Soldiers and Jesus

I have been doing a lot of driving up and down I-95 in the last couple of weeks. Therefore, I have been listening to a lot of music. There have been multiple songs that have "hit me" while I listened to them and I thought I would share this one with you today. I feel like this song is very appropriate as we approach the holidays. All of our men and women in uniform have given so much up and many of them are away from their families right now. Also, the true reason for Christmas is because it is the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. I would like to say, Thank You to all of our troops and Thank You Jesus!

Soldiers and Jesus: By - James Otto

Grand-daddy came home in a B-52
In a pine box covered in red, white, and blue
He was one of the brave and the proud and the few

Twenty-one guns helped us say goodbye
I stood there in silence tryin' not to cry
As the preacher, he quoted, lines written in red
And then folded his bible and in a broken voice, he said

There's only two people who's every died for me
Laid down their lives just so I could be free
They both went through hell, beared crosses and shells
And both got back up again after they fell

They never picked the fight, but they're there
To pick up the pieces

God only knows who we'd be without soldiers and Jesus

It seems like the news loves to run 'em both down
But whenever we need 'em, they're always around
So don't hand me a party's political views
'Cause they're a left side, a right side, and then there's the truth

There's only two people who's every died for me
Laid down their lives just so I could be free
They both went through hell, beared crosses and shells
And both got back up again after they fell

They never picked the fight, but they're there
To pick up the pieces
God only knows who we'd be without soldiers and Jesus

To me, they're both heroes for the path that they chose
'Cause one fights for my life, one fights for my soul

There's only two people who's every died for me
Laid down their lives just so I could be free
They both went through hell, beared crosses and shells
And both got back up again after they fell

They never picked the fight, but they're there
To pick up the pieces

God only knows where we'd be without soldiers and Jesus
Soldiers and Jesus

Moving Video

I was pleasantly surprised when I got an email from one of my sorority sisters. We were really good friends while going through college but have not been in touch much since we graduated. We always connected because we are both military brats and understand the whole military lifestyle. We greatly respected and appreciated each other for that since her dad and my brother deployed while we were in college. Well she said she had received an email from a friend with a YouTube video clip and she felt like I was one of the only people that she thought would truly appreciate it. Well I did greatly appreciate it! So much so that I still have not actually gotten through the whole thing. (It's 10 minutes long!) It is absolutely fantastic and I was very glad she shared it with me. However, it did bring tears to my eyes and after about 3 minutes I was having trouble seeing the screen. HEHE I do plan to watch the rest later. But I thought all of you would appreciate it as much as I did. So, if you'd like to see it...take out the tissues and enjoy!

Go HERE to enjoy!

Military Wives

This pretty much sums it all up so I thought I would share...Nope I'm not a military wife (yet, at least!) but I definitely can relate to all of it. Hope you enjoy! And to all of you out there who are moving or waiting, or for that matter...doing both, good luck and remember that you are NEVER alone!

Military Wives

Lots of moving...
Moving...
Moving...
Moving far from home...
Moving two cars, three kids and one dog...all riding with HER of course.
Moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house;
Moving curtains that won't fit;
Moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours.
Moving away from friends;
Moving toward new friends;
Moving her most important luggage: her trunk full of memories.

Often waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting...
Waiting for housing.
Waiting for orders.
Waiting for deployments.
Waiting for phone calls.
Waiting for reunions.
Waiting for the new curtains to arrive.
Waiting for him to come home,
For dinner...AGAIN!
They call her 'Military Dependent', but she knows better:
She is fiercely In-Dependent.

She can balance a check book;
Handle the yard work;
Fix a noisy toilet;
Bury the family pet...

She is intimately familiar with drywall anchors and toggle bolts.
She can file the taxes;
Sell a house;
Buy a car;
Or set up a move...
.....all with ONE Power of Attorney.
She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her.
She reinvents her career with every PCS;
Locates a house in the desert, The Arctic, Or the deep south.
And learns to call them all 'home'.
She MAKES them all home.

Military Wives are somewhat hasty...
They leap into:
Decorating,
Leadership,
Volunteering,
Career alternatives,
Churches,
And friendships.
They don't have 15 years to get to know people.
Their roots are short but flexible.
They plant annuals for themselves and perennials for those who come after them.

Military Wives quickly learn to value each other:
They connect over coffee,
Rely on the spouse network,
Accept offers of friendship and favors.
Record addresses in pencil...

Military Wives have a common bond:
The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands;
his commitment is unique.
He doesn't have a 'JOB'
He has a 'MISSION' that he can't just decide to quit...
He's on-call for his country 24/7.
But for her, he's the most unreliable guy in town!
His language is foreign
TDY
PCS
OPR
SOS
ACC
BDU
ACU
BAR
CIB
TAD
And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his.
She is the long- distance link to keep them informed;
the glue that holds them together.

A Military Wife has her moments:
She wants to wring his neck;
Dye his uniform pink;
Refuse to move to Siberia;
But she pulls herself together.
Give her a few days,
A travel brochure,
A long hot bath,
A pledge to the flag,
A wedding picture,
And she goes.
She packs.
She moves.
She follows.

Why?
What for?
How come?
You may think it is because she has lost her mind.
But actually it is because she has a HEART and a love for her husband,
Who puts duty first,
Who longs to deploy,
Who salutes the flag,
And whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military Husband,
She will remain his military wife.
And would have it no other way

PTSD

First off I want to say that No, I am not just randomly deciding to discuss PTSD on here. However, I was catching up on my blogging last night and came across this topic in a comment and felt the need to provide resources, etc. (I guess that's the counselor in me). A comment in reponse to New Girl on Post's post titled Somewhat Controversial stated that "the armed services need to step up their counseling/PTSD services a bit more." I am not trying to call anybody out or accuse anybody of lying or being wrong. I just feel like not everybody is informed on this topic and it really is something that we all (as spouses, girlfriends, fiances, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters) should be aware of the services that are out there for our loved ones.

So I would like to start with some symptoms of PTSD that you should look for when your loved one returns home:
There are 4 types of symptoms:
-Reliving the event
-Avoiding situations that remind you of the event
-Numbing
-Feeling Keyed Up

Some other common problems which individuals with PTSD may have are:
-Drinking or drug problems
-Feelings of hopelessness, shame, or despair
-Employment problems
-Relationship problems including divorce or violence
-Physical symptoms

Some good resources for you are:

www.ptsdresources.org This site has some videos which may be helpful as well as links to helpful books.
www.ptsd.va.gov This is the link the the Deparment of Veterans Affairs' National Center for PTSD.
www.mentalhealth.va.gov Through this link you can find additional information such as that at: www.mentalhealth.va.gov/OEFOIF/OEF_OIF_PTSD_andDepression.asp
At this site there is information on What is PTSD, Treatment for PTSD, Depression and Trauma, and Depression.
www.mentalhealth.va.gov/suicide_prevention/index.asp This site is the VA's site for suicide prevention. The phone number for the suicide prevention lifeline is 1-800-273-TALK
(8255). At the bottom of this website there is an area title "Get Help" which has information for Resource Guide for Family Members, Talking to your 4-8 year old, Talking to your 9-13 year old, and Talking to your 14-18 year old. The information about talking to your child is helping you talk about a suicide attempt in your family.

The most important thing for you to do if you think that your loved one has PTSD or is having suidicial ideation is to seek help. The links above will help you receive the help that you need.

I apologize to anybody who does not want to hear about this, and if you are offended that I am even talking about this I am truly sorry. I don't mean to offend anybody but this is unfortunately reality and I unfortunately have had to face some of this in my past. Therefore, I have learned a lot over the years and have attended multiple informational sessions on PTSD/Suicide Prevention. This is not a full overview of EVERYthing out there, but a piece of what the VA has to offer. You can find more on their website. If you have any questions please let me know and I will do my best to answer.

Prayers are Needed and Greatly Appreciated!

I'm sure most, if not all, of you prayer for our service men and women who are making a sacrifice for our country. However, right now I am asking that you please say an extra prayer for A, his company, and their families. I don't really know what to say right now, but I spoke to A this evening and he informed me that they had a bad week which ended in a way that none of them ever imagined...They found out this morning that the wife of one of their men had passed away. None of us know what has happened, but she was 31 years old and this is of course a tragic event for her family and friends...and especially her husband. He is on his way home to be with family. I pray that he has safe travels and that he is able to receive some comfort from those who are close to him.

But not only is this hard on close family and friends...it sounds like a lot of the guys overseas are having trouble with this as well. A said that it really made them put everything else that happened this week into perspective and start thinking about the important things and what really matters. He seemed to be in total shock and I was pretty much speechless on the phone. Well...I've done a lot of rambling at this point (obviously I don't stay speechless for long). I was planning for this to be short but then I got writing. So mainly and most importantly...say some prayers and remember that life can change in an instant so take in everything that is happening around you and enjoy all the time that you have with your friends and family. Don't take anything for granted!

HH6...For All You Military Spouses

I recently received this from my mom, a former military wife, in an email. I thought all you military wives would enjoy this. It's too cute...and true! So, enjoy and pass it on if you'd like.

What is a Household 6?

A military man's wife. The head of the household. The one that keeps up with the arduous tasks of washing uniforms, picking up smelly PTs, going to the commissary and PX, raising the children, packaging care packages...you get the drift! A HH6 is the one in charge of everything!

The name is derived from where said wife spends most of her time (the household), and the number 6 is the designation for a commander of a Company/Troop, Battalion/Squadron, Brigade/Regiment, Division or Corps.

Used in a sentence- "I'd really love to go with you on the hunting trip, but household 6 pulled my weekend pass."