How do you describe yourself to people you see daily, but who really know very little about who you are? The simple act of being a military spouse creates a common bond among thousands of us; in some ways, our shared histories are more closely related than some sibling groups' bonds. In other ways, though, we are as individual and unique as those same histories (a blend of our families, heritages, traditions, and personalities).
You've heard my story hundreds of times: girl meets boy (who happens to have a demanding job); girl marries boy (without any real clue what her new life will require); girl adapts to the on-going packing and unpacking, acculturating and re-acculturating, laughing and crying, adventuring, changing and growing.
What you may not have heard before, though, are the details that go along with that lifestyle. Add in the details and the story may still sound vaguely (or amazingly) familiar. We've lived in places I swore I'd never go and have visited places I never imagined I'd see. I've worked in more jobs than I would have ever thought and have learned to appreciate all the experiences (both good and bad) because they have shaped me into the person I am today. I've learned that my (our) one constant is change and that the world is more wonderful than I would have ever guessed a few decades ago. I owe all this to the military culture and the life it both offers and demands.
We arrived at Moody, AFB in August, 2009. In December, I accepted my first-ever board position with a spouse's club. It’s not that I’ve never served on a board before; I’ve done my time with many and diverse organizations. I had just never focused energy specifically on a military community. So, here I am stepping into the President’s role, embarking on a new adventure; not so dissimilar from the myriad of adventures past. Some aspects of the job are very familiar, other parts completely foreign. But I’m not worried, my military experience has prepared me for this and I look forward to both the fun and the challenges. I hope that you are also excited about the up-coming year and that you will be an active participant in your club. We have put together an excellent group of women to serve you; please let us know about your wants and needs so that we can provide the best experience possible for all of us.
