I WON!!!

Ok, so the title of my post is deceiving, what can I say? I didn't actually win, but when I am done you will see I in fact did. A few months ago they were having a Spouse Appreciation contest with MCCS. I had seen the flyer about it because well I glanced at it and after almost 2 decades of marriage, I knew it just wasn't something my hubs did. I knew he appriciated me, I have no doubt but he really isn't a contest kind of guy. So I will admit when I found out that he did in fact enter, and write something from the hell hole he currently resides at I was FLOORED. My hubs?? Did what??? So when I was lucky enough to be given the essay he wrote I read it with tears in my eyes. I mean, I know I am a lucky girl, always have, and never needed to "win" a contest to know it. But after reading this essay I had realized that I did win. No matter what MCCS says, no matter who they deemed the "winner" of this contest, I have in fact hit the jackpot and I am definitely the winner in my eyes. Thank you to the worlds best husband for this amazing gift, I love you and miss you more then words could ever express, you are my prince. I hope you enjoy the essay as much as I did.


How Can I Not?
The question at hand is why I appreciate my military spouse. The simple answer is how can I not? How can I not appreciate a woman that has been my base of support since before my career even began? A woman that was there the day I shipped off to Recruit Training, and has been there every day since. A woman that has lifted me up when I was down, held me accountable when I was wrong, and never failed in giving me a dose of reality when I got too full of myself. A woman that helped me raise a son that is now an Honor Student in college and future Marine Corps Officer.
How can I not appreciate a woman that followed me first to Japan, then to Europe, then to Africa, and then to TWENTYNINE PALMS! A woman that has had multiple careers so that I could excel at one. A woman that has been with me for my lowest of lows and helped me through my deepest darkest moments? A woman that has stayed home through multiple deployments as a single parent. A woman that has attended funerals for my friends and my Marines in my stead. That has borne the brunt of the grief of their families alone because I could not be there where I should have been to see them off.
A common saying amongst spouses is that “the hardest job in the military is being a military spouse”. If asked, Heidi would tell you that is certainly not the case. She would tell you that military members have a huge responsibility and therefore so do their family members, but that being a military spouse is a privilege. She would tell you that being a military spouse is a life chosen and therefore doesn’t rate any special appreciation.
Over almost two decades I have had very little to disagree with her on. However, seeing her over the last months of my current deployment as she has held the family members of my Marines together, bolstered them during the tough times of which there have been many, shared in their successes and in their grief, helped the young ones figure out this Marine Corps life and shared faith with the seasoned ones, I have found I must disagree with her on this.
How can I not appreciate a woman who is just as responsible for my successes as I am? Not just career successes but life successes. How can I not appreciate a woman that has made me a better Marine, a better leader, a better citizen, a better person?
So why do I appreciate my military spouse? How can I not?