Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

Military Life

Photography Around A German Village

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Photography Around A German Village

 

It’s been 5 years since we moved back to the states but I have so many photos from my time in Germany that I really haven’t blogged about. Germany is where I got back into my photography. When we were in Germany we lived in Schweinfurt for about 2.5 years and a little village outside of Grafenwoher for almost 2 years. Erbendorf was a small village about 20 minutes from post. We lived in Government leased housing which means we our out in the “economy” but lived in Military housing. We didn’t have a gate around us and lived in a neighborhood with about 70 other American families. There were also a few German families that lived there too.

We could go out for a walk and within 5 minutes would be in a German village. It was nice because we really got a good sense of what living in Germany was like. But we also had access to the Army post where we would go to shop for American foods and products, got our mail, went to church and where of course my husband worked.

Sometimes I would get frustrated being there but it really was a lovely place. I went on so many walks and photo walks. These photos are from January/February 2009. We had a lot of snow!

 

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Have you ever lived in Germany or Europe? What part???

 

 

 

 

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What You Might Miss The Most During A Deployment

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What You Might Miss The Most During A Deployment

We all know that there are positives to every deployment. We also know how hard they can be and how badly you might miss your spouse when they are away. Sometimes it is just the little everyday things that you miss the most.

This is my list of what I missed the most when he was gone on a deployment…

* Being with me when the boys have activities like soccer practice/games.  I video tape but still…not the same!

* My weekend “break”- When my husband is home I am able to get out for a few hours all by myself.  Even if it is a 15 minute run to the store.

* Sundays after church- I just want to go out to lunch with my husband, I miss that when he is not home.

* Sundays at church- I miss sitting by him & holding hands during the service. It is just not the same sitting there with just the kids or even by myself.

* Having someone to bounce little ideas/questions off of.  I like hearing his opinion about life and whatever might be on my mind. I can also ask him if I am just being crazy about something or just his thought on the subject.

* Watching a movie with him.  I end up watching more movies when he is gone but I love it when we can watch them together. And then talk about how weird or silly they were.

* Hearing his opinion on shows like the Bachelor or Army Wives.  He just cracks me up with his thoughts.  I always miss that humor.

* His jokes.  My husband is a very silly man and always trying to make a joke.   Even if they are pretty corny, I miss them when he is not around. I find myself craving his jokes because they are very much a part of who he is.

Distance is hard, and missing the day-to-day can really get to you. On the other hand, it can really make you appreciate your time together even more. When he is home, you can be thankful for all those little moments that you have together. I know that since my husband joined the Army in 2005, I have been able to really appreciate all the little things when he is home.

 What would you add to this list? What do you miss the most during a deployment???

 

 

 

 

It’s A Dog’s Life

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It’s Friday and I am ready for the weekend to begin!

Here are some photos of our dog Gwen and her best friend playing together in the snow. I love watching them run against the fence. They are so cute!

 

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Have a great weekend 🙂

When Your Best Friend Moves Away

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When Your Best Friend Moves Away

When Your Best Friend Moves Away

5 years ago this week I said goodbye to one of the best friends I ever had. We went through so much together. A deployment, a space-A trip, we talked about everything and our children were the best of friends. But then it was time for us to PCS. To leave and to move on.

In just a couple of months, I will have to say goodbye to another friend. Someone I don’t want to say goodbye to. But it is time. Her husband has orders for somewhere else and she has to go. Our sons are the best of friends and so are we.

One of the hardest things to do is to say goodbye to a best friend. There is no easy way to do it. You go through a lot of emotions…

You don’t want to believe they are leaving. Even though you know it is coming, you try to ignore it because you think you have plenty of time. And then you don’t.

They tell you they have a move out date. Then it feels real. You think you need to spend more time together because those 4 years went by way too fast. You wonder what you will do after they are gone. You worry that you will never have another local best friend again. And then they have to go and you have to say goodbye and it stings. Because that chapter of your story together will be over. And no matter how long it was, it will never ever seem like long enough.

You think you need to spend more time together because those 4 years went by way too fast. You wonder what you will do after they are gone. You worry that you will never have another local best friend again. And then they have to go and you have to say goodbye and it stings. Because that chapter of your story together will be over. And no matter how long it was, it will never ever seem like long enough.

The truth is, when a friend moves away, you will never ever be able to replace her.

She is someone who will always be special in your life in the ways that make her who she is. You will always have your memories, your inside jokes, and your history. Your relationship will have to change. Instead of getting together every week, you will spend your time together texting or on Facebook. No, it isn’t the same but it is your new normal. Time will go on and maybe you will get to visit each other.

When you do, you will notice the little differences that have taken place since you were last together. But at the same time, you will connect just like no time has passed. You will make other best friends, so will she. But you will always have your time together.

You will always have those memories and when you are old and grey and look back on the years you had on earth, she will always come to mind as one of the special ones. One of the people who made you the person you are. And you will always be thankful for that.

The friendship you had with her will give you hope. Because you remember how it felt when you had to say goodbye to your last friendship and then you met her and everything was okay again. And so it will be in the future. There are always new people to meet. There are always new friendships to be had. And sweet memories to keep with us for all time.

Expats by Chris Pavone Book Review

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Expats by Chris Pavone

 *I received a free copy of this book in hope of a review on my blog! This post includes affiliate links!

 

I just finished the book Expats by Chris Pavone. I don’t read a lot of mystery but I did love this one. When I was about halfway through I found myself only wanting to read it and didn’t want to put it down.

Can we ever escape our secrets?

In the cobblestoned streets of Luxembourg, Kate Moore’s days are filled with playdates and coffee mornings, her weekends spent in Paris and skiing in the Alps. But Kate is also guarding a tremendous, life-defining secret—one that’s become so unbearable that it begins to unravel her newly established expat life. She suspects that another American couple are not who they claim to be; her husband is acting suspiciously; and as she travels around Europe, she finds herself looking over her shoulder, increasingly terrified that her own past is catching up with her. As Kate begins to dig, to uncover the secrets of the people around her, she finds herself buried in layers of deceit so thick they threaten her family, her marriage, and her life.

When I started the book I wasn’t sure where it was taking me. The book goes back and forth between different time periods which at first can feel a little confusing. After a while it starts to flow and things start to come together. One of the best parts about this book is that it takes place in Europe. The characters travel a bit so it was great to read about the different places they would go. Some of details in the book reminded me of our time in Germany.

This book kepted me guessing until the last few chapters. I just wasn’t sure what was going to happen or how everything was going to work out. I loved that. Kate is an interesting charcater and we slowly find out more about her as the book goes on. It was interesting that she was a mom of two boys and going through what she did with her former job and questioning those around her.

If you like mysteries or suspenseful novels, you will probably enjoy this one 🙂

It was written by Chris Pavone who wrote the book while he was living in Luxembourg with his family for his wife’s job.

 

Perks of Being a Military Child

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Perks of Being a Military Child

It was 10 years ago this fall that my 30 year old husband re-enlisted for the Army. I didn’t know him when he was in before so this was my first experience with being an Army wife. I really didn’t know what to expect. Even though I grew up with two Marine bases pretty close, I didn’t know too much about Military life other than knowing that living on base was noisy and that they wore a uniform.

I didn’t know what life would be like for my son or any other future children we would have. I knew I would be doing a lot of the parenting by myself but I didn’t know what amazing things would come from it. That we would literally be able to see the world, experience other cultures and meet people from different parts of the country. I didn’t know that there were things that they would get to know that they never would have gotten the chance to do otherwise.

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During the last 10 years we have had our share of stressful and frustrating moments but my kids have experienced some amazing things. They have had experiences I never had a child and I hope they can remember a lot of them as they grow older.

During the last 10 years my kids have…

  • Lived in Germany
  • Lived in the South
  • Rode on European trains
  • Rode on a Space-A Aircraft
  • Saw the Pyramids in Cairo
  • Visited Rome
  • Visited Athens
  • Visited Turkey
  • Visited Malta
  • Visited the Czech Republic
  • Visited Austria
  • Visited Spain
  • Went to a German Fest
  • Had German teachers
  • Saw the Mediterranean Sea
  • Have been to 4 continents
  • Have made friends with children from different states
  • Learned a small amount of German
  • Got to meet St. Nicholas
  • Stayed in a German hospital
  • Sat in a tank
  • Eaten dinner in the DEFAC
  • Been to a base chapel
  • Said the pledge before a movie
  • Enjoyed German Ice cream

Beyond what they have been able to do, they have also been able to be apart of something amazing. To know that their Dad sacrified for their country. To know that he was apart of something overseas. It’s a great feeling to be apart of the Military community!

I am sure there is even more I can add to this list. When I start to feel sad or bad that Daddy has been gone too much over the years I try to think about this list and everything we have seen and done all because their Daddy joined the Army.

What have your kids experienced because of being in a Military family?

5 Ways To Make Friends When You Have Small Children

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5 Ways To Make Friends When You Have Small ChildrenI counted up the amount of times I have moved to a new city with small children. Four times. I have had to do it four times. I have moved to a new place, had to meet new people and figure out a way to make some friends while I was caring for small children. It isn’t easy. It isn’t easy to go up to a group of people and introduce yourself, especially if they have been friends for a while. You really have to put time into it.

I have found a few ways that allowed me to make some friends. Not all of the people I have met through these methods became best friends but that has happened as well. I was able to find a group. A group of people who I could get together with and find friendship with. Where I could give my young children the opportunity to play with other kids and I could find people so I wouldn’t feel so lone in my new city.

1) Playgroups. This seems obvious but unless you live in the very middle of nowhere, you should be able to find a playgroup to go to. When I first moved to Kentucky pre-Army, I found a great group through a local center that was about moms and giving birth. At the time I was a little more crunchy than I am now and I figured it would be the best way to meet some other moms like me. I was right. I connected with some other moms while we let our very young babies play. Even though we moved after a year, I am still Facebook friends with most of them. I still enjoy seeing their photos of their now 9 and 10 year olds. When we moved to Germany I was able to find a playgroup sponsored through the Army post. I started taking my then two-year old and was really able to meet and connect with other moms that way. Spend some time looking in your community to see what is out there.

2) Church groups. This can be going to a regular church on Sundays or even just a weekly Bible study. Most duty stations have a PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel) or a CWOC (Catholic Women of the Chapel) In these groups there is time to get to know other women as well as attend a weekly Bible study together. There should be free childcare at the chapel as well. You can also look in your local community to church to see what your options are. MOPS is also offered at a lot of Military bases.

3) The park. Meeting people at the park can be complicated. You could spend all day at the park and not get to know anyone or you might make a few friends right away. The best thing to do is go to some of the same parks on a regular basis. You might start to recognize people. Watch which kids your kids end up playing with and see if you can start a conversation with their parents. It could be something as simple as, “How old is she?” Or “Did you just move here?”

4) Online groups. Our Army post has many different groups on Facebook. From groups for Crunchy moms to those over a certain age. A lot of those groups tend to have meetups which can be a great way to get to know others. Try to participate in some online conversations and go to the next meetup. You might find some great friends that way.

5) FRGs. I know FRGs sometimes get a bad wrap but you also have the chance of making a new friend by attending. I have been in really good FRGs and really bad ones. You just never know. Try to attend at least once or twice to see if it will work for you. The best part of meeting someone in your FRG is that your spouses will go through deployments together and you might make friends with your own “battle buddy” to help you get through the next deployment.

 

It is true that in the Military life you will need friends to connect with. It can feel overwhelming when you have young children but there are ways to get out and make some new Mommy friends.

How have you made friends when you move to a new location?

Why You Have To Say Yes To A PCS To Germany

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Why You Have To Say Yes To A PCS To Germany

Even though the Military is shutting down some Military installations in Germany, people are still PCSing to Germany. Sometimes they have a choice, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes the spouse thinks about staying in the US.

Why You Have To Say Yes To A PCS To Germany

As someone who spent four years in Germany, I have to recommend that if you have the opportunity to go overseas, do it. I say this as someone who didn’t always enjoy being there, that missed the US a lot more than I should have, and who hated being so far away from everything.

It’s been years since we moved back to the states and because of that I can look back and see Germany for what it was. An experience. A sometimes really amazing one. A sometimes really frustrating one.

Being stationed in Germany was an experience I will always be thankful for.

So if I hear someone is trying to decide to go, I urge them to do so. Even though being there might get hard or be really frustrating at times. The experience is worth it, and living overseas will change your life forever.

Why You Have To Say Yes To A PCS To Germany

You simply can’t find that type of Military community in the states. Well, maybe you can but the community when you are stationed overseas is unique. For one thing, very few of the people stationed where you are can go home for the weekend. Why? Because home is 2,000+ miles away. Because of this, you spend a lot of time there and not as much time away.

You have to stick together because you only have each other. If you can speak the language, that will make things easier but at the end of the day, your Military friends will be your main link to America and you will feel the need to bond a little more than you do in the US.

The travel opportunities are simply amazing.

From taking a day trip to a castle to planning a post-deployment vacation to some amazing city you never thought you would ever travel to in your lifetime. I had little babies and toddlers when I was there. My kids were only 3 and 5 when we moved back.

Why You Have To Say Yes To A PCS To Germany

Traveling wasn’t easy but we did what we could. I took my two boys on a train to visit my friend in Austria, we went on a cruise to the Mediterranean, and I went on a few USO trips during my time there. And of course, there was Garmisch, one of my favorite places.

Another great thing about living in Germany is being around another culture. In some ways, Germans are a lot like us, in other ways they are completely different. Although this part of living there was frustrating at times, it really opened my mind to a different way of life and seeing the world.

For example, in the US, when you go out to eat, you are pretty much rushed out of the restaurant as soon as you eat your food. In Germany, you practically have to hunt your waitress down for your check when you need to go. Sitting, talking, and having a long time at a restaurant is expected. You are not rushed out in the same way.

With deployments, the time difference is only about 2-3 hours. That was hard for me when we had our first deployment in the US. Having just a few hours difference made life a lot easier.

Why You Have To Say Yes To A PCS To Germany

You can also ship things to your deployed spouse for free. That was another thing that kinda stopped me in my tracks. “You mean I have to pay for that?” Being a little closer to the war zone has its benefits. If something were to happen and they had to go to Germany, you are already in the country.

There is also the whole beer and flowers thing. Beer everywhere. We even had a beer delivery truck.

The festivals are so much fun and are a great way to spend an afternoon or evening. They seem to be happening all the time too. And the flowers. I used to buy flowers all the time. They were so cheap. I miss that.

As you can see there are a lot of great things about being stationed in Germany. So if you have the chance, do it. You will be glad you did.

Have you ever been stationed in Germany? Have you ever been stationed overseas?