deep breath

I have to take a deep breath tonight. I joined a facebook group called "You know you're an Air Force wife when..." One of the discussion posts had this 'poem' in it. My deep breath is to keep the tears from falling.

Military Wives have a common bond:
The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands; his commitment is unique.
He doesn't have a 'JOB'
He has a 'MISSION' that he can't just decide to quit...
He's on-call for his country 24/7.
But for her, he's the most unreliable guy in town!
His language is foreign
TDY
PCS
OPR
SOS
ACC
BDU
ACU
BAR
CIB
TAD
ABU
And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his.
She is the long- distance link to keep them informed;
the glue that holds them together.

A Military Wife has her moments:
She wants to wring his neck;
Dye his uniform pink;
Refuse to move to Siberia;
But she pulls herself together.
Give her a few days,
A travel brochure,
A long hot bath,
A pledge to the flag,
A wedding picture,
And she goes.
She packs.
She moves.
She follows.

Why?
What for?
How come?
You may think it is because she has lost her mind.
But actually it is because she has lost her heart.
It was stolen from her by a man,
Who puts duty first,
Who longs to deploy,
Who salutes the flag,
And whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military Husband,
She will remain his military wife.
And would have it no other way.


I love the part that says that he's the most unreliable guy in town! It's true but not horrible, it's just another one of those things we learn to deal with! When he went to Las Vegas he didn't have an official come home date! Everyone else has the exact moment that their husband should be pulling in the driveway from work, I listen for landing planes..
Their language is foreign... let's just say that Jeremy "tests" me on the acronyms that I should know. And what each rank on the shoulder is.
What they say about dyeing his uniform pink.. SO true!! I just think it would be SO funny! But obviously he wouldn't go to work in a pink uniform so he would have to get a new uniform so he would go spend more money.. so I decide not to! :P
Wedding pictures make it all better! I look at them, cry a little, put them back and wonder how long it will be until I am packing them up to move again.
I wish the boots in the doorway part wasn't true... but it IS! Believe me, I trip over those big ol' things every day!
One part they forgot was that when they are gone whether it is for a TDY (temporary duty) or a deployment they always come home and trash the house! When J was in Vegas for 2 weeks I had a PERFECT house! It was awesome!! He came home and his suitcases sat in the living room for a couple days, then I finally picked up the big one but the little one stayed for a while longer. So did all the stuff he dug out of his bags to show me. As long as we get our husbands back and a souvenir, we'll put up with it!

Please pray for every single military member tonight. Pray that each new wife has the strength to put up with it all, with a smile.