Weekend Retreat: Dealing with Military Wife PTSD. Is that a thing?

Weekend Retreat: Dealing with Military Wife PTSD. Is that a thing?

This retreat was 100% necessary. It is hard for me to even sit here and describe how desperate I was to get away two weeks ago because I returned fully restored, better than before. I am on the other side of that mental wall of misery now. Life is good and happy again, and I fully mean that. When I packed my bags and left Alan with the boys, I did not even fully grasp why I need this so […]

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8 Days of Finding Joy During a Pandemic

8 Days of Choosing Joy During a Pandemic

Have you had to look a little harder for joy over the past few months of pandemic? Do you find the coronavirus and the news to all be a little discouraging? Feeling down and being in a place of seeking joy has happened to me many times over the years, not because I am totally Sadness all the time because I am not. It is just that hard times call for digging a little deeper, and we are definitely in difficult […]

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Shelby is Busted

****This post is part of my series on Real Army Wives. This series follows my husband’s first deployment to Iraq in 2003, but it’s the story of the wives back home more so than the men at war. Click here for the previous chapter, The Fork in the Road***** I love telling you the sweet, happy stories every week, but the truth is not everyone’s story is either of those things. When one tells a story, one must tell the […]

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My First Colossal Failure & My Supportive Spouse Overseas

My First Colossal Failure & My Supportive Spouse Overseas

***This post belongs to the series True Stories of Real Army Wives. ***** My last post was about how miserable I was as a teacher. Alan must have called me the morning after my first or second day of teaching from Iraq. What he wrote in response to my hardship is one of the most touching, empathetic, heartfelt letters I have ever read. No, he wasn’t physically there, and yet with this letter you can see how he was still obviously […]

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When Alan First Deployed: My New Friends at 9-1-1

Real Army Wives Series. When Alan first deployed: My New Friends at 911. funny and sad stories of young army bride

******This is the 11th chapter in the series The Real Army Wives, stories from a young military bride from the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2003.****** I tell you this particular chapter with hesitation and humility. It’s an embarrassing story, but at the time, this was my reality. I hope you can laugh with me now, and rest assured that I am not normally this paranoid. I promise. When Alan first deployed, it was suddenly like….cue the sound of crickets.

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Week 3 of The Hot Mess Blog Hop

I sort of felt like my whole life embodied “hot mess” this week. Several things happened. I allowed so many activities to enter my life that I neglected one of THE most important, like helping my dyslexic-ish son with his spelling words. I put my foot in my mouth without even realizing it (but then, isn’t that always how it goes???). Oh, and my chin broke out like a teenager’s. But hey! I’m hoping that acne on my chin is […]

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I am a sucker for a rescue.

Do you love a good rescue story? Man, I am a sucker for a rescue. Lately, I’ve been feeling down. I’ve been letting circumstances get to me. I’m still pouting over losing my people in this move. I still have my family, my most important people. But I lost my support groups. I lost my friends. Friends are a tricky thing to replace. The thing is you can’t replace them because no two people are the same. It’s not possible. […]

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The Story of My Wedding Dress: What Fire Couldn’t Burn

“Your wedding dress? What do you want me to do? It’s…” I don’t remember exactly what my mom said, but I got the idea. “Ah, man! My wedding dress? I didn’t even think about that. I forgot that was in there. It’s damaged too? Well, everything is. It has smoke damage?” “Well, yeah. We can try to have it treated,” she offered. I don’t know how much exactly insurance covers, but I want them to use that for what they […]

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I Will Not Panic Today, Even if Dirt Boy Dumps Dirt on the Dining Room Floor

I Will Not Panic Today, Even if Dirt Boy Dumps Dirt on the Dining Room Floor

Tonight I’m hosting my home school moms’ group. That means that I will be spending all day trying to clean up my house, take care of four children, and cook. I need to make sure that I don’t fall into the prideful trap of cleaning up my house to try to make myself look good. It’s not about me. Let’s not put on a show and act like my house is always this neat, if I even manage to get […]

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Two Important Life Lessons I Learned From Getting Lost

Last weekend, Alan and I drove to church separately. We do that often since I rarely wake up early enough to leave on time, which bothers Alan. He so badly wants to be on time. Oddly enough, I needed to be extra early to work the nursery that morning, so it was just J.D. and me in the van, and we were even earlier than Alan.  I was doing well, zipping down the highway. I didn’t have the radio on, and […]

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