Joining Forces... for Kae, S, T Hamm, Kim and Katelyn!

I've got a core group of girl crushes (not the least of which is my sist) in my life who are married to the military. With the bro-in-law departing again soon, I have been thinking a lot about the toll deployments, and the military lifestyle in general, take on military spouses. And it seems my thought process coincided well with Michelle Obama's this week via the launching of the Joining Forces campaign.

Katie and Justin in Guam

Justin is stationed in Guam now... GUAM, people! That means my sister is in Guam as well. Do you even know where Guam is? No, you probably don't, because it's a dot in the Pacific Ocean. It takes her at least 24 hours of travel to get to me. Katie is, of course, there by choice. She married the military- this is the life they lead. And yet, we take for granted the things these military wives have to give up. For Katie it meant putting her career on hold, leaving friends and family and her horse, and trying to build a life in a location that is completely military focused. It has meant spending his deployments alone on Guam, an island 7 miles wide. For my friend Kim, it has meant a lot of months of pregnancy and raising two small boys (1 and 3) with their daddy away.It was up to her to raise the boys with no breaks and keep the home in order. In a few months her family is relocating to Puerto Rico (I am blocking this out) and she is about to make the ultimate mom sacrifice for that move- buying a minivan. Katelyn moved to Germany at 7 months pregnant and had her first baby in Germany. She and her husband are raising Sophia with no family around to help. T Hamm spent the first 9 months of her marriage away from her new hubbie then left her life-long home for the other side of the country. S has at least a week a month where she is alone with a 4 month old and a 2 year old, both of which are often sick. Her back went out during her pregnancy and she had to deal with that solo as well. And she has also put on hold her own (much loved) career and dreams.

None of these women are complaining. All went into this life with their eyes open. And it's a beautiful, rewarding life is so many ways. But I think it's important to take the time to remember the additional daily struggles these women take on while their husbands protect all of us. We could all take the time to give a little and lighten their load now and then in thanks for their sacrifices, as well as their husbands'.

Aury, Shannon, Escher and Chip in Boston

Katelyn, Dan and Sophia in Germany (As an aside- Katelyn and I were separated at birth and the universe is petrified to but us back together.)

Grant, Trey, Grayson and Kim at Grayson's first b-day

John and T Hamm at their wedding

The next time you see a man or woman in uniform, think about stopping to thank their spouse! The better halves of military service members deserve a lot of credit as well.