Engage. Educate. Encourage. EMPOWER.
One of the best parts about milspouse life is the traveling! We likely get to see places that we would have never experienced otherwise. Click the image below to learn more about Space A travel, or keep reading for our latest travel features from our blog.
Ah, February: the month of Valentines and all things hearts and love. As I was thinking of this charming holiday, I began to ponder all the things I love about each duty station in which we’ve lived or some of the extra places we’ve travelled in between. There is so much to admire about each: the attractions, museums, beaches, restaurants, and oh, those coffee houses and treat shops—what I really adore the most!
Every January of a PCS year, as I take down the ornaments from the Christmas tree and pack it all away, I imagine where I might be when it’s time to put it all back up. Have you ever done the same?
We’ve never had orders in January for our summer moves. Most times, we have already submitted our options, but we usually don’t see our RFOs until spring. The beginning of the year is always a time of mystery as we await that defining notification.
If you’re like me, you look forward to taking a vacation at some point in the year. I know that it’s always my favorite week out of the year. However, with COVID, travel restrictions, and social distancing measures in place, it has made vacationing this year a challenge.
If there is one thing in this crazy new world norm that I miss the most, it’s the ability to hop on a plane, jump into my car (road trip!), or cruise across large bodies of water to discover somewhere new.
Anyone who knows me also knows that sitting in one place too long makes me jumpy. I like adventure and new experiences. I want to meet new people and discover weird facts. I’ve made it to four of the seven continents, and my travel bucket list is long enough to cover the next 30 years of my life!1.
Can you imagine that quarantine life has been hard?
Maybe you thought about living overseas before you had kids.
Maybe you thought about living overseas before you were married.
Maybe you thought about living overseas before you stopped dreaming.
What this piece is not about are those Facebook and Instagram posts you’ve seen from your friends stationed or living overseas where the entire family is standing in front of the Eiffel Tower or in the Neuschwanstein Castle upon which the Disney castle is modeled (see featured image). If living overseas was filled with those type of moments every second of every day, then who wouldn’t want to live overseas?
I had a moment of… Panic? Disappointment? Fear? Anxiety? Stress? Well, definitely a mix of those emotions when my son’s teacher said that they were done with school work… three weeks earlier than I had expected.
Summer’s here.
When I realized that school was over, my stomach dropped. Working part time from home while trying to keep a 9 year old engaged in healthy behaviors hasn’t been easy. Just yesterday, he spent almost the entire day parked in the same chair. I feel like summer break should be coming to an end… but it has only just begun.
Italy is known for a wide variety of things: history, culture, incredible food, and even better wine. Before I moved to Italy, I would drink white wine, on occasion, but absolutely never, ever red wine. I didn’t care for the way red wine sits on my tongue and gives me a “cotton mouth” sensation. That was until I moved here and tried Italian red wine.
Have you recently PCS’d to Fort Bragg? I have a feeling that you might love it! The proximity to North Carolina’s mountain and coastal regions makes this a fantastic place to be stationed. From Fayetteville to Pinehurst, Southern Pines and just a little north to Raleigh, there’s always something fantastic to see.
In just seven short months of living here, we’ve built up a hefty list of incredible museums, coffee shops, restaurants, and more. We’ve been lucky enough to have a steady stream of guests, which helps us get out and explore. These suggestions are taken primarily from these experiences, plus a few extra suggestions from seasoned locals.
As I reflect on my last couple days in Normandy, France, I am still struggling for words. My two days in the most northern part of France comprised of tiny hamlet communities that skirt the English Channel would be a picturesque seaside summer vacation destination…except.
Except that the soft sandy beaches have seen more death than should be allowed.
The gorgeous sheered off cliffs have watched young men heroically traipse their rock face against horrific odds and suffering far too many causalities.
The hedgerows have hidden and provided God-given mercy to local residents.
The churches have heard the cries of dying men pleading for their God or their mom or their wife.