A year ago yesterday Hubby left on a bus after a very un-romantic goodbye for his first day back in the Army after being out for 13 years. That day, and all the days that have followed, have changed our lives and definitely for the better.
My Husband
I’ve seen my husband grow and transform back into the man I first fell in love with over a decade ago. He is incredibly brilliant and was very successful at his jobs in the computer world, but I think he comes alive when he is out from behind a desk. Physical activity, handling weapons, wearing a uniform that represents our country, riding in military vehicles, flying in blackhawk helicopters, and jumping out of airplanes – those are the things that he loves to do. I see his pride when he puts on his uniform, and I could not be more proud of him. Besides, he looks really hot in it
Tomorrow morning will be his first day as a newly promoted Sergeant (SGT). This is the rank he carried when he got out of the Army the first time, but due to reasons beyond my understanding, when he rejoined he had to start a rank lower and earn this one again. He has worked so hard to get this, and we find it fitting that it came on his one year anniversary. I know that God has prepared him for this job as a NCO (non-commissioned officer). He is gifted in the areas of leadership, teaching, character and work ethic. He is everything a NCO should be, and I know that God will use him to touch many lives over the next decade.
Our daughter
Our little girl has also changed this year. I have been so proud of my sweet daughter as she has not only survived this huge change in our lives, but she is thriving in it. She is a creature of habit and does not like changes. She wears the same red, flannel PJs every single night even in the summer, and even though her feet are sticking out through the bottom because they are falling apart. She often says, “but I’ve always done it like this…” and doesn’t understand why you would do something different when it worked just fine the time before. It throws her for a loop if we even rearrange her furniture in her room and it takes her a while to get used to new things. Honestly, we weren’t sure how our SPD kiddo would handle some of the changes.
Yet, deep inside her, God also gave her an amazing sense of adventure and a strong desire to travel, which have served her well. She has been amazing during this entire introduction to Army life, and I can only credit that to the grace of God! She has embraced this change in our life head-on and is loving it! She is incredibly proud of her Daddy for serving our country and “fighting the bad guys”. She thought it was great fun to take a 3 day road trip from Texas to North Carolina, to live in a hotel for 3 weeks, to move into a new house. She’s had a great time exploring new playgrounds, museums, and making new friends. She is treating this whole thing like it’s a grand quest she’s been sent on and she is accepting this mission with gusto!
She even went to 3 week-long camps this summer where she spent the entire day away from me. 2 weeks were spent at Science & Art camp at a local museum, and the 3rd was an outdoor adventure camp. She jumped right in, made new friends, welcomed new teachers, and had a great time. She’s had a beautiful spirit as we’ve visited several churches in the area and each time she dealt with a new classroom, teacher, and kids. She’s gone with me to meetings, support groups and Bible studies, and not once has she hesitated to join the other kids or to greet a new teacher. This is the same child that used to cry when I dropped her off at church if they had a substitute teacher in her classroom.
She traveled with me to visit friends and abandoned her bedtime routine for an entire week. She slept just fine without “her music”, “her light”, and “her clock”. That was HUGE!
God is good!! So good! I’d like to say that our therapy and social skills practice has really made a difference, but really, I can’t take credit for this. She has blossomed in ways this past year that I could never have dreamed of. These forced changes in her life have turned out to be some of the biggest blessings we could have given her.
Myself
I too have grown this past year. I’ve stepped out to meet new people and try new things. I jumped into a Bible study our second week here, even while we were living in the hotel. I volunteered to serve in our FRG (Family Readiness Group). I got out of my house to meet the neighbors. I have made some great, close friends already as a result of all this. I have figured out how to fix things around the house on my own without waiting for Rob to do them – even the truck!
I’ve had a great time getting to know the area and exploring new, exciting places with Emily. I’ve felt the pride that comes with being an Army wife and seeing my role in his career. I’ve seen how God has prepared me for this as well as Hubby and I have grown through so many ups and downs in our time together. I can see how my personality, my independence and my love for my husband all work together to make this successful.
I love knowing that we can do this. With God as our guide, and with our love for each other, we can go anywhere and do anything. I wasn’t able to “spread my wings” as early as many do. It took me a long time to have a chance to venture out on my own, away from family and the safety net, but it’s a great feeling to find out just how strong you are. There is a great big world out there that I believe that God wants us to see a lot more of, and I can’t wait!