Every year, the Friday before Mother's Day is designated as Military Spouse Appreciation Day.
Today is that day. This year's celebration on May 9 is a time to recognize and applaud the selfless contributions and daily sacrifices our military spouses make.
The Army life is challenging.
I have people ask me on an almost daily basis how do it do it. There are of course some days that are harder than others. There are many times that military spouses routinely put the welfare of their Soldier/Airman/Seaman/Marine, Family, and Nation above their own.
This is for the husbands and wives who wake up early when their Soldier leaves for PT.
This is for the fathers and mothers who hold their children tight when they cling and cry for a parent overseas at night.
This is for the men and women who avoid the news, watch the news, or are glued to the news every day for months on end, hoping for good and not bad.
This is for the cooks who learn the gobbledygook acronyms and threaten to serve MREs if they are faced with a caselot sale on a payday at the commissary again.
This is for the lovers who touch photographs and hold back tears.
This is for the actors who put on a happy face when their soldier takes one more look over a shoulder while the transport is moving out.
This is for the comedians who crack jokes on the phone or over webcams, just to see their soldier smile thousands of miles away.
This is for the tired whose hearts break at the thought of just one more day alone, much less several more months.
This is for the strong who keep moving when all they want to do is stay under the covers curled into a ball.
This is for the "dependents" who know that a greater oxymoron was never coined, who rise to the call of independence in order to keep the house running smoothly, or to move it across the country alone.
This is for the proud, whose hearts are full to bursting as their loved one steps off that plane, that bus, that boat to stand in formation and affirm that they have served and will continue to serve their country.
This is for those who also serve, by making their own sacrifices and supporting their military loved one on the homefront, giving them assurance that all is well and that they can focus on the job at hand until it's time to come home.
This is for the fathers and mothers who hold their children tight when they cling and cry for a parent overseas at night.
This is for the men and women who avoid the news, watch the news, or are glued to the news every day for months on end, hoping for good and not bad.
This is for the cooks who learn the gobbledygook acronyms and threaten to serve MREs if they are faced with a caselot sale on a payday at the commissary again.
This is for the lovers who touch photographs and hold back tears.
This is for the actors who put on a happy face when their soldier takes one more look over a shoulder while the transport is moving out.
This is for the comedians who crack jokes on the phone or over webcams, just to see their soldier smile thousands of miles away.
This is for the tired whose hearts break at the thought of just one more day alone, much less several more months.
This is for the strong who keep moving when all they want to do is stay under the covers curled into a ball.
This is for the "dependents" who know that a greater oxymoron was never coined, who rise to the call of independence in order to keep the house running smoothly, or to move it across the country alone.
This is for the proud, whose hearts are full to bursting as their loved one steps off that plane, that bus, that boat to stand in formation and affirm that they have served and will continue to serve their country.
This is for those who also serve, by making their own sacrifices and supporting their military loved one on the homefront, giving them assurance that all is well and that they can focus on the job at hand until it's time to come home.
~author unknown
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