Whether you’ve had 2 years or 2 months to prepare for your military marriage, you are in for a lot of new (good and bad!) surprises to adjust to as a new military spouse. From the language you speak to the time alone you now have to the unbreakable community you’ve entered into, we get all the feels you have.

1. Confused

After the wedding bliss to your military member, comes the confusion of being a new military spouse and the questions. “Where do I go for a Military ID? Do I want Tricare Standard or Prime? Wait, what do all these acronyms mean?” …And the list goes on.

2. Frustrated

Every new military spouse will feel frustration at some point. Whether it’s frustration over who to call to set up all your new paperwork, frustration over deployments, or frustration over any of the many hurdles all new military spouses will face at some point.

3. Afraid

Fear of the unknown and all the new challenges ahead. It doesn’t always get easier, but you DEFINITELY get stronger. Lean on the spouses around you, because they’ve been through it and they are ready to help you pick yourself up and figure it out!

4. Excited

Excitement for all the new places you will see as a new military spouse, the experiences you will have, and people you will meet. Not everyone has the struggles of military life, but that also means that you get opportunities that civilian families will never get to experience!

5. Thankful

Thankfulness for the new military community and support around you. They are your village. Your tribe. Your people who understand exactly what you’re going through right now.

6. Loving

The most important, rewarding emotion any new military spouse will feel is the all encompassing love you have for the enlisted man or woman you married. After all, they’re the one that makes it all worth it and who will be there with you during the emotional ups and downs you experience during the crazy, exciting journey ahead that is life as a new military spouse.