Military Spouse Appreciation Day

Military Spouse Appreciation Day is the Friday before Mother's Day; May 7, 2010. "The first Military Spouse Day was first celebrated in 1984 when then-President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the observance to honor the contributions of military spouses. The military now sets aside the Friday before Mother's Day each year to pay tribute to the spouses who play a vital role in the nation's defense." (http://www.army.mil/spouse/)

Military Spouse Appreciation Day is celebrated each year on the Friday before Mother’s Day. It is part of National Military Appreciation Month, which also observes Memorial Day, Victory Day and Armed Forces Week.

Strong family support is seen as key to military readiness because it allows servicemembers to better focus on the requirements of their missions without worrying so much about what is happening back home. In addition to taking care of family details while their spouses are deployed, military spouses must cope with a family life punctuated by several moves during their spouse’s military career, which complicates the spouse’s employment opportunities, housing and their children’s education.

We come in all...


Shapes
Sizes
Ages
Backgrounds
Colors
Theologies
Ideologies
Societies

Some of us are Army-strong, others of us are in the Air Force-blue, there are a few proud Marines, a wealth of Navy and the ever-vigilant Coast Guard.

We love our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coasties. Most of us don't wear the uniform but all of us swoon (deeper than a civilian can understand) when we see the uniform.

We keep the home-fire lit and our babies at bay. We manage the home-front with grace and ease mixed with a few fumbles and a bit of heartache. We may not be "issued" but we are chosen!

We depend on friends, mentors, networks and far away family to get us through the tough times.

We use strength to carry us. Distance to mold us. Tears to soften us. Laughter to brighten us. Perseverance to humble us.

(Source: http://militaryblog.militaryavenue.com/2009/05/military-spouse-appreciation-day.html)

The Military Wife


The good Lord was creating a model for military wives and was into his sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared. She said, "Lord, you seem to be having a lot of trouble with this one. What's the matter with the standard model?" The Lord replied, "Have you seen the specs on this order? She has to be completely independent, posses the qualities of both father and mother, be a perfect hostess to four or forty with an hour's notice, run on black coffee, handle every emergency imaginable without a manual, be able to carry on cheerfully, ever if she's pregnant and has the flu, and she must be willing to move 10 times in 17 years. And oh, yes, she must have six pairs of hands."

The angel shook her head. "Six pairs of hands? No way!" The Lord continued, "Don't worry, we shall make other military wives to help her. And we will give her an unusually strong heart so it can swell with pride in her husband's achievements, sustain the pain of separations, beat soundly when it's over-worked and tired, and be large enough to say 'I understand,' when she does not, and say 'I love you,' regardless."

The angel circled the model of the military wife, looked at it closely and sighed, "It looks fine, but it's too soft." "She might look soft," replied the Lord, "but she has the strength of a lion. You would not believe what she can endure."

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the Lord's creation. "There's a leak," she announced. "Something is wrong with the construction. I am not surprised that it has cracked. You are trying to put too much into this model."

The Lord appeared offended at the angel's lack of confidence. What you see is not a leak," he said. "It's a tear." "A tear? What is it there for?" asked the angel. The Lord replied, "It's for joy, sadness, pain, disappointment, loneliness, pride and a dedication to all the values that she and her husband hold dear."

"You are a genius!" exclaimed the angel. The Lord looked puzzled and replied, "I didn't put it there."

For all of the other military wives that have touched my life in one way or another over the years....I salute you!