Military Spouse Appreciation Day

I wrote this post last May, but it's still as true as ever. I hope you get the chance to thank a military spouse today for all that they do.

Do you ever stop to think about your freedom? I mean, really. Our country is far from perfect, but we enjoy a tremendous number of liberties that many in the world don't have. I get so tired of hearing people talk about what's wrong with America. There are so many people who just want more and more from our government. And there is a seemingly general attitude of dissatisfaction toward the blessings and privileges we do have. But even worse than that, there is little gratitude for those who have served and still serve to provide those blessings.

You probably don't think about it much, but when you get up and go to worship in the place of your choice on Sunday morning someone is serving to protect that freedom. When you blog about how much the stimulus package disgusts you, someone's husband is missing their anniversary to protect that freedom. When you choose to watch one news channel over another, someone's Daddy just missed their miraculous entrance into this world to protect that freedom. When you go dove hunting on September 1st every fall, someone's son is missing their birthday to protect that freedom.

I'm not asking you to do anything for me. I'm not even asking for sympathy or a pat on the back. I just want to remind you of the sacrifices military families make for the freedom we all enjoy. Our lives are filled with months of being single parents, more missed holidays, anniversaries and birthdays than you could count and weeks without any contact with our husbands. We do it gladly because we love our husbands and our families, but it's often hard and lonely. May is Military Appreciation Month and today is specifically Military Spouse Appreciation Day. So if you know a military spouse, thank them for all that they do today. Or thank a former military spouse who made sacrifices years ago for our freedom.

Good luck hiding in THAT thing!

I've been meaning to write this post for a while now.  And since the Navy isn't exactly on my list of "Favorites" this afternoon I figured now would be a great time.  You might even say I'm borderline "crazy submarine lady."  (Better warn the children!)  

I'm not even sure I need to write much about this abomination that is the new working uniform.  The picture pretty much speaks for itself.  Digital "aqua-flage"?  Really?  Are we trying to hide on our enormous Aircraft Carriers?  Hey, bad guys!  Here's a HUGE ship in the middle of the ocean and you can't see anyone on board because we are all wearing aqua-flage!  Must be totally abandoned!  Right.   That's good plan.  Or maybe it's to hide guys who fall in the water?  Not sure that's such a good plan either.  Or it could be created just for a rousing game of hide-and-go-seek on the submarine because they don't have enough to do already.  

What I do know is that they cost a fortune.  Whoever secured that contract with the Navy is absolutely making a killing.  And since officers do not receive a uniform allowance the cost comes straight out of our living expenses.   Who doesn't want to spend $500 on super cool aqua-flage clothes and accessories?   I think I should get to go spend $500 on shoes now, don't you?  

To add insult to injury, the whole concept of new working uniforms was supported largely because they were supposed to look better, and thus have different regulations than the previous working uniforms.  But just as before, these uniforms are only authorized for work.  That means that Tim can't meet us out in town, can't stop for a gallon of milk on his way home and can't even get gas off-base while wearing it.  

So, let me get this straight?  They are ugly.  They cost us a great deal out of pocket.  And you still can only wear them to work and home.  Nice.  Sounds like a perfectly great use of your tax dollars and our paycheck for all the development and implementation.  Good one Navy!

Just in case you didn't get the full effect above.

Military Spouse Appreciation Day

Do you ever stop to think about your freedom?  I mean, really.  Our country is far from perfect, but we enjoy a tremendous number of liberties that many in the world don't have.  I get so tired of hearing people talk about what's wrong with America.  There are so many people who just want more and more from our government.  And there is a seemingly general attitude of dissatisfaction toward the blessings and privileges we do have.  But even worse than that, there is little gratitude for those who have served and still serve to provide those blessings.  

You probably don't think about it much, but when you get up and go to worship in the place of your choice on Sunday morning someone is serving to protect that freedom.  When you blog about how much the stimulus package disgusts you, someone's husband is missing their anniversary to protect that freedom.  When you choose to watch one news channel over another, someone's Daddy just missed their miraculous entrance into this world to protect that freedom.  When you go dove hunting on September 1st every fall, someone's son is missing their birthday to protect that freedom.  

I'm not asking you to do anything for me.  I'm not even asking for sympathy or a pat on the back.  I just want to remind you of the sacrifices military families make for the freedom we all enjoy.  Our lives are filled with months of being single parents, more missed holidays, anniversaries and birthdays than you could count and weeks without any contact with our husbands.  We do it gladly because we love our husbands and our families, but it's often hard and lonely.   May is Military Appreciation Month and today is specifically Military Spouse Appreciation Day.  So if you know a military spouse, thank them for all that they do today.  Or thank a former military spouse who made sacrifices years ago for our freedom.  And if you really want to show them that you appreciate what they do you can email your congressman to ask them to support the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act.

The first of many homecomings...

Sleep well tonight because somewhere beneath the ocean 

depths my husband is protecting your freedom