through my promotion boards. A lot of the questions asked were about the families of the troops in the section. If an NCO doesn't care about a troop's family, the NCO doesn't care about the troop.

Coming from the dependent's side of things (Army brat 100%), the role of the wife (in general) and a military wife (specifically) is very important. Like the poem says (and you've said Dharma), the spouse (because there are female servicemembers w/ SAH/civilian husbands) plays a very important role.

I've got as much pride in what our military spouses put up with (w/o complaining, usually) as I do pride in what our troops are doing.

Keep up the good work, ladies (Includes you, Tex!!!)

Thank you for this Dharma. I am an ex-military spouse, and a long-time army brat. Dad is a retired E-7, my mom was in the army when she met and married my dad. Generations of my family, on all sides, have served, either active or married to active. I was present when the sergeant rank was pounded into my ex's collar bone and present when he popped them out.

Eventually, I couldn't continue to do the military spouse thing; it is HARD and I am too selfish.

Even so, I was deeply offended by the comment that insinuated that military spousal opinions aren't worth much if anything, and more offended by protests of "Enough Already!" When one makes a comment like that, one must be prepared to deal with the backlash and to protest said backlash is only rubbing salt in the wound. To tell the community of JU to stfu already is really what that poster should be doing. Take it like you gave it buddy.

Dharma, your rebuttal article says it all in a subtle and classy way. Kudos! (Oh, and insightful too.)

ya do not have to "believe" to believe. I liked this too D.

This is very true, and I'm glad that you liked it.

I thought this was about your Laryngitis.

hehehe....unfortunately, no.

 

too often we overlook the sacrifices the entire family makes, until they've made the ultimate sacrifice, and then they get a personal visit and a nice flag.

That terrifies me.  I think every military spouse's worst nightmare is seeing 2 officers in dress uniform come marching up to your door when you're husband's gone - because that's how they make death notifications.  It IS easy to overlook the sacrifices the families make - and I have been known to remind people of my sacrifice every so often.  The last time I did it was when Dave was gone and I had to call one of our credit card companies to renew a card.  The dude on the end of the phone got pretty shitty with me, and before I knew what I was doing I said "you know what, my kids went without their dad 2 years in a row and I cry myself to sleep some nights so you could sit in your cushy office and talk to me like that, jackass".  I don't like to do it, it makes me feel like I'm tooting my own horn, but.....sometimes it needed to be said.

This is such a wonderful tribute to yourself and families like yours

Thanks....I think. I feel not-so-humble for doing it, like I'm being boastful or something.  I don't like that.

 

If an NCO doesn't care about a troop's family, the NCO doesn't care about the troop

A good supervisor and NCO will realize that an Airman's family has the power to make or break his career.  If momma's not happy, aint nobody happy....but momma has to have the same military bearing as her husband or else it just doesn't work.

 

I've got as much pride in what our military spouses put up with (w/o complaining, usually) as I do pride in what our troops are doing.

Thank you.  That really means a lot.

 

Eventually, I couldn't continue to do the military spouse thing; it is HARD and I am too selfish.

If you only knew how many times I've come close to walking away from it all.  It IS hard, and I too can be selfish.....but I love the man that wears the uniform, and because I love him, I stay.

hehehe....unfortunately, no.

It was beautiful and timely never the less.

Well said.

I think every military spouse's worst nightmare is seeing 2 officers in dress uniform come marching up to your door when you're husband's gone - because that's how they make death notifications.

I actually had this happen. Matt was deployed and when they rang the door, I just about died when they asked me if I was Mrs. Stone. Turns out they were investigating him to renew his TS. Afterward, it took quite a while for my heart to calm down. They weren't in Class A's but at the time I wasn't thinking clearly. My mind jumped to the first conclusion.

Karen, this was absolutely far and away a beautiful post as was the reply on the Lords work. For this you get an insightful from me. Actually 2 of them.

I love the man that wears the uniform, and because I love him, I stay.

That says it all. (((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))))) Great article.

*edited due to my reading followup articles to my comment*

Well said! (and apologies to anyone who read my unedited comment for stirring a pot that didn't need stirring).

Well said! (and apologies to anyone who read my unedited comment for stirring a pot that didn't need stirring).

Gasp!  Shock!  Disbelief!

Actually, no I did not.