I did not grow up in a military family. My dad was drafted during Vietnam but was out of the military before I was born. I lived in the same house for 18 years, all the way until I left for college. I didn’t know any military families growing up.

While in college, I fell in love with an ROTC cadet. We were married in April of 2001, before September 11th happened. It was a different world than it is now, and I never could have imagined what our life would be like. After all, I knew nothing about being a military spouse. My husband went into the Army after graduating from college in December of 2001. It was just three months after September 11th. I was young, in love, and very scared. This was a whole new world to me. We knew he would be going to war.

It wasn’t a matter of if, just a matter of when.

Fast forward to today. We have been married almost 13 years, had two children, moved five times, and have been through three deployments. Not too long ago, I went back to my hometown for a high school reunion. I was suddenly in a whole different world. No one there knew what being a military family was like. I talked with some old friends, some I’ve kept in touch with and some that I haven’t. As I listened to them tell stories of good and bad times, I was once again reminded of how blessed I am to be a part of a military family.

There are things about this military life that drive me crazy. We all have those things that we can’t understand about the military, but after being back in a civilian town for a short while, I was reminded of how blessed I am to be surrounded by military families. We can overcome the most adverse situations, and I am so thankful to have so many brave military spouses in my Army family.

We’ve all been there. We’re in the midst of a deployment, kids are sick, working and taking care of the house, car breaks down, and so on. Then, someone outside of the military says, “I just don’t know how you do it.”

I just smile. I know how I do it because I don’t do it alone. There’s the spouse in the FRG who says, “Can I bring you some food so you don’t have to take the kids out while they are sick?”

It’s another military spouse who says, “Call me when your car is ready and I will take you to the shop.”

There’s another military spouse who says, “I will pick up your kids from school and feed them since you have to work late.”

Just recently, in the midst of this crazy deployment, the dryer broke. It’s a small thing, but it just got added on top of everything else. I walked out into the garage to find the manual to attempt to fix the thing when I found 550 cord. I decided to make a clothesline in our house to dry our clothes on until the dryer could be fixed.

It was a simple “adapt and overcome” moment for me. Then, I got to thinking about 550 cord. We have used it for lots of things, and if we weren’t a military family, then the 550 cord probably wouldn’t have been in our garage.

550 cord is strong and useful in many different situations, like military families. We are strong, and we are there for each other, no matter what happens. My husband grew up in a military family, and I did not. My children are growing up in a world that is completely different from my childhood. Sure, I have my moments where I wonder how we do it, but I am not alone.

Our family has grown and stretches all across the globe. I love being a part of a military family for many reasons including the strength and the way we can adapt, just like the 550 cord.

What situations have you had to “adapt and overcome?” How was the military community a help to you? Share with us!