The Patriotic Wife

The team at The Patriotic Wife is incredible! I was visiting their site and looking for some early Christmas shopping goodies and the items they carry are so great! I had to share it with other military families too. They have things for wives, sisters, moms and more. Every item from pillowcases, note cards, blankets, and purses to specialty military brat items too! They cover all branches of the military, and the products are pure quality. I wanted to make sure I shared their site with all of you. I know as military families and spouses there are always fun events, birthdays and other holidays that their products would be great for. I hope this can help you to get an extra special gift when needed.

The Patriotic Wife

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Operation Rising Star

Attention out there to all of you up and coming singers. The Army is now starting it's Operation Rising Star contest at many different Army posts. Prizes range from $100 for third place to $500 and an advancement to the television finals (at Fort Knox). I believe each post has their own prizes.

Visit http://www.oprisingstar.com to get more information.

This is open to all Active Duty, Reserve, and Guard Soldiers - as well as their family members. Participants must be 18 or older.

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BetterThanFiction seeking military spouses - paid opportunity

BetterThanFiction Productions (producers of Lifetime Army Wives - Real Life Army Wives: HOMECOMING webisodes) is seeking friendly, busy military wives who would enjoy being on TV. We're working on a promotional television campaign in connection with a popular household product. The videos are scheduled to air later this summer on Lifetime Television. We're looking for women in the New York or New Jersey area with two or more kids whose husbands are currently deployed. We would come to your home with a camera crew for about 4 hours and pay you a fee of $500 for participating.

If you fit the description above please email your photo with a note expressing interest in this project to info@armywifenetwork.com. There is a short deadline so please reply ASAP!

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10 Ways to Annoy A Military Wife

So, I bought this magnet through the Cafe Press website quite some time ago:

1. As soon as you find out her husband is deployed, take it upon yourself to tell her exactly how you feel about the war and how WE shouldn't be over there.

2. Follow that up by asking how she feels about the (former) President. (I bought this a year or so ago).

3. Look suprised and say, "I don't know how you do it, I could never LET my husband do that."

4. If she's pregnant, be sure and ask if the military is going to send her husband home for the birth.

5. Tell her she should really consider getting additional life insurance since her husband has a good chance of getting killed.

6. Remind her how lucky she is that her husband gets all that extra tax free money when he's deployed.

7. Try to relate to her by saying you know just how she feels because your husband was out of town on business for a week last month.

8. Ask her how she can be so faithful for 15 whole months and if she worries about her husband cheating on her.

9. Inquire on whether or not her husband has killed anyone.

10. Be sure to ask her when her husband comes home if he's done with the military or if he has to go back.

I got asked #10 a lot when Matt was deployed, as well as #3, #6, #1, and #2. Yup - I pretty much got all these statements/questions when he was deployed.

Isn't it amazing that non-military people have NO clue as to what we go through or that they can be so uncaring of what we are feeling. I know we briefly talked about this on last night's AWTR show - but I do think that being a military spouse is vastly different than being the spouse of a cop or firefighter. While their jobs aren't the safest ones in the country - they aren't being deployed (unless they're also in the military) to fight an "unkown" enemy. That's just how I think of it. I give my 110% Hooah out there to ALL military spouses. We all go through this at some point.

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How I Spent My 4th of July

As we were roaming the field at VMI, I was listening to the music that band was playing in the little gazebo and thinking about the flags that were waving. A few weeks ago we took a short weekend trip to DC where we saw the original flag. Not Betsy Ross' flag , but Mary Pickersgill's. It was beautiful and a little surreal, and I was amazed we still have this symbol. Looking around there were so many flags on flags, and people, and a few dogs. We settled on a spot in the grass and threw a blanket out to wait for the fireworks. He was relaxing in front of me on one elbow, and I looked around and felt that lump. It was for the pride I have in him, knowing that as corny as it sounds (sometimes because the word gets thrown around a lot) he really is a hero. So I sat there on the grass holding the hand of my own personal hero, knowing that next year, more than likely he won't be there to hold my hand and watch the fireworks, he'll be where the army sends him.

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Meeting Dr. Jill Biden

Me (FRG Leader), Dr. Jill Biden, FRG Leader, BN CO Spouse

OK!! SO now everyone knows how Patriotic I am right?? Yep, I voted this last presidental election and it would be no shocker as to what party I voted for...in fact, I am looking into becoming an Independent!!! UGH!! Where are the polictians who want to SERVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE (THE MAJORITY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE) instead of themselves??

Well, as being a military spouse and an FRG Leader...you get to have some perks brought into your life...most good, and some not so good. Life as a Miltary spouse is hard, although how the economy is going---I'd say life is pretty darn good and we have been blessed by that. And I want to say I appreciate my husband---more times and more often than I do tell him. Pearl of Wisdom: Tell your spouse that you appreciate them...it goes very far for your relationship.

Anyway, back to the hypocrisy, so yes, I voted and is wasn't for this woman's husband either. I had volunteered for my hubby's BN to represent the unit within the BN. As an FRG Leader, of course I'll volunteer. Although I did have a slight doubt or concern after I had volunteered to do it--I thought about who the VIP was to be. I knew that the on-post celebration was to have the Ying-Yang Twins be the main show of the evening...would they want to meet spouses??

So, I was thinking ok---I need to email the FRST (Family Readiness Support Tech) again and make sure this VIP is a military person and not some rap group. It doesn't look good for a Christian girl to fraternize for the local paper with the Ying Yang twins. BTW, their show got cancelled due to passport issues... Fortunately, the FRST said it will either be and military person or person from Washington D.C. YIKES!!! In that case what do I wear???

Being Christian does not mean I don't know what is going on in the world...in fact I believe I might even read a few more articles than the norm. I personally thought the VIP was going to be the CSM of the Army; CSM Preston...he has been touring parts of Germany...excited none the less...not everyday to you get to meet and speak to the CSM of the Army.

TO my suprise...it was not a him. The VIP was a HER. Dr. Jill Biden. Yes, that is correct the Vice President of the United States Spouse-Dr. Jill Biden. So of course I go online to read her bio....very impressive. She has an alphabet behind her name. But what I was thinking that-she like any other spouse, has some guidance or influence to her spouse. I pray that they'll bring AMERICA back to stand proud & tall as when this great nation was becoming her own entity.

It was exciting to meet the VP's wife and I thanked her for supporting the military. It is always a blessing to have 'people' that our in charge or have great influences for this country to be patriotic and a blessing to the American people. I guess not everyone can say that they have shaken the hand of a VP's wife, but again, she is just another woman...but, the key is that she is a person who can or could influence a majority because of her husband's position and status. I pray that she does well with it.

I have been reading the book titled, "Dearest Friend" by Lynne Withey. It's the book about the life of Abigail Adams, a VP's wife and a President's wife. I haven't read it all, but I somehow get that the book pushes that she was a feminist. She has been quoted as to say, "Remember the ladies..." but I believe that was geared to the rights of every citizen and not the definition of what a femisnist is at present. She and John Adams were Christians. They believed what the Bible had to say about husband and wife, and they lived by it. I also think she lived more like a Soldier's spouse than more a President's wife....of course---in her time America was just starting out. Her husband had a KEY role into bringing America to life. She stayed home, worked at home, raised her children, worked the farm, was without her spouse for years, and she made many decisions on her own because her husband was fighting for their freedom (at home and abroad), for their American dream and for their children's futures.

Sure, I know plenty of women whose husbands' are deployed (as we speak), they do what Abigail did---take care of the home and all aspects of life. Does that make the military spouse a feminist?? I say wholeheartedly---NO. WE are supporting our spouse, our husbands. There is nothing feministic about that. WE would do well to imitate her personal strength, her faithfulness to her husband, children, and home. If there was ever an example I would know of to call name Proverbs 31 woman, it would be Abigail Adams.

Now she would be a P/VP's wife I would love to meet and greet. But, meeting the VP's wife of today wasn't all that bad either ;) Again, I am immensely grateful that she Supports our Troops; after all she, herself, has a son who is in military. I hoped that everyone had a wonderful and patriotic 4th of July holiday.

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How I Came To Love A Soldier

Hi, my name is Belle, and I am an army wife. Here is how I came to be:

I met my soldier over the computer. He and I wrote to each other over a few months before he asked for my number so he could properly ask me out on a date over the phone. A minute after I put my number in an instant message, my phone was ringing. I was a little nervous as I had never seen a picture of him, nor him of me. When he rang my doorbell, I gave a sharp intake of breath as a wish for the best. My first thought was of how cute he was, how relieved I was that he also looked relieved. That, and he looked like Matt Damon, even though I had never seen the appeal of him, I could at that moment. We had a marathon date, which ended close to 4 in the morning, with plans of another, and a light kiss. As I was climbing into bed deciding I really liked this guy, the phone rang. It was him wanting to know if I wanted to go get some breakfast. That was 9 years ago, and we have been together ever since and while there have been a few snags, there has been enough love to pull us through them and make us stronger. 

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Happy 4th of July - www.ThanksUSA.org

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The Military Wife

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 Mother and Father,

be a perfect hostess for four or forty with an hours notice, run on black

coffee, handle every emergency imaginable without a manual, be able

to carry on cheerfully, even if she is pregnant or has the flu, and she

has to have six pair of hands."

The Angel shook her head. "Six pair 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 separation, beat soundly when it is overworked and tired,

and be large enough to say "I understand" when she doesn't and

"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

so unique. Already this model heals herself when she is sick,

can put up six unexpected guests for the weekend, wave goodbye

to her Husband from a pier, a runway or a depot, and understand

why it is 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 may 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'm 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. It's a tear."

"A tear? What is it there for?", asked the Angel.

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

loneliness, pride and 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

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Letters From War

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