MilSpouse Friday FIll-In #8

The 8th week of the MilSpouse Friday Fill-In from Wife of a Sailor:

1. What is ONE thing you’d like civilians to understand about being a military family?

That when your spouse is away on a business trip or vacation without you, its NOT THE SAME as having your spouse in Iraq or any war zone. While I appreciate the attempt at empathy, it makes me mad. My own mother told me that going away from her husband for 4 days was just as bad as having Mr. V in Iraq for 7 months. I COMPLETELY understand that people miss their spouses, and everyone has a right to that, but missing your husband because he's on a business trip just isn't the same. Yes, he's gone, and you miss him, and you're sad. But you're not afraid for his life at the same time. For me, it has nothing to do with the amount of time that has gone by. Everyone is different and while some people think 7 months is a long time, others feel the same way about 2 weeks, and thats understandable to me. But when one husband is on a business trip in a nice hotel, and my husband is in Iraq at a base with frequent rocket attacks - thats what makes the difference. You miss your spouse. I miss mine, but I also fear for his life at the same time.

2. What is your favorite mistake?

Moving to Corpus Christi with my ex-fiance. If I had listened to my gut, I wouldn't have gone, and I would have left him much sooner than I actually did. Instead, I ignored my gut feeling, moved with him anyway, and went through a very rough time down there. However, if I hadn't gone with him, I would have never met Mr. V. So a bad situation turned out to be a great thing, since it led me to my husband :-).

3. What indulgence could you give up for a year?

Probably soda. Its not my biggest indulgence or most favorite, but I think its the only one I could give up without having unbearable cravings for it constantly.

4. If you could be a winged animal, what would you be?

A penguin because they have wings, but they don't fly. I'm terrified of flying (and yes I'm very aware that I married a pilot), so the idea that I could have wings and fly on my own is really not an exciting thought to me. Its actually quite terrifying. Penguins are cute and they have wings. So I would choose being a cute winged animal that couldn't fly, over anything that can actually fly.

5. What is one question you’d like to see asked in a future MFF?

If money wasn't a factor and you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be? And why?