A Year of Great Change
It’s hard to believe 2016 is about to come to a close, but it was a year of great change, full of ups and downs for my family. I don’t know if I ever imagined things being the way they are at this stage in my life, especially as I approach the big 3-0, but I sure am grateful for the many experiences I’ve had and the many blessings in my life.
This year, I became a mother.
I still look at my son, who is nearing his first birthday, and think how crazy it is that I carried him and that he’s mine. Not just that he’s mine, but also that he’s almost a year old. (Where on earth has the time gone?! I swear it went by in a flash!). I love to see him grow and reach all of his milestones. I swear he’s one of the cutest babies ever. (But then again, I’m biased.)
This year, my husband was on an unaccompanied tour to Korea.
It was even more difficult once we became parents. I had such a hard time in the beginning adjusting to everything. My husband gave me a lot of strength for which I am so grateful.
This year, I was diagnosed with postpartum depression.
Thankfully, I was encouraged to seek help from my family. But not only that, I knew it was what I needed to do to take care of myself and my baby. It was a very difficult part of this year, but I hope that sharing my experience will let other new mothers know that there’s nothing wrong with asking for help and that it happens to a lot of women. It isn’t because you’re a bad person or a bad mom, but because your hormones aren’t where they should be. I won’t carry on with this little rant, but I hope if you need help you will ask for it.
This year, we PCS’d.
Once my husband returned from Korea, we then PCS’d to Scott AFB in Illinois. So far, it’s been an interesting experience being here. I miss a lot about being at a regular Army installation, especially having a hospital that is pretty much what I would describe as one-stop shopping, especially when you need a specialist. I do appreciate that the installation is a bit smaller in that things are faster to get to, but I miss seeing Mount Rainier and having Seattle a short drive away.
One of the better things about being in Illinois has been being a short drive from our families. I don’t know the last time I was home for both Thanksgiving and Christmas in the same year. I definitely have really liked this aspect, especially for my son who has been able to spend a lot of time with his grandparents and aunts and uncles.
My what a year it has been, and I hope 2017 is even better. I wish you all a prosperous and happy New Year.
