Deployment – Mamie L. Pack

5 simple ways to create a supportive environment for military kids: Tips for teachers, churches, and community members

When a loved one serves in the military, every family member is impacted, especially military kids. Growing up in a military family requires children to adjust to constant change, frequent moves, and disruptions to their relationships. Moving is less about a new location and more about making new friends. As a former military kid and now raising our military children, I am quite aware of how a parent serving in the military impacts the entire family. Our children have spent their whole lives living in commu[...]

Marriage, Military life

Navy wife, navy life: 3 lessons about gratitude I’ve learned being a military wife

I will never be with anyone in the military. Those were my words as a single woman over 16 years ago. Growing up with my mom in the military, the last thing I wanted was to continue living the military life. I was tired of being the new girl AGAIN after yet ANOTHER military move. Just when I would put down roots and build friendships, it was time to go. I had enough of that life. But when my hubby entered my life, all those thoughts went out of the window. With him, I saw a future and hope. So here we ar[...]

Lifestyle

Get connected: 3 reasons why you should join a small group

Being a part of a small group at my local church has radically changed my life. Even though I have been rooted in a local church most of my adult life, being plugged into community was not easy for me to do. I became accustomed to relying solely on the friends I already had in my life and shutting others out. The fear of rejection and judgment often kept me isolated from welcoming new people into my life. It just seemed more comfortable (or so I thought). After another military move to a new city where we[...]

Marriage, Military life

Healthy Marriage: 3 lessons about celebrating holidays as a military wife

Being a military wife is already hard, but celebrating special days without your spouse can be particularly tricky. Sometimes, I just want to climb in my bed and just sleep the day away, but I know that is not a healthy response. Instead, I have learned a few healthy lessons that have helped me focus more on what I have in my relationship beyond a date on my calendar. Sign up here to receive your own 20 days to a healthy marriage. Lesson 1—The status of my relationship is not defined by a date Throughou[...]

Identity, Military life

Deployment Strong

Knowing for months my hubby would leave for deployment in January left my heart grappling to accept this reality. I didn’t want to be deployment strong. I wanted him home-everyday and always. But that was not the life I knew we would have when I became his wife 13 years ago. Instead, our lives would temporarily become months of waiting for emails and care packages, anticipating the next phone call, hoping for a video chat, and praying for a safe return. Those months knowing that the deployment was on the h[...]