Hello!

Denise - posted on 12/23/2008

Hooah! We are Army too. We were both born & raised in Oklahoma. He went thru OBC school @ Ft. Sill in Lawton, Okla....30 miles from where I grew up. After that we moved to Ft. Carson, Colorado where Jami & Heather were born. We lived there 4 yrs. Where did you both grow up? What are you used to? Never been to Ft. Polk but have heard about it & am not sure if I want to either :) sorry.........Mine (knock on wood) has never been deployed. He is gone all the time though. He is currently the area coordinator for CGSC for about 5 states. He is due to become a Battalion Commander on February 1st. He will be with the 10th Battalion out of Phoenix, Arizona. We live in Oklahoma....so he will travel all the time still. He left May 28, 08 and basically didn't come home but about 10-12 nights until October 25, 08. He got out of active duty & went into the reserves where he has been for the last 20 years (almost). In civilian life he is a school teacher & coach. Coaching takes him away MANY nights. Since May he has been to San Antonio (1 month straight, 3 total visits), New Jersey, Wisconsin, Seattle (twice), El Paso, Denver, Ft. Leavenworth (2 or 3 times), Dallas, Phoenix ( lost count), California, Germany (3 weeks), Hawaii (3 weeks), not sure if that's all or not. I know it's not the same as being deployed.....but he's still gone. It's HARD on us. We have 3 daughters. Jami, 22 yrs. graduated from college in May & spent the summer looking for a job.....lives @ home. Heather, 20 yrs, went to a local college for 2 yrs. then decided over the summer to transfer 2 1/2 hrs. away to OU. Kesha, 18 yrs, graduated from highschool in May.....decided to attend OSU 1 1/2 hrs. away. I spent the summer getting Heather ready to move into an apartment. She had NOTHING. Getting Kesha ready to move into the dorms. She had NOTHING either. I never could remember what state or time zone my husband was in. It was hectic. I go to my parents every 3 weeks (4 hrs. away) to help take care of my dad....who is a quadriplegic-paralyzed from the chin down. Anyway...when my husband comes home for those few nights....it's hard to re-adjust at first. You have to sit down & talk about what all happened while he was away....you often have to compromise on things. You get used to doing it ALL while he's away then re-adjust when he's home. It's not always easy. We married them "FOR BETTER OR WORSE" sometimes we really have to remember that. They are just doing their jobs & what their bosses tell them to do & we have to learn to accept it at that. We have to be supportive of them because it's not easy on them to leave their family behind. Civilians DON"T have a clue or can even begin to understand the life we live. Stay in contact with family & friends from home.....snail mail, email, phone calls, etc. it helps some. REMEMBER though....he & that baby ARE your family now. For less that $50.00 dollars you can get this little camera to hook up to your computer & then if someone "back home" has one on theirs....ya'll can then see each other while you IM on the computer......just a thought.

If you want.......I will always be here for you as your new "military" friend. I don't have any close friends here. Because of his school teaching & the military...we have moved 13 times in our 23 yrs. of marriage. I have fallen in love with traveling & do alot of it.

Tell me about yourself, please. If you ever need to talk or need a friend....I'm here. Take Care & write when you can. I'll be praying for you.

Denise

Kelli - posted on 12/23/2008

I have noticed that it is hard and lonely! I am heavily involved in the FRG and have met a few wives thru that. We are Army and stationed at Ft. Polk, Louisiana...which is the exact opposite of what I'm used to! There isn't a whole lot to do around town that is baby friendly. I will start going to the comissary! We always need to save money! Any advice on how to go through post deployment marriage?

Denise - posted on 12/21/2008

Congrats on the new baby! Two of our children were born while on active duty. Life is sometimes hard & lonely......try to make friends.....go to the military functions & get to know the people your husband works with. Some of these people have turned into really great friends for me.....especially when he's gone & if I need help with anything. What branch are ya'll? Do you live on post? Where are you stationed? Use the commissary....it saves you alot of money. They always have sales & they take coupons too. It's nice to live on post....some quarters aren't bad. Try to get to know your neighbors too. Write when you can. Take Care Denise

Kelli - posted on 12/20/2008

Hey! I am new to this community and new to the military life. My husband and I have been married for just over a year and have a 9 month old daughter. He's been deployed for over a year, he did get to come home when our daughter was born. He is getting back in about a week. What is your advice?