Today, I’m linking up with two good bloggy friends (Jen and Amanda) in honor of military spouse appreciation day.
Tell us about yourself and your blog.
I’m Lisa. I’m 26, and I graduated from Virginia Tech 5 years ago. I’ve been a military “significant other” for 6 years, and we’ve been married for about three and a half years. Mac has deployed twice and we’ve managed to move four times all in four years. My blog is about my life with the occasional recipe and guest post from the cat (aka Purrburger).
What branch of military are you affiliated with?
I am an Army wife, married to my wonderful husband and Army captain, Mac. I am also an Air Force brat. If we want to do down the rabbit hole, I am a third-generation military dependent. My dad’s dad was in the Army in WWII and commissioned in the Air Force after it was founded. My mom’s dad was in the Navy during and right after WWII. My father-in-law was a career Navy officer, and my brother-in-law is also an Army officer.
What is one thing you enjoy about the military lifestyle?
I love the chance to move to new places and meet new people. Though in a funny twist of military life, I’m living in Colorado for the second time. I managed to visit over 30 states by the time I was 20, I have a major case of wanderlust, and I am constantly scoping out potential vacation spots and weekend trips. Mac, as the main breadwinner, is less enthused about my weekly ideas. Shockingly, he doesn’t love the thought of sitting in a car for 6+ hours each way to go somewhere, paying for a hotel room, then going hiking and exploring for days on end.
What advice would you give other spouses who are new?
Get involved, make friends, and avoid drama as much as possible. Whether you like it or not, your spouse will probably spend a decent amount of time at work, away for training, or deployed. Mac has been in his unit less than three months and has already spent a month in the field. Being by yourself in a new town can be challenging and depressing. So FRGs, coffee groups, the post / base spouses’ club, or even meetup.com groups. Find some friends! Get a job or find a place to volunteer. You will be happier for it. And seriously avoid unnecessary drama. I don’t know why, but lots of women love creating drama. In this lifestyle, drama will inevitably find you. Don’t seek it out, and try to diffuse it whenever possible.
