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I have a confession to make:
I’m ready for winter to be over.
That realization hit me hard the past two weeks. I’ve been dreaming of summer here lately. We had a warm spell in Alaska, and by warm, I mean in the 20s. Never in my life did I think I’d be saying 20 degrees is warm, but here I am.
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Last night my husband said something that brought instant tears to my eyes.
There was nothing about a move.
There was nothing about a deployment.
“In twelve days I can drop my retirement packet.”
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This year, I’m making it my goal to find more balance between my civilian and military life. You see, I’m a civilian, but I’m also in the Army Reserves. It’s something I have to explain to people a lot when they ask me why I’m not available at certain times of the year.
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This past year I reflected, I faltered, I grew, and I stumbled my way into genuinely loving myself. That isn’t to say I hated myself before, but rather I struggled to know who I was. I have many hobbies, attend events, and volunteer for different community activities, all which add pieces that build on what makes me “Renee.”
However, as I took a look at the tasks I was a part of, I wondered, “Am I doing these things because I genuinely get fulfillment from them, or is it because I feel the need to live up to some standard or unrealistic expectation of who I think I should be?”
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Winter is in full swing up here in Alaska and has been since October when the first snow fell. With that being said, it’s my first full winter up here, and I was definitely not looking forward to it because I’d been in Texas for the past three winters. I’ve learned a lot since moving up here, especially about getting through the winter months in this climate.
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Living at a small military base overseas, I feel like it is only natural for everyone to know everyone.
The housing communities are small and nestled into local German towns and villages. It is a wonderful experience but can also feel isolating. I have to say, in our nearly five years of living overseas, this has been one of the most welcoming and close-knit communities we have ever been a part of. You run your errands on post or on the local economy, and you are bound to find someone you know and are bound to strike up a conversation.
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Confession:
The holidays are fast approaching, and I’m not feeling the holiday spirit this year. More like I’m feeling the Holiday Blues.
Anyone else with me? Here at Fort Wainwright, we’ve had more than two feet of snowfall in the last two days. Before that, the temperatures dropped to -30, then the next day turned around and it was nearly 30 degrees. It feels like we straight up skipped fall. It lasted less than a month, and that was back in August.
I blinked and suddenly winter was here.
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Six years ago, when my oldest was only a wee Kindergartener, I decided to put her in Girl Scouts so she could get some social interaction with kids her own age. The Daisy troop already had a leader but needed a co-leader, so I signed up to help and was promptly indoctrinated into the world of squealing, excited-little-girl wrangling.
Trying to handle 10+ girls and lead them through badges and journeys took all of the strength that we had, but it forever cemented my love for the Girl Scouts!
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Need some help getting in the Halloween spirit this spooky season?
Want to make a costume out of things already embarrassingly accessible in your house?
Want be the spookiest mama on the block?
Look no further y’all. I got you. Here are eight ideas, perfect for the military spouse:
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