Military Monday: Fit For Service

 

Welcome to another Military Monday! Upon marrying a military man I learned that there is a LOT to know about life as a military spouse. Mondays are my day to talk about the things I am learning, the new language, military news and current events. Sometimes I post encouraging videos, stories, and cartoons as well. Today I want to talk about being fit to serve. 

In the military community a huge emphasis is placed on the physical fitness of our servicemen and women. Here at Fort Bragg, soldiers have to be able to run well, carry a massive ruck, absorb the physical shock of an airborne mission... and then be able to actually do their job. The Army (and other branches of the military) carefully plan and execute training opportunities to help the soldiers to be as ready as possible for the tasks to which they are assigned. Accountability is available for soldiers that struggle with the discipline of physical fitness. All of this is put in place to keep our service members fit for service. 

 But what about the families?

This is usually the point where I lose people.

The soldier is in the service and should be fit to serve.

Why does the spouse need to be?

 Can I let you in on a little secret?

Service members have to be gone often. Whether it is TDYs, deployments, or just being in the field our soldiers are often gone more than they are home.

So what does that have to do with fitness? 

When your spouse is gone over Christmas, can you get the decorations down from the attic? If you have to PCS while your soldier is en route to a training or coming home from a deployment, can you lift your furniture? When your three year old wants to play airplane like Daddy does, do you have the arm strength (let alone the midline stability) to do it? How about your overall general health? Are you having to go to the doctor over and over again for colds, aches, and pains? 

Military spouses absolutely serve their country, there is no doubt about it. Sacrificing holidays, first steps, last days of school so that your spouse can serve our country isn't easy. But it is a whole lot harder when you physically can't take care of yourself.

The word "resiliency" is thrown around a lot in our world.

We are told often to bounce rather than break.

I think the first step towards this goal is teaching military spouses how to take care of themselves through fitness and nutrition. Only when these spouses have the tools and understanding to achieve true health and fitness will our whole military family truly be fit to serve.

New Home and New Friends

Hello!

It has been a while since I've written. I have been pretty busy setting up my new home in Killeen with my new husband B. I can say that this has been quite an adventure already! I have really enjoyed these first four weeks. There have been ups and downs. We ran up against challenges that were no big deal (toilet paper up or toilet paper down?) and challenges that were a bigger deal. For me the biggest challenge has been being away from my support network. 

For the last year I lived with my now sister-in-law Katie and we got a chance to become really good friends but she lives up in Dallas. I have my team members (that acted as my parents for all intents and purposes) in Dallas and my sister off in our small hometown of Granbury. 

I don't think I was fully prepared for moving to Killeen. By that I mean that I wasn't prepared for mismatched schedules that allowed me to miss calls from Mrs. S and my sister. I missed laying on the kitchen floor with Katie and eating chocolate and ice cream until we couldn't move while we discussed our various work challenges. I missed running to Granbury for the weekend to hang out with my sister. I missed the weekly meetings with Mrs. J where she loved and encouraged and pushed me to be better. 

I have been very fortunate that God has given me a very wise husband. B built up friendship with married couples here in Killeen. He is very close with two gentlemen here who both have amazing wives that have welcomed me with open arms. One of these ladies, Rachel, is a mother of five, homeschooler, who makes all of her food from scratch. She is ten years down the road from where I am and lets me ask a thousand questions, and answers questions I didn't even know I have. Celine is a wonderful young woman just a few years older than myself. She has been married just two years this July and we have formed a pretty close friendship. I just spent this morning teaching her how to buy cuts of meat at the commissary and she is teaching me my way around a military base. 

I am going to the ladies Bible study and I am joining the women's ministry team at church. I have ladies here that are pouring into me and I have learned to schedule my phone calls with my sister, Katie, and my team member. Yes, I miss my family and friends but God has made provision for me here. I am so grateful for the fellowship with other believers and the opportunity to grow and learn. 

Moving, Marriage, and Mayhem

This week is an exciting one. I am getting married on Saturday! But, before I can get married there is a ton of stuff that has to get done.  

My last day of work was on Friday. It was bittersweet. After leaving my job for the last time I drove to the airport to pick up my fiancé. B has been gone most of the month of June doin training. He is in the army and I am getting used to the army lifestyle (more on that subject to come). After I picked up B we drove his car and my car packed full of all my belongings and headed south. 

When we got to Killeen I was overwhelmed. I had just left behind the kids I had spent the last year pouring into. I left my friends and family. Driving into Killeen I started making a list of all the things I need to get done this week. It looked like this: 

1.) move into new house

2.) help B clean and close up his old house

3.) check out the new wedding venue (yes we had to change our wedding location a week from the wedding!) 

4.) unpack and organize the new house so we can receive out of town guests there.

5.) B has what is called an organization day with his unit on Wednesday, and we need to be there.

...and it goes on from there.

Needless to say, I was a little overwhelmed. B had PT early this morning. So Iam at the house early to get as much done as possible. But i just couldnt focus. My heart was not in the right place. Then I got to thinking about this weekend. When B asked a simple question I snapped at him. When our plan for the day broke down due to circumstances beyond our control, I lost my temper. I was not behaving in a way that was honoring or respectful to him because I felt out of control. 

Standing in the middle of a kitchen full of boxes God convicted me of the poor choices I made this weekend.  I needed to ask forgiveness from God, and from B.  I pulled out my Bible and my prayer journal. The verse for today was Psalm 16:11 which says,"You will make known to me the path of life ; In Your presence is fullness of joy ; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever." God has this, even if I don't. God has given me exactly what I can handle. I need to trust Him and remember that even if I drop it, He is there. 

The first boxes in the new house!