6) We have had to consider our mortality.
I’ll never forget the first time my husband, age 25, brought home the pre-deployment paper work and asked me to help him choose his pall bearers. I was not ready for that conversation … at all. But when you are headed into a war zone you have to face it, and while a shock, (and absolutely nauseating at first), you realize it’s actually a good thing. Many of us have known people who have passed before taking the time to make a will or express their wishes to loved ones.
It is hard for the family members left behind to blindly make decisions, and it can cause a lot of heartache. Because we had to face it, my husband and I both know exactly what the other person would want if the worst happened, we have wills, and have even had open conversations about how we would want the other person to go about the important business of living if one of us was gone.
(My only request is that I would want him to re-marry and be happy… but he better not bring home some hussy to raise my daughters!)
As uncomfortable as that first conversation was, I’m grateful to the military for forcing us to have the discussion.
5) Sometimes, Christmas is celebrated in July.
Every single military family has (or will) spend holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and other important life events away from their service member. It’s never easy, but we quickly learn to adapt. Many military families have kept their Christmas lights up until spring break so Mom could enjoy them when she got home from training.
Dad often times spends his actual birthday eating a cake-in-a-jar on his rack somewhere in the sandbox… but saves the real celebration for months later when his kids can help him blow out his candles. We learn that dates are really just a number on a calendar, and that the celebrations of life can take place at any time.
4) We have some pretty amazing kids.
I know many, many, non-military kids who are amazing…but I must say that there are some qualities I notice in military kiddos that make me very proud. They are used to being the new kid in class…so they are usually the ones who befriend the boy who just arrived from another state last week.
They have been around many different kinds of people…so they are usually more accepting of differences. They know what real sacrifice looks like, so they are less likely to be devastated when the cable is out for three days. And they have experienced lots of change, so they have the skills to cope and adapt when new situations arise. Sure, our kids have also carried a tremendous burden over the past 10 years of war, and we HAVE to be aware of their needs.
But I also consider them to be some of this countries mightiest heroes. Sometimes, great things come in small packages.
