Most Memorable Milspouse Moments: Part 1
Welcome to AWN’s Monthly Recon Rendezvous link up! We’re so glad you’re here. As the name implies, Recon Rendezvous is a place of community and connection. It’s an opportunity to explore and learn about our fellow military supporters’ lives, victories, trials, and experiences.
Each month, we “rendezvous” here to provide information, resources, and encouragement. So, do some “reconnaissance,” link up, swing by your “neighbor,” and leave a comment.
Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like our military family spends a good deal of time dreaming about the future: our next duty station, when our service member will be promoted, when the next deployment will creep up, and yes, even imagining (and sometimes dreaming about!) what life after the military will be.
Often times, thinking about the future can be a great motivating factor, especially when the going gets tough. But you know what? Looking back at where we’ve been, what we’ve experienced, and how far we have come can also provide that #GoAmerica fuel we need to face the next milspouse challenge. Or adventure.
That brings us to this new Recon Rendezvous miniseries: Our most memorable milspouse moments.
Over the span of three parts, I’ll be sharing my most memorable milspouse moments, as well as some military memories submitted by you, our AWN readers.
Let’s get started, shall we?
Over the years that I’ve been a military spouse, I have a lot of memories—some are sweet and wonderful, others not so much. But to get this memorable party started, I think I should share how I got my military spouse start.
I was in college at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, 40 days from graduation. In my five years of college (well, my entire life), I never had a “real” boyfriend. (Don’t get me wrong—I went on a handful of dates, but it was like, “Hey bro, thanks for the supper, but I’m good.”)
It was literally one of the most painful days of my life that day. Lots of super sad, heavy stuff going on (several people in my network of friends/family had passed away that very day). I spent most of the afternoon holed up in my room, sobbing my eyes out, grieving for my friends/family.
The last thing I wanted to do was “go out” that night, but we had some college friends in town from Minnesota, so I rallied to be their Designated Driver as they toured Aggieville.
Long story still long, that night some random dude started dancing with me in a bar. It was his birthday. I was a bit cautious, but we started talking (what?!) and the rest, as they say, is history (that was totally not part of my no-plan plan). This blonde-haired, blue-eyed infantryman ambushed my heart. (Sorry, couldn’t resist the corny analogy.)
We did the long-distance relationship thing for the remainder of the summer, and he deployed at the end of August. He came home in April and proposed, right there in the teeny-tiny Columbus (Missouri) Regional Airport. His brother was home on leave from Germany and had purchased the ring while staying at my house. And I had no idea. He slipped my husband the ring right as Brandon was proposing. My now-husband jokes that he was worried, because he thought he was going to open the box and there was going to be a twisty-tie ring in there.
I, of course, said yes. And here we are.
So that’s one of my many memorable milspouse moments. But enough about me. Let’s check out what our readers had to say on the subject.
“My most memorable milspouse moment was when my husband called me and told me to go to Labor and Delivery after work because his friend’s wife (who I had met about two times) was in labor and her husband was away at training. My husband had the woman’s daughters and was going to the airport to get her mother-in-law. I sat awkwardly in the delivery room, unsure what small talk to make in that situation and prayed her mother-in-law would make it before the baby came (she did). But, hey, as a milspouse you know these things are bound to happen. We’re best friends now! Meeting new friends in the oddest of places is one of the most awesome things about being a milspouse.” — Kristie A. C.
“My most memorable milspouse moment, thus far, was the night my husband came home from deployment. It was the first one for both of us, so you can imagine the rollercoaster ride of emotions at hand. They changed his homecoming five times before finally coming home. It was 9 p.m. and 10 degrees outside when he finally stood before us. No one told me how much of a shock I would feel seeing my husband again after five months.” — Tessa R.
“My most memorable milspouse moment was being able to sit in on a session of Congress with other milspouses and hear a bill presented based on the Army Family Action Plan issue asking that GI Bill benefits be passed to family members. A few years later, I was able to use my husband’s GI bill to go to college and get my bachelor’s degree.” — Regenia G.
“My most memorable milspouse moment was at the Christmas social when I was making stupid jokes and recommending music to a soldier—who I later realized was the Command Sergeant Major.” — Megan R.
“My most memorable milspouse moment was June 18, 2013. I drove from Fort Polk, Louisiana, to Fort Benning, Georgia, to see my husband graduate Ranger School. Fun fact: I was nine months pregnant. Being able to see the graduation and pin him was the most rewarding thing ever! And five days later, I had our daughter.” — Jaricka P.
Dear readers: What is your most memorable milspouse moment? Comment below!
Ready for the next part? You can read it here.
Pingback: Memorable Milspouse Moments Part 1 (AWN Giveaway) - 7 Days Time
I really don’t have one.. I love the ones where they surprise the husband at the airport though!