Day 9: Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day

First off, let me just say that I hate the term "military spouse." Mostly because the term is riddled with stereotypes about the type of person I "supposedly" am. I've heard anything and everything about spouses of our U.S. military service members. We're lazy; we're low class; we're lonely; we're all gossips and haters; we're all fat housewives... this list could literally go on for days. The reality of it all is: military spouses come from all walks of life. So yeah the rumors are true that there are some crazies in the bunch and a few extremist, but for the most part we're just regular wives or husbands.

So why have a day devoted to thanking the spouses? There's no such things as "ITT Tech. Spouse Appreciation Day" or a day giving thanks to every spouse married to a real estate agent. There has to be a gimmick... a reason why others feel compelled to give thanks to every spouse associated to a U.S. Marine, Army Solider, Air Force Airman, or Navy Seaman.

Honestly, this is something I struggle with often. My husband is in the Marine Corps and I used to firmly believe his job doesn't make me who I am. So this definitely means there's no need to thank me because I don't want to be grouped in with the few who deem themselves "military spouses." It wasn't until recently that my opinion started to change.

Recently, as I'm sure most of you can tell from reading even one of my previous post, my family moved to Kuwait. This is the first move that we've made that I've felt "dragged" to somewhere new by the military. I mean seriously whose ever said, "My dream is to move to Kuwait"??? It wasn't until this move that I started contemplating, why? Why do I do this? Why do I make my kids do this? Why not just throw in the towel and say I'm going home?

The reality is I love my husband more than I care about where I live. That small shift... that small mind change put everything in perspective: I'm willing to give up everything just to be with him.

This means I'm willing to be by his side no matter where we live.

I'm willing...
...to move away from my family.
...to move away from a place I call home.
...to put a pause on my career.
...to put up with crappy skype phone calls and short e-mails
...to explain to my kids time and time again why "daddy will just be gone for a little while."
...to wait for him no matter how many days, weeks, or even months that he may be gone.

All simply because I love him. Not because he's a Marine. I love him for being him.

However, there is something epic about someone who is willing to change their whole life for someone they love. And this is hard for me to say this and it literally has taken almost nine years of marriage to admit this... but begrudgingly, I'm admitting, whether I like it or not, his job is a HUGE part of my life. Does this mean tomorrow I'm going to go and tattoo the globe and anchor on my arm because "I'm proud of my man"? Probably not. (Actually, it's more like a firm 'not ever.') Am I a fat, lazy, obnoxious housewife like most people think military spouses are? Uhh, that a big NO.

In all reality I'm just a bad-ass wife willing to put up with a lot of bull-sh*t because my husband loves his job. So no need to appreciate me, I do this happily and willingly. No strings attached.