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Away for the Holidays – Care Package Ideas and More
There are a few Christmases that stand out in my life. I remember our first Christmas in Iceland after being separated from my dad for six months while we waited for a house to open up at Keflavik NAS. He had to report without his family but just before the holidays new friends opened up their home to us so that we could be together as a family. Our house would be ready when they returned from a vacation back to the states. That was the Christmas of Homecoming. (Although a new home, but home none the less). Another very memorable Christmas for me was the year my husband was in…
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Mommy and Me: Happy Birthday Dear *E*!
Wordless WednesdayThe Day I Became a Mom – September 21, 2002March 2003A New Baby Brother – April 2005October – 2006July 2007September 2008April 2009 – Happy Homecoming with the whole family!August 2010 – Another new brotherApril 2011 – Not too old to hold my hand!Happy 9th Birthday to my dear sweet *E*! I hope the next 9 years are as beautifully fun as the last nine. – Mom (aka Leanne from MilitaryAvenue.com)byUnknownonWednesday, September 21, 2011Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to PinterestMilitary Life:Birthday.,Leanne,Wordless Wednesday
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Disappointments
Disappointment… we all face them. A promised PCS to a base close to ‘home’ changed at the last minute to clear across the country. R&R or Homecoming pushed back days or even weeks. A savings account depleted to pay for unexpected household expenses. The question is how do you handle them? Yesterday, my 8 year old, *E*, was asked to go to a semi-professional baseball game with a mutual friend of my 6 year old, *C*. Talk about disappointment for *C*. There was much heartache. A few tears. A longing to be with his brother and friend and her family. How did we handle the disappointment? First we talked about the…
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A Must Read for a Better Understanding of PTSD “Achilles in Vietnam” by Dr Jonathan Shay
Volunteers of America Michigan Veteran Homeless ShelterDuring a recent visit to a veterans’ homeless shelter in Lansing, MI, Patrick Patterson, the Volunteers of America Michigan Vice President for Operations gave me two books to read. The gift was a great way for me to find meaning as to how our veterans end up on the street. As I read, Jonathan Shay’s “Achilles in Vietnam, Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character” the memories of the Vietnam era came flowing back to me… not as a combat veteran of that era but as an American who could not understand what was happening to my country, its soldiers and my friends. While…
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Help for the Stresses of Military Life – FOCUS (Families Over Coming Under Stress) – DoD Roundtable
I have a love for military families! It came from so many years of observing them enjoy life around the globe! Young spouses, children, teenagers, couples, the entire spectrum have a zest for life! For my kids they became the aunts/uncles and cousins that always seemed so far away! The good neighbors that watched our pets while we were on leave. Military kids are not really “brats” but they like that moniker I think. It is a bit edgy! But, they know how to stand for the national anthem and when to be respectful. Military families serve our country in many unique ways and sometimes due to this service they…
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Faces Behind the Hero: Army Wife, Mom and writer, Jane
Meet our Face Behind the Hero, Jane. I love her thoughts below about a ‘Family Mission Statement’. What keeps your family together? What is the glue that binds? Where do you find the adventure that keeps life “interesting”? Thanks, Jane, for getting us all thinking about these things and not only being Army-Strong, but Family-Strong too! What branch is your husband in? How long has he been in? My husband is active duty Army, and left for basic training on September 3, 2008…two days before my birthday! How long have you been married? What is your favorite wedding-day memory? We have been married for nearly three years. My favorite wedding day…
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Stand up and notice this: “Salute Soldiers with the Spirit of America” from Jim Beam and Operation Homefront
Are you ready to tell the story of your hero? Or heroine? The “Salute Soldiers with the Spirit of America” contest is sponsored by Jim Beam and partnered with Operation Homefront and has some great prizes! Read below to find out more and get ready to tell them about your friend or family member! The goal of this contest is to recognize and salute the men and women of our armed services and recognize their sacrifices with four special packages for their entertainment and pleasure at very special events! The selected essay winners will receive a Jim Beam® VIP Experience Package for both the winner and the service member described…
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Top 10s from 2009
It’s been a busy year for the military-community! We’ve been recognized, studied, educated, and appreciated. We may have felt a bit lonely, a little over-whelmed, perhaps felt out of our element … but we have prevailed! We have tasted adventure, enjoyed the sites and sounds of our community, made new friends and thrived! What was important to our military community this past year? Here are the top 10 read articles on MilitaryAvenue.com for 2009 as well as the top 10 blogs at MilitaryBlog.MilitaryAvenue.com. We are glad to be part of the military community and can’t wait to see what 2010 holds for us all! Top 10 Articles on MilitaryAvenue.com in…
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Commitments and Parenting
No one said being a parent would be easy. But does it really need to be this hard? What might seem like a small trivial decision is holding a great weight over my shoulders. Our teenage-son was asked to a attend the big Homecoming dance by a friend from another school district. We were excited for him getting to know new friends and spending time with a gal whose family we happen to really like. I had seen pictures of the dress, we had discussed corsages, permission forms had been signed, and dinner plans were made. So the news, five days before homecoming, that he wasn’t going to go with…
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Popular Articles: Week of September 13 – 19
From vacation thoughts to military spouse employment there are thousands of articles on MilitaryAvenue that interest, you, our users! We post hundreds of articles to MilitaryAvenue every week. It can be hard to keep up with the latest news and happenings around the Military Community. Here are ten of the most popular articles on MilitaryAvenue for the past week; news that is important to our Military Families and their community! From the Better Business Bureau: Help for Military Spouses Seeking Federal Jobs Exchange Online Mall Now Taking Travel Reservations Guard’s Youth ChalleNGe Turns At-risk Youth’s Lives Around Escape and Save with the Armed Forces Vacation Club Free Homecoming Banners from…
