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My Inspiration, the Veteran in my life
Veterans Day, a day to honor and thank veterans, has come and gone. However, the opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate a veteran should never be passed. As an Army National Guard wife I swell with pride whenever my husband wears his uniform to serve our country. When I remember deployment and months that I have been without him I shed a tear but then think to myself we did it! When I think about how his very basic need to serve has driven him to do just that, and to do that with honor, I remember the many qualities that attracted me to him so many years ago. But my pride in my husband stems much further back…
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On Your Way to a Smooth Move: DoD Roundtable
It is that time! PCS season is upon us and many military families are negotiating orders and beginning the process of planning for a move. With that in mind, I had a great chance to listen to and speak with Barbara Thompson, Director, Office of Family Policy/Children & Youth, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense. We all know that a PCS can be an amazing adventure but also an incredible stressor on families. I have an example for you; in the late 80’s my family moved from Ft. Walton Beach, Florida to Keflavik, Iceland. Can you say, “Change of scenery”? In the end the move to Iceland was…
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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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One More Challenge for Military Personnel! Post Deployment Driving
They just keep adding up for our military folks – challenges that is! But this one is pretty close to home and the safety of our service members and their families should not be compromised. Insurance industry giant, USAA has released the results of a study of post deployment auto accidents for military members and they have tagged a large increase for some groups following deployments. An educated guess of the results indicates a lot of habits formed while driving in convoys in combat situations (to stay alive) can increase the chances of having an accident at home. So the best convoy and combat drivers may be at risk at…
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Craft Stick Fun
A simple art project. Simple smiles. Simply fun! As my boys are getting older projects at school have grown more and more complex. In the process I have picked up a few art-project supplies kept tucked away for a rainy day. Popsicle sticks were needed for a diorama of Iceland. Pipe cleaners were needed for a science experiment involving borax. Markers are kept out of reach of a toddler. Glue, scissors and paper all quickly rounded up. All this is the the perfect making for a morning of fun. My friend, *L*, 4 years old, checked out a book from the library last week, “Craft Stick Mania”. Today we set ourselves up at…
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Ah the memories…
I am coming up on a milestone, my twenty-year High School graduation-anniversary. Some would say 20 year High School Reunion but, alas, there will be none of that for us. I graduated from a small DoD School at the now closed Keflavik NAS, Iceland. Thank you for the memories! Funny how this post from Wife on the Roller Coaster suddenly triggered one for me out of the blue. June 7, 1992, I graduated from high school in the middle of my /final/ pcs as a military-brat. We hopped on a plane back to the states June 10, 1992. There were moves after high school. Mom and Dad PCSed two times while I was…
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The Heritage of a Military Brat
*E*, 9 years old, came home very excited. “MOM! We have a big project at school and it has to be about our heritage, where we come from. I want to do the country of Iceland!” What is interesting is *E* is about 25% Hungarian, 12.5% Norwegian, a splash of Irish, Danish and French and the rest German. Icelandic? There is none in his blood. But it does run in his veins. I lived in the country of Iceland from 10th grade through 12th grade at the now closed Naval Base in Keflavik. My dad flew helicopters out of the 56th Rescue Squadron with the US Air Force. So when I talk about…
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Seasonal Light Disorder
“Seasonal Light Disorder”. Winter is tough. Winter in northeast Ohio is dark, dreary, cloudy. My mood can plumit into depths of darkness in an instant. Today at the grocery store I picked up a fresh basil plant. I came home, washed my kitchen window, put my new little ray of sunshine on a little plate. I BREATHED in the fresh spring air, the aroma of fresh gardens, sunshine and so much more all in a tiny little pot. What do you do to help with the dark dreary winter days? When we were stationed in Iceland we put lights on timers to help keep our ‘clocks’ on cycle. As those…
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Tasty Tuesday Christmas Tree Coffee Cake
Have you ever looked at something year after year and yet never seen something, a treasure within an article? Each year this has been our Christmas breakfast. From the look of the page that has this cut out pasted upon it, you can tell it is a loved article.I cut the edible Christmas tree recipe out of a commissary handout over 31 years ago! And use it every year.This year I read the first two paragraphs and burst out laughing. The wonderful lady who sent this in was stationed with us in Iceland 20 years ago. At that time her son was in high school with our son and daughter.…
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Fun on Veteran’s Day with my Grandson and His Class
What a great opportunity to tell the kindergarten class about veterans and share some experiences! Thank you so much for the Parent Teacher Organization at Pine Ridge Elementary School in Ada, Michigan for making this a special day for veterans! I had the chance to speak with my grandson’s class about what it meant to be a veteran, tell them where Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo ++ were located and had some great laughs. I learned that one child’s cat had died, one child’s dog had been sprayed by a skunk but for 15 minutes I held their attention! They were well behaved, sat and listened, raised their hands, made calls…
