10 Years Later-An Army Blurb

I can't believe we are embarking on the second half of our Army journey! 

Ten {short} years ago, my husband swore in to defend our country. It's been one hell of a roller coaster ride. Many ups, lots of downs, yet we're still here. 

I can recall the day he left for basic training as if it were yesterday. We had four tiny kiddies (basically babies) that didn't understand what was going on. His being away at basic in Fort Benning, GA was when I realized that this life would mean sacrifices. Often.
During the first stint of his being gone, our baby girl learned how to walk, our twin daughters learned how to talk, and our son sword fought by himself.

But the sacrifices have gone beyond the absence of my husband now and again, there are so many more.

I, too have made sacrifices. My children have made sacrifices. Our extended family has made sacrifices. For ten years! 

This life is NOT for the faint of heart, the easily angered, the homesick folks. 

Within the past ten years, we have visited what my husband and I both refer to as "Home" {Arizona} four times, my second home of California three times, and my husband's other home of Kansas, twice. All in the name of seeing family. 

We haven't quite lived within a short driving radius of anywhere that our family resides. Our first duty station was Fort Lewis, WA. Our second: Fort Campbell, KY, and now as I type, I live in Bavaria, Germany: Stationed at Rose Barracks.

Yeah, again, this life isn't for those with homesick tendencies! 

But our current duty station is what has taught me the most lessons...I'll touch on that in the near future.

In 10 years time, we have managed to clean up our debt, went from living paycheck to paycheck to now living comfortably, seen much of America and Europe, lived in 5 different rental homes, enrolled our kids into 6 different schools, lost 6 family members and numerous brothers in arms, been through two 12 month deployments, a few 3-5 month deployments, many training exercises for weeks at a time, said goodbye to too many friends, and have gained new friends.

We are steady making and breaking our own records. 

If someone had told me ten years ago that my husband would go to war twice, that I would attend college, that we were done adding to our little big family, that we wouldn't ever be home for Christmas, that I would not see my childhood best friend but every five years, that we'd lose touch with many of the people we love, that I would drink wine under the Eiffel Tower, wander real castles, climb actual mountains, total a car, and have a bat invasion in one of my homes and everything else, I would have thought they were nuts!

In some ways, the past 10 years has been surreal. Some days were like dreams, while others nightmares. 

But honestly, I wouldn't trade the past 10 years of this army life for another life. If we stayed in Arizona, working our asses off to no end, we wouldn't have been able to experience half of the wonderful things we have. Not to say my husband's job is easy.

In full disclosure, I don't even know that we'd still be a 'whole' family, which makes me sad to think about. This lifestyle constantly makes us work together for what is most important, even on the days we don't want to. It has taught us, and teaches us daily, that we should never take one another for granted.

I could go on and on, but I am thankful for the past ten years of our being an army family. This ride isn't for everyone, and on really bad days I want to toss it in the garbage, but it is ours.

I'm looking forward to another ten years, and I am highly curious as to what the future holds.