army family

How to Help Others Help You During TDY and Deployment

And in just a few months, we’ll be doing another prolonged separation (this time without the benefit of having family nearby), so I’ve spent a lot of time lately thinking about what things were the most helpful to us while we were separated from Dad, and how friends and family (both near and far) can help support their…

10 Tips to Help Kids Cope With Military Separation

Deployments, TDYs, and field training exercises are a reality of military life. Young kids can really struggle to wrap their head around these separations. Why are they necessary? How long will they last? What will their mom/dad be doing while they’re gone? Here are a few of the methods I’ve used to help my little ones stay…

5 Lessons Learned From 5 Years in the Army – Part 4

2019 – Achieving your goals 2019 was an interesting year for our family. While Michael continued to attend schools and trainings and get lots of tasks completed at work, the two main goals we were working for in his career seemed to constantly be moving farther and farther away. With every one step forward we would make, the goal post would…

5 Lessons Learned From 5 Years in the Army – Part 3

2018 – Building a community The third main lesson I’ve learned from being in the military these last five years has to do with the temporary nature of Army life. This is one of the most unique struggles that military families face. We move so frequently, it’s nearly impossible to put down roots. In today’s world, people tend…

5 Lessons Learned From 5 Years in the Army – Part 2

2017 – Juggling family and the military Welcome to Part 2 of the 5 lessons I’ve learned from 5 years in the Army! This lesson is like the first, only instead of dealing with being separated from your spouse, I’m talking about your spouse having a demanding work schedule that keeps them from being as involved at home…

5 Lessons Learned From 5 Years in the Army – Part 1

2016 – Surviving Long Separations This month marks 5 years since my husband enlisted in the Army. Considering the fact that when we joined, we fully expected to be out of the Army a year ago, it’s kinda crazy to think that we’re here and that this is our foreseeable future. When I look back over the last…