An Empty House has Endless Possibilities

Moving all the time must be so hard, they say.

It has to be challenging to live in a new place every few years, they say.

Yet, when I stand in the middle of our new home and look around at the empty space, empty walls, and empty cupboards…

I don’t see the challenges.

I see possibility!

The seemingly endless possibilities that every PCS brings: How to arrange the furniture, where to hang which curtains, and how to organize everything to fit into new cupboards and drawers is the tip of the iceberg in this new adventure.

The real possibility lies within the memories we will make here. It is part of making new friends and getting acquainted with the neighbors we have already started to meet. It is knowing that my children, at their various ages and stages, will be completely different people by the time we are ready to pack up again. They will do so much growing and changing in this home over the next three years. Our oldest will finish high school here and launch out into the world. Our 12-year-old will navigate the often rough waters of middle school, and I am so glad it will be in this small, tight-knit community. Our girls will complete three more years of elementary school. And our little guy will have his first years of school here.

15, 12, 8, 7, and 4 when we arrive.

18, 15, 11, 10, and 7 when we leave.

That’s a lot of living and learning to do. And plenty of opportunity to expand our hearts, our minds, and our perspectives through the people we get to meet and experiences we will have along the way.

While some may see the frequent moves military life brings as one of its greatest challenges, I embrace it as one of its greatest gifts. It’s not always easy, but plenty of hard things in life have incredible value. This is one of the lessons I hope each of my children learns through the experience of growing up Army Strong.

What is your favorite part about PCS’ing? How do you find the silver lining in what other people may perceive as the challenges of military life?