Re: Off topic: To all the spouses left behind

[Guest guest]

Debbie:

Even though I have never been a military wife, I have friends and relatives who

have. " The Military Wife " is probably the most beautiful thing I have ever

read about them. It actually brought a tear to my eye and given me a greater

understanding and appreciation for military spouses. Thanks.

BarbaraJean

Off topic: To all the spouses left behind

To all the spouses left behind, be they male or female. This was given to me

many years ago when I was a Navy wife and I just found it going through boxes

that have been untouched for many years. I think it is time it was shared.

Debbie McNeice

The Military Wife

The Good Lord was creating a model for military wives and was into His

sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared. She said, " Lord, you seem to be

having a lot of trouble with this one. What's wrong with the standard model?

The Lord replied, " Have you seen the specs on this order? She has to be

completely independent, possess the qualities of both father and mother, be a

perfect hostess to 4 or 40 with an hour's notice, run on black coffee, handle

every emergency imaginable without a manual, be able to carry on cheerfully,

even if she's pregnant and has a flu, and she must be willing to move to a new

location 10 times in 17 years. And, oh yes, she must have 6 pairs of hands. "

The angel shook her head, " Six pairs of hands? No way. "

The Lord continued, " Don't worry, we will make other military wives to

help her. And we will give her an unusually strong heart so it can swell with

pride in her husband's achievements, sustain the pain of separations, beat

soundly when it is overworked and tired, and be large enough to say, 'I

understand,' when she doesn't, and say, 'I love you,' regardless. "

" Lord, " said the angel, touching His arm gently. " Go to bed and get some

rest. You can finish this tomorrow.. "

" I can't stop now, " said the Lord. " I am so close to creating something

unique. Already, this model heals herself when she is sick, can put up six

unexpected guests for the weekend, wave good-bye to her husband from a pier, a

runway or a depot, and understand why it's important that he leave. "

The angel circled the model of the military wife, looked at it closely and

sighed, " It looks fine, but it's too soft. "

" She might look soft, " replied the Lord, " but she has the strength of a

lion. You would not believe what she can endure. "

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the

Lord's creation. " There's a leak, " she announced. " Something is wrong with the

construction. I am not surprised that it has cracked. You are trying to put too

much into this model. "

The Lord appeared offended at the angel's lack of confidence. " What you

see is not a leak, " He said. " It's a tear. "

" A tear? What's it there for? " asked the angel.

The Lord replied, " It's for joy, sadness, pain, disappointment,

loneliness, pride and a dedication to all the values that she and her husband

hold dear. "

" You are a genius! " exclaimed the angel.

The Lord looked puzzled and replied, " I didn't put it there. "

Author unknown

[Guest guest]

Deb,

Thanks so much for this. I sat here and cried. It brought back so

many memories of watching my husband deploy. Of standing on that

pier with my 2 yo child and waving good bye, knowing that I wouldn't

see him for 10 months to a year or more. Never knowing when I would

get to see or hear from him. Those 1st 3 yrs on sea duty were

tough. In 3 yrs we were together for 180 days! Haze gray and

underway! He was on the carrier " JFK " .

We spent 9 yrs in the Navy. He was medically discharged. I miss it

in many ways, but not the seperation. Never miss the seperation at

all.

Blessings to all who have SO deploying or on stand by. We who have

been there really do understand.

Love,

Reba in Auburn, AL

>

> To all the spouses left behind, be they male or female. This was

given to me many years ago when I was a Navy wife and I just found

it going through boxes that have been untouched for many years. I

think it is time it was shared. Debbie McNeice

>

[Guest guest]

Reba, I know what you mean. At one point in my marriage I felt that I spent

more time on a pier then I did at home. He was stationed on the 7th Fleet

Flag ship in Japan and they would go for 2 weeks..be home for 2 weeks....go

for three weeks, be home for 1 or 2 weeks...go...come....over the 4 years

that ship was gone for 80 percent of the time.

Debbie in Gig Harbor

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/9/2003 7:54:55 PM Eastern Standard Time,

brzezinski4@... writes:

> ,and if he goes to Korea By March 16th that gives us about a month to get us

> moved out of this goverment house and get me to the state of NJ and get a

> house to rent( we would be going to Nj to be closer to family, let the kids

> get to know thier grandparents a little better) So my stress level is just

> about maxxed out!!!! Sorry for the rambling...........

****************************

Gotta ask, where in NJ?

in NJ

[Guest guest]

Deb,

Know the feeling...aircraft carriers are like that too. In for 1 to

2 wks and gone for 4 to 8. Gee, that brought back some memories!

Long time ago now. My baby is almost 30 now.

If I had had the same kind of support then that I have now it would

not have been so bad and I would not have gained so much weight.

Even though I was in the Navy Wives Club, it's just not the same

kind of support!

Reba

> Reba, I know what you mean. At one point in my marriage I felt

that I spent

> more time on a pier then I did at home. He was stationed on the

7th Fleet

> Flag ship in Japan and they would go for 2 weeks..be home for 2

weeks....go

> for three weeks, be home for 1 or 2 weeks...go...come....over the

4 years

> that ship was gone for 80 percent of the time.

>

> Debbie in Gig Harbor