Government Shutdown

Government shutdown…the damn government has shutdown.  What in the hell is wrong with these people?  It’s like a bunch of kids fighting over the same damn crayon!  And, from my understanding, the president refuses to work with them.  No talking, no negotiating, no working things out together…really?!?

There are a few things that have come to a halt since the shutdown that don’t make much sense to me…well, none of the shit closed down and stopped makes sense to me.  But there are a few that have rubbed me the wrong way.

Call centers, hotlines and regional offices that aid our Veterans in understanding and dealing with their benefits have closed.  Our Veterans fought and sacrificed for this country and some of those sacrifices would make the average citizen shit their pants.  Their compensation, pension and education has been brought to a halt as well, from what I hear.  Is this how our government should treat the ones who gave their all for this country???

National parks, memorials and museums have closed.  This is just another form of a man “pitchin’ a fit” and throwin’ a damn tantrum.  These closings do nothing to help the debt issues in this country, in my opinion.

Small business loans have been stopped.  Small businesses and business owners are already suffering due to this economy and the Obamacare crap and now they can’t do what they need to stay afloat???  Small business owners are being punished for no reason.  Say what you want, but these people help shape us and remain a solid backbone for our country.

Research for life-threatening diseases has stopped too.  Seriously???  Due to a group of people who can’t sit and talk things out like adults and one man who refuses to help, we have to put research like this on hold?  There are several researchers studying things like sexual arousal in anesthetized female rats (at Dartmouth college) and developing a video game that simulates a high school prom (half-million dollar grant for this one!)  Are you kidding me?  Where are the priorities???

Certain kinds of work have come to a halt that protect all of us…things like child public safety and the safety of hazardous waste facilities.  EPA hasn’t been doing any “non-essential” inspections of chemical places or drinking water systems.  Why does this country jump to help and give financial aid to other countries, yet refuses to take care of its own citizens?

Federal employees have been put on furlough that help fight terrorism, defend our borders, inspect our food and watch our skies.  What the hell?  I am so damn disappointed!  It is sad to have leaders and lawmakers acting like little spoiled brats!

The death benefits for military families have been cut off.  This includes the monetary benefits and basic housing allowance.  Four soldiers killed in Afghanistan last week are the first this happened to.  Let me repeat that one more time…FOUR SOLDIERS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN LAST WEEK…defending this country, paying the ULTIMATE PRICE, leaving behind grieving families….And get this shit, their families can meet the plane at Dover Air Force Base but must pay their own way to get there!  Seriously?!?  Their names are…Sgt. Patrick C. Hawkins, 25; Pfc. Cody J. Patterson, 24; Sgt. Joseph M. Peters, 24; and First Lt. Jennifer M. Moreno, 25.  Read the article for yourself, if you want.  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/09/us/politics/shutdown-holds-up-death-benefits-for-military-families.html?_r=1&

WIC has stopped issuing benefits.  That is almost 9 million moms, infants and toddlers suffering.  Formula and healthy food should be a major priority for new moms and their babies.  Yes, I am well aware that some people abuse this program and many other programs out there…but can we please think for one minute about the people this programs helps?  These are babies!  How many people have to suffer due to our “government” squabbling and not working together?

And it may not matter to most, but commissaries were closed as well.  I don’t know why people think the military make mega bucks, but let me tell ya something…they don’t.  Lots of families depend on the commissary for their family’s groceries.  Some families have only one car or have to car pool.  So, the commissaries shutting down did hurt a lot of families.  I would like to thank Sam’s Club for waiving membership fees for the military through this ridiculous shutdown.  Sam’s Club has really stepped up and extended a helping hand.

Well, there you have it.  I apologize for this being a little long, but I really think these could have been avoided.  We are hurting, as a nation.  We are turning a blind eye to what’s going on around us.  We are bowing down and accepting shitty treatment for no reason.  We can do better than this.

Huffington Post Idiot

 Well, David Wood has officially been put on my doo-doo list.  He has called the military lifestyle and benefits “lavish”.  Really?!?  What in the hell is this guy smoking?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/30/defense-budget-cuts_n_2584099.html

He says that military bases, housing, support services, family counseling, and others are considered lavish.  I guess he forgot all about the hardships that the military and their families endure.  What about the deployments?  What about never knowing if your spouse will come home?  There are no soldiers getting pampered during long ass deployments.  Maybe he forgot to look at the pay charts…they are listed online for all to see.  I guess he doesn’t know about all the training and school either.  Yea, that’s more time away from family.

Housing on post ain’t that extravagant.  Where did he get that shit from?  Support services and family counseling…those are part of a lavish lifestyle???  Has this idiot ever endured a deployment?  Has he had to leave his family for 12 months?  Has he had to see the horrible sights of war that no soldier can ever forget?  This guy is a real piece of work.  I understand he has covered certain conflicts since 1970 and I am not saying that is easy…but trust me…this idiot makes a lot more money than an active duty soldier.  So, who is living a more lavish lifestyle?

Way to go Wood!!!  Cramming your own foot so far down your throat has been amusing.  I can only hope…with your “lavish life”, all your money, your cute awards, your little important inner circle of people, and all the other life riches…you gain a more accurate description of the military lifestyle and benefits.

Work from Home

Working from home is searched online countless times everyday.  There are so many people looking to gain and/or maintain a comfortable lifestyle from home instead of having to deal with traffic, gas prices, childcare, etc.  As an Army wife, I have seen so many spouses looking to do the same thing.  Working from home during deployments makes life a little easier as well.

Everyone wants to make money.  Everyone wants to live comfortably instead of paycheck to paycheck.  However, there are SO MANY that do work through Avon, Scentsy, MaryKay, etc.  I’m not downing these companies, but the success rates suck!  Think about it.  You have so many spouses at one post and a ton of them selling Avon…each consultant is gonna have a pretty hard time finding a demand for those products.  It’s the same with the others I named.  Why settle for selling makeup or smelly stuff for just a little bit of money when you could make a decent income actually working?  Why stuff envelopes or make hundreds of cold calls everyday?

There are several companies out there that allow employees to work from home making a suitable income.  I have checked out several of them and talked to women who work from home.  There are credit card companies like Capital One that hire customer service reps to work from home.  There are also mystery shopper jobs from home.  You place calls to businesses like Pizza Hut to check their customer service and such.  Here is a list of links you can check out.

https://www.alpineaccess.com/index.php/

http://www.westathome.com/

http://www.convergys.com/

http://speakwrite.com/WEB/sw/voice-to-doc.aspx

https://workers.virtualbee.com/

http://www.liveops.com/

http://affiliateprogram.1800flowers.com/

http://about.chacha.com/about/careers/

http://freedomathometeam.com/(S(3ly2x455s5eluwar5pgleb3n))/Home.aspx

https://www.leapforceathome.com/qrp/public/home

http://jobs.uhaul.com/

http://www.perstrat.com/

http://intelichek.simplicant.com/job/detail/10859

http://www.telexpertise.com/

Please keep in mind that those get rich quick schemes you see on t.v. aren’t always what they are cracked up to be.  You don’t get rich over night and you don’t sit back while the money rolls in.  These are JOBS that require work, real work.  Some have set hours like any other job and some let you make your own hours.  There are also freelance jobs available for writing and opinions.  Check WAHM.com to find more work at home jobs too.

The Ransom Box! Haha!

 Kids…

Kids are wonderful.  Kids are precious.  Kids make our world go round.

Kids have the power…to destroy a house in 3 minutes!

Admit it!  Kids can seriously destroy a living room in the time takes you to fix a cup of coffee!  All parents go through this lovely stage.  We go through the dreaded time of trying to teach them to clean up their messes and pick up their toys.

My daughter is turning 10 this year and we still have a hard time getting her to keep her room clean, dirty clothes picked up, and putting her toys away after playing with them.  We have used the chore chart in the past but that failed mainly because of me.  I would have my daily things to do while she was at school and would end up doing her stuff just to get everything done.  Ugh!  It was very frustrating for me to clean the house but have to leave certain things undone.  Another issue has been all her toys, crafts, and electronics left out.  She leaves her stuff everywhere!  My husband and I would gather her things and drop them in her room.  That left me feeling kinda crappy though when I would stay on her about cleaning her room.  I know I shouldn’t have felt that way, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I made her room messy by chunking stuff in there.

Well, we have finally found an awesome solution!!!  Drum roll please………….

The Ransom Box

We used one of my husband’s old Army boxes and a jar for the chores.  Anything that she leaves out goes into the box and she must draw a chore from the jar to get an item back.  She’s not allowed to go through the box at any time.  She must do a chore to open the box and then she can go through and pick one thing.  Last week she left her purse in the dining room, her craft box in the living room floor, and her school shoes under the kitchen table (again!).  She realized her purse must have been put into the box so she asked if she could draw a chore.  She completed her chore and went to the box.  I waited to see what she would choose, since she NEEDS her school shoes.  A few seconds later she walked into the living room and showed me her school shoes!  Haha!  This was her first lesson with the Ransom Box.  It didn’t take her long to figure out that keeping her stuff put away nice and neat would save her from having to do chores to get her shoes out!

My next goal…figuring out how to get my husband to pick up his stuff!

Women in Combat (part 2)

Well, this ban being lifted has ruffled quite a few feathers!  I have been trying to keep up with the opinions being voiced, especially from active duty military and vets.  I don’t care too much about what the politicians think!  The majority of the men’s opinions are against women in combat.  Now, that is the majority of what I have read…I’m not trying to step on toes here, just being honest.

The opposite is the opinion of most women, of course!  Most, not all, of the women are screaming for equality and saying that they have already endured the complications and hardships of combat.  Let me tell ya something…I don’t truly believe that for a second.  Not to say it hasn’t happened, but I haven’t heard of a woman soldier being outside the wire for 72 hours or more on a mission.

(Sorry, but this was funny to me!)

I came across an article called “Five Myths about Women in Combat”.  This article had me shaking my head and rolling my eyes.  I know some won’t agree with me and that’s fine.  But I’m gonna break ’em down and give my opinion…of course!  Haha!

1.  “Women are too emotionally fragile for combat.” –  Women ARE more emotional than men!   I don’t care what the cause, but I really believe women are more emotional.  Hell, blame estrogen!  We all know estrogen makes us a little kooky!  Testosterone at least has the advantage of producing aggression and more muscle mass.  Aggression and strength are needed on the front line.  Being emotional only causes issues.  Putting your emotions to the side is essential.

2.  “Women are too physically weak for the battlefield.” –  This is true as well.  I have yet to meet a woman soldier that has the upper body strength to carry a 180-200lb man or the overall strength to drag a man of that size to safety in the event of injury.

3.  “The presence of women causes sexual tension in training and battle.” –  I don’t even know where to begin with this one.  Look, humans are sexual beings.  Stressful situations heighten sexual tension.  Those are scientific facts.  Now, am I saying that all men cheat?  No.  Am I saying that all women are homewreckers?  No.  I am saying that the stress and hardships of war do cause sexual tension.  Lots of women want to complain and file actions dealing with sexual harassment, yet many of them make sexual comments and actions toward men.  It seems to be ok for them to act that way towards the men but not ok for the men to make comments and such.  That’s bullshit.  You wanna act like one of the guys but can’t handle being treated like one (even though you are screaming EQUALITY!)???  Women, during a deployment, proposition men too.  Don’t be fooled and think the women are all innocent.  Men and women both make those decisions and both have to exercise will power.

4.  “Male troops will become distracted from their missions in order to protect female comrades.” –  I agree with this “myth” too.  Most of the male soldiers have expressed their opinions on this statement.  The majority agree that they would be more focused on protection of female soldiers…kinda like the whole damsel in distress thing.  The mission sort of becomes second on the list due to the fact that they are trying to keep an extra eye on the women and their safety.  If this is how the majority of male soldiers feel…then isn’t it selfish to put them in that position while in a combat zone?  It is risking their lives and the mission at hand… all for that female’s ego.  I know that sounds harsh, but I don’t want my husband’s life to be in even more jeopardy than already present in a combat zone.

5.  “Women can’t lead men in combat effectively.” –  Here again, I agree.  The main reason goes back to emotion.  I also think we should all consider the fear women should realize pertaining to the possibility of being captured during war.  The torture women would endure would be so heinous.  The emotion, stress, and fear of that torture if caught would greatly affect the woman’s ability to lead the men.

(this pic was sent to me a while back…not sure where it came from.  It did make me giggle though!)

Here are a few opinions from a woman veteran that I’ve seen…these were sent to me with no name attached to them.

I saw the male combat units when I was in Iraq. They go outside the wire for days at a time. They eat, sleep, urinate and defecate in front of each other and often while on the move. There’s no potty break on the side of the road outside the wire. They urinate into bottles and defecate into MRE bags. I would like to hear a suggestion as to how a woman is going to urinate successfully into a bottle while cramped into a humvee wearing full body armor. And she gets to accomplish this feat with the male members of her combat unit twenty inches away. Volunteers to do that job? Do the men really want to see it? Should they be forced to?

 The few integrated units in the IDF suffered three times the casualties of the all-male units because the Israeli men, just like almost every other group of men on the planet, try to protect the women even at the expense of the mission. Political correctness doesn’t trump thousands of years of evolution and societal norms. Do we really WANT to deprogram that instinct from men?

When you’re going over a wall in Baghdad that’s ten feet high, you have to be able  to reach the top of it in full gear and haul yourself over. That’s not strength per se, that’s just height and the muscular explosive power to jump and reach the top. Having to get a boost from one of the men so you can get up and over could get that man killed.

I would have loved to be in the infantry. But I would never do that to the men. I would never sacrifice the mission for my own desires. And I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if someone died because of me.

This ban being lifted is going to cause major problems…mark my word!  I know we all have different opinions and I respect that.  Thanks for taking the time to read my opinion.

Operation Dog Tag

 Operation Dog Tag is an organization of wonderful people who love dogs and wish to protect them from poor living conditions, over crowded shelters, and being euthanized.

This organization began in October 2011 and works diligently alongside local animal shelters and foster families to save dogs and give them a better chance at life.  They work mainly with military families.  Military families band together and help with transporting and fostering these furry little friends until they can be adopted.  Each family usually has the puppies for 10-14 days before they go to their new families.

My family just began volunteering with this organization.  We are so excited to get our first dog tomorrow!  We will have her for about two weeks.  She looks absolutely adorable!  Our daughter can’t wait!  She is so happy that she gets to help rescue puppies so that they get good homes.  I know there are people out there that may not agree, but organizations like this bring so much happiness.  We get to help save these animals, place them with owners that will love them, and teach our kids the importance of giving and volunteering.  Our daughter loves all animals!  She is really getting the chance to learn that helping others is important in life.

If you would like to help out you can join their page on Facebook… www.facebook.com/groups/OperationDogTag/   We would love to have your help!  This also may be a great idea for some you ladies during a deployment!

 

Women in Combat

 Lifting the ban on women in combat…

HUGE ISSUE!

This issue has been causing an uproar online!  People are battling over whether this is a good decision or not.  Some say it is a great idea and that women should be allowed to do the job they want.  Some say women can’t do the job as well as the men do.  You got a lot of men and women saying that women are not physically strong enough to do the requirements demanded in combat.  I have seen several people state that a woman‘s emotions would cause issues in combat as well.

Well….I’m pretty sure I’m about to make some people really upset!  My opinion is that it is a bad idea.  I don’t agree with lifting this ban.  Yes, I know there are and have been women in infantry units and such…I still don’t agree with it.

I know several woman are proposing the “equal opportunity” side for this argument, but that gets blown out of proportion.  They set standards and tests that have to be passed in order to be able to serve in combat, but just as soon as one misses the mark and is turned down it becomes a huge battle!  It has happened in the past and it will happen again.  “They were too strict, they weren’t fair, they were too judgemental, they intentionally failed me due to my gender.”  Not all, but a lot of women would “milk” those excuses when in fact, they just weren’t physically fit enough or whatever to pass the tests or the standards put in place.  Bottom line…A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE TO PASS THE SAME PT TESTS AND SUCH AS THE MEN IN ORDER TO FIGHT IN COMBAT.  If a man has to do 70 push ups within a two-minute period…so does the woman!

The physically fit part bothers me too.  I have to admit, I agree with the women that have stated most women just aren’t strong enough to be dependable in combat.  You got a 200lb man needing to be pulled to safety…a 120lb (for example) woman probably wouldn’t be able to handle that situation.  I would think the men would feel better knowing their guys have their back and would have no problems physically pulling them out of harm’s way.  Just my opinion…so don’t take offense please.

Next on the list…emotion.  Yea, I know some are probably rolling their eyes right now.  But the truth is, women are more emotional.  I’m not saying men are all stone cold or anything, but men tend to be more “act now, think later”.  I think that is a good quality in combat.  I would think most women would be more likely to freeze up or hesitate.  Those two reactions are definitely not good in combat zones.  Stress levels run high during a deployment and being in combat raising that stress way above the bar.  Here again, I think men handle high levels of stress a little better.  I know several people are probably thinking about PTSD right now.  And yes, PTSD is a huge problem resulting from deployments, but I still side with men handling their stress and emotions better.

I’m gonna catch hell for this next one!  But here goes!  CNN just published an article called “Unplanned pregnancy on rise in military.”  This is a problem folks.  A unit trains together and prepares for deployment together.  It’s damaging to a unit when women have to stay behind, after training and preparing together, due to unplanned pregnancy.  It is irresponsible.  Yes, I know it takes “two to tango”, but being responsible for your part within the unit is necessary.  Also, this is an issue during deployments.  Here again, completely irresponsible.  It costs the military, as stated in the CNN article, around $10,000 to send a servicewoman home from overseas due to pregnancy.  You get sent home, your unit is down a soldier due to this issue.

So, there you have it!  I know lots of people will disagree with me and that’s ok.  I stand firm on my opinion.  I am more old-fashioned and I was raised that way.  I’m proud of that.  Women can do lots of things that men can…combat just isn’t one of them.

P.S.  I just have to add in this little funny tid bit!  I just ran a spell check and “servicewoman” was underlined in red.  When I clicked on it, the word that popped up (since red means misspelled) was serviceman!  LOL  Damn!!!

Money Saving Tips

We all know money doesn’t grow on trees…

Saving money is something everyone wants to do.  The problem is following through with it, thinking it’s too hard, or not believing you have enough time for it.  We get in such a rush and continue with the same old routine.  Saving money is actually not that hard to do and is pretty simple.  It does take a few changes and discipline though.

Here are a few tips to help ya get started…

COUPONS-  Don’t get bogged down by those coupon shows or the stereotype that comes with using coupons.  Coupons are an excellent way to save money and once you learn how to do it…it’s a piece of cake!  Visit coupons.com, SmartSource, SouthernSavers.com to get printable coupons and a list of store’s weekly sales.  There are several phone apps for weekly sales ads as well.  You can also check your local area to see if anyone sales inserts weekly and order from them.  That is a great way to get inserts fairly cheap and tons of coupons.

BUY IN BULK-  You don’t have to buy everything in bulk, but you know what your family uses the most of on a regular basis.  It may not seem like it at first, but buying in bulk will save you money in the long run.  Those times you run out of those items you use the most and have to make a quick run to the grocery store…no more!  No more quick trips to the store and spending way to much.

USE CASH–  Using cash makes saving money so easy!  Only take cash with you to the grocery store and other stores.  MAKING A LIST goes along with this tip too.  Make a list before you go to the store and stick to it!  Only buy the things on your list.  Also, before you leave the house, tally up what those items will cost and take that amount in cash.  It will amaze you to see the savings at the end of the month.

PACK A LUNCH-  Yes, I said it!  Brown bag it folks!  Taking a lunch will save sooo much money.  Buying fast food really adds up and isn’t very healthy anyway.  Drinks and lunch stuff can be bought in bulk too.

LOOK DOWN-  When you are doing your grocery shopping, look down.  Lower priced items are actually below eye level at most grocery stores.  You don’t always have to buy brand name items or items just because they are on sale either.

SMOKING AND DRINKING-  I am not gonna waste time telling anyone not to drink/smoke .  That is a personal choice for everyone.  But quitting smoking will save your health and tons and tons of money.  And if you are going to drink…drink at home.  It is way cheaper to drink at home versus drinking at a bar.

CREDIT CARDS–  Yes, credit cards help build credit but they also get you in hot water!  Trust me…pay off that credit card debt and only use that thing in case of emergencies!  Don’t cancel the credit card though.  Canceling a credit card will damage your credit…even if you have paid the due amount every month on time.

NETFLIX-  Cable costs way too much nowadays.  It is much easier to cancel it and get Netflix.  Netflix will only cost you about $8 a month and the Xbox gold card (if you’re using the Xbox) is $60 a year.  Look at the spending there…~$150 a year for that compared to paying for cable every month.  Some people I know spend $150 a month for cable!  You could be saving over $1600 a year!!!

PHONE–  Depending on bundle packages, (house phone and internet) canceling your house phone and just using your cell phone will save money as well.

ENTERTAINMENT-  Instead of buying movies all the time, try using RedBox to rent movies.  It is pretty cheap and they are in convenient locations.  Museums and parks are free for your family too.  There are several history museums and lots of city parks that will provide weekend treats for your family.  Hikes and picnics are cheap ways to fit in valuable family time.

HOLIDAYS-  Do your holiday shopping throughout the year.  Make a list of the people you will be buying for and keep it with you.  I have a small flip pad that I keep in my purse.  I put that list of names on it and a gift idea, if I have one, next to their name.  When I’m out shopping, I keep an eye out for those gifts and such.  It saves money at the end of the year and there is no rush right before the holiday.

MEALS-  Making meals at home is great for your bank account.  It is a lot cheaper than eating out.  And when you’ve got a few couples that want to get together, do a cookout!

BUDGET–  Make a budget people!  It sucks and it’s a little time-consuming at first, but totally worth it.  Keeping that budget and tracking your spending will discipline you.  You’ll get a better idea of how miscellaneous spending kills your account and which things are easy to cut out.

Well, there you have it!  I hope this helps.  Feel free to comment any other ideas you may have and let me know if you have any questions.

Outside the Army Wife Club…

The dreaded Army Wife Club…

We know what that is and what it means, but how many of us have been kicked out and avoided like we are aliens?  For those who aren’t familiar with this “club”…it’s basically the “accepted” status a lot of wives depend on.  For example, your husband just began working in a new unit and you don’t know anyone.  So, you may go to one of the unit’s functions or attend a FRG meeting.  You may begin taking your child to same park that some of the other wives go to.  Plan cookouts and get-togethers to become acquainted with the new bunch.  Whatever.  Once you’re accepted into the group, the game kinda changes.  That’s an entirely different post though!  Haha

Anyway, now you know the club is basically like a clique in highschool.  Not all are bad, trust me.  I know I make it out like that sometimes, but there are a lot of really good women out there.  They are smart, funny, dependable, honest, sympathetic, etc.  The list could go on and on.  Then there are the ones that treat friendships like damn clubs and once you’re out….you’re out!

Deployments tend to bust up these little clubs…which sucks because that’s when you need each other the most.  But I’ve seen a lot of posts on Facebook and blogs the past week discussing this issue.  Generally, the stories have been the same.  The top two have been…

1.  During the deployment, I have been ignored constantly by the other wives.  They were my friends and now they don’t acknowledge that I’ve walked into the room.  Once the deployment began most of them were going out together on the weekends to bars and stuff.  I chose not to go.  I have a child/children and preferred to be at home.  The moment I didn’t agree with what they were doing, I was basically kicked out of the “club”.

2.  My husband came home from deployment due to an injury.  (I’ve seen this one quite a few times, just within this past week.)  Once he got home, the other wives have completely ignored me.  They refuse to talk to me, hang out, or even answer my phone calls now.  I don’t understand what I did so wrong.  My husband was injured…so why hate me?

Look, these Army wives are not worth a damn!  They will judge you and talk about you till no end.  You will find wives that tend to party and shop like crazy once a deployment starts.  Those women, if you decide, are not worth your time.  Personally, those women are the ones responsible for the crappy reputation we get.  Don’t let it get to you and be glad you don’t associate with them.  Just because you don’t head to bars and party doesn’t mean you are not worthy.  It just means that they can’t handle someone pointing out what they do wrong and choosing to be a better person.  (And before anyone goes nuts…by partying I mean partying hard!  That could be every single weekend, all weekend long and/or drinking it up during the week at bars and such.)   As for the husband being injured and sent home early issue…those women are just jealous.  They still have months to go before their husband comes home and just wanna find a way to distance themselves from you.  They look for an excuse to hate you…and most tend to make shit up.  You’ll find that a lot of them even go as far to say that your husband faked his injury!  Who would want to be a part of that damn club anyway???

Yesterday was a prime example…I was skimming through a Facebook page and came across an active post.  The post made it clear that this was from an anonymous woman who had emailed the page admin.  It simply stated that the woman had fertility issues and that her doctor had offered the suggestion of an Army wife being a surrogate.  Now, remaining open-minded, there are several reasons why the doctor could have suggested this.  The woman was simply asking if anyone would be interested.  Anyway, there was this one woman who went on a hate spree…aiming hateful remarks toward Ms. Anonymous.  Hater woman was claiming that she was just trying to misuse Tricare blah blah blah.  Several other women pointed out that Tricare, or any type of health insurance, was never even mentioned.  This woman was only doing what her doctor had suggested.  Not once did Ms. Anonymous talk about using Tricare for the surrogate.  Hater woman got a lot of comments from people wanting to know why she was creating drama and being so judgemental.  See???  Prime example of how some women just create drama out of nothing just to create problems and cause issues.  Some of these women will simply look for any reason/excuse to hate you.  They live for drama and will go as far to make shit up just to keep right on talking.

If you find yourself in these situations, sit back and think for a second.  Do you really wanna stress and worry about what these women say and do?  Nope!  Find friends outside the unit if you need to.  Find friends that aren’t tied to the military too.  There is nothing wrong with going outside the “norm” and just finding good people.  And keep in mind…there are some really awesome Army wives out there.  I know it seems like an endless search sometimes, but trust me, they are there.

People always leave…

Finding friends in the Army can be very difficult for spouses.  There is so much gossip, drama, and other crap among Army wives these days.  I have figured out, over the last several years, that many people you meet will become acquaintances and a select few will become actual friends.  Those friends will become so special and the bond will be unbreakable.  Between the deployments, struggles, and stress, you learn to lean on each other in hard times.  You each share the good times and precious memories.

But…you soon learn the bitter part of Army life and friends.  We all have to move away.

A very dear friend of mine is moving at the beginning of the year.  We both knew it was coming, but being prepared for it is another thing.  It happens to all of us, but it never gets easier I guess.  We keep in touch with the friends we’ve made and dread having to start over making new ones.  I know I dread it.

I have a few tips on keeping in touch and making the distance fun though.

1. Phone calls.  Keep in touch on a regular basis and continue to share each other’s struggles and good times.

2. Set aside a coffee date.  For example, Tuesday mornings at 0800 you pick up the phone, fill your coffee cup, and settle in for your weekly date/catch up phone call.

3. Face time/Video calls.  You get to see each other and the kids can also “visit” with each other.

4. Depending on distance, plan a get-together once a year or so.  Renting a cabin or something is a great weekend getaway to relax and catch up.

5. Penpal journal.  One journal shared between the two of you that you mail back and forth.

6. Crazy competitions.  Include your husbands and kids in little competitions throughout the year with Halloween contests and such.  It’s a good way to swap photos and the kids will have fun dressing up.  Each month could be a different theme too.

Anyway, those are just a few little ways to keep in touch and keep it fun.  Friends don’t let a little distance get in their way.  Be creative and take the time for one another.  It’s really worth it in the end!