Murphy's Laws for Moms

One of the aspects that I have loved about my life has been my role as a military spouse. It has allowed me to travel, meet new friends, and have experiences I never dreamed of. But, it's not always the glitz, glamour and drama that you see in the movies, on TV, or in the videos of surprise reunions all over the Internet. As an Air National Guard spouse, I've learned that there are many misconceptions about what the modern day military looks like - especially within Guard units.  Here are what I consider to be the top five misconceptions faced by the modern day Guard unit.  The Weekend Warrior No longer does the Guard look like an organization who only work one weekend a month and two weeks a year - especially if you fulfill a position that requires you to stay current with training requirements and military readiness. Also, for many reasons, there are fewer support staff available to fulfill needs and responsibilities, thus increasing work demand on those still serving...

Children are happy people. For the most part, this statement is true.  My children smile, laugh, and enjoy playing with their friends and toys - or just running around behaving like kids.  They can tell you the "Interrupting Cow" knock-knock joke all day long and never find it less humorous (even when my 3-year-old doesn't quite get the joke's timing).  Yes, for the most part, this statement is true. But, there were many times - especially during Daddy's deployment - when this statement seemed like a wish.  My 5-year-old daughter would get angry at the tiniest of things...not getting the right cup at dinnertime, having no clean pink panties, and other such minuscule things.  The anger got so bad that, at times, I felt like a failure as a mom.  I wanted to give in to her demands or just do anything to make it all better.  But, I didn't know how or what to do.  My daughter would rage at me - hitting, kicking, biting, screaming until her face was...

This year, as I prepare to celebrate Veterans Day, I realized that I have done a poor job of educating my own children about veterans.  I've taken for granted the fact that we are a military family and so much of the history and traditions of the military are ingrained in how we live life.  I've also taken for granted the fact that my children see their dad go off to work every day.  They know a bit about his job and they see him dress in his uniform, but they don't truly understand how this is different from other dads.  When I asked my children to answer the simple question of "Who is your military hero?" They didn't understand what the military was.  I've taught my children to stand for the Star Spangled Banner and Taps.  They know to place their hand over their heart.  I've even taught them about the "sounds of freedom" so that they can identify when one of Daddy's jets is taking off or flying overhead. To my children, these things ...