MilSpouse Friday Fill-in

1. What is your must have gadget?

     My iPhone and laptop. How did I ever live without a smart phone?? I got my first iPhone last fall and it's been an extension of my hand since then. When we lived in the States, my DVR was my best gadget. I definitely miss having a DVR with cable TV.

2. How does your adulthood compare to what you imagined it would be like when you were a little kid?

     It's different in a million ways! One thing is what I expected. I always knew that I wanted to be in the medical world, and being a nurse practitioner fulfills that. That's where the similarities end. I thought I would be married by 23 with kids by 25, 27 and 29, with a possible fourth thrown in there somewhere. In reality, I married at 26 and am pregnant with our first child now at 28. Im so much more mature and financially stable now than I was in my early 20s. As a child I never dreamed that I would marry a man in the military or live Europe and travel the world. I am so incredibly happy with the way things have turned out and wouldnt change a thing!

3. What is your favorite chocolate recipe?
     Umm, all of them? Seriously, I love chocolate. Chocolate chip cookies, chocolate lava cakes, chocolate delight and on and on.......

4. How do you deal with military life when it gets to be too much or too hard?
     Cry and then get over it. Venting to friends who are compassionate and understanding helps too. Sometimes I wish I had a punching bag. I think that would help deal with frustrations of any kind.

5. What piece of advice would you give a new military spouse facing their first deployment?
     Hang in there, it's gonna be tough. We've been through three big D's so far and while none of them were fun, the first was certainly the worst. The good news is that time never stops moving and the deployment will end. Communication is a keystone of any relationship, and it's even more important when your loved one is deployed. That's the one thing that keeps me grounded while he's away. Emails, phone calls, Skype. The worst for me was the fear of the unknown; just not knowing what to expect. I felt like a pro for the second and third rotes. They were much easier to deal with simply because I knew what to expect. One last thing- stay busy, hang out with friends and family to prevent loneliness & keeping putting one foot in front of the other.

Happy Friday Everyone! I hope you all enjoy your weekend! My friend James is coming in for two weeks on Saturday. Hopefully J will be around for most of it!