I’m a Military Spouse... What’s your super power??

I saw this posted on Facebook, and absolutely loved it!  Especially after I had just been to Home Depot where I had loaded 44 concrete blocks weighing 22 pounds each onto a flat bed cart (plus 2 bags of pea gravel rocks), then pushed the cart to check out, and then proceeded to my car where I had to LOAD the 968 pounds of concrete blocks into the back of my car.  And then of course dreading getting home and having to unload the bricks out of the car once I got home.  

A long time ago in a land far, far, away... Princess Kimmy would’ve never dreamed of doing this all by herself.   So what changed you ask?  How did this poor defenseless girl go from being scared to call and order a pizza to lifting almost a 1,000 pounds 3 times in a single trip to Home Depot??  

I married a Navy man...

Now my powers weren’t given to me as soon as we said “I do.”  My powers actually didn’t show up until after we had been married for over 2 years and already had a sweet baby boy.  My powers showed up in April of 1999 when Aaron deployed to Sicily.  This sheltered and cared for Princess was left... ALONE... with a 9 month old baby... and a surprise deployment going away present... a baby on the way.  There wasn’t any housing yet available for us, so I had to live with my parents until something opened up.  So in July, with a one year old and me being 3 months pregnant, with the help of my mom we moved into our base house in MAINE, in 99 degree weather, and NO CENTRAL AIR.  This Princess was melting and fast... but something happened- my super powers were bestowed upon me!  I started doing things that I had never done before, and lived to tell about it.  And with each deployment, and each baby... my powers got stronger.   

I can fly (on a plane anyway), by myself, with 4 kids and get through security faster than a mom and dad, with a baby still standing there trying to figure out how to fold up their stroller (Ha- NEWBIES)  I can care for 4 kids for 7 months while their dad is in Japan, managing to get everyone to their practices, games, preschool, and schools without forgetting a child once!  I can paint entire houses, use power tools, landscape yards, survive 9 DITY moves, and take long car trips where you only get to pee when the car needs gas, and countless other things.  Now, I’m not saying we are any better or stronger than single parents or anyone else with special circumstances... I’m only speaking for myself and my military spouse homies.  

So, was it the smartest thing to go to Home Depot alone to get all those blocks (which of course I’m using to build a fire pit with)?  Probably not, but when you are used to doing things by yourself, and have your own super powers, you use them whether your husband is deployed or not!

Now, I am not a lone Super Power possessor.  There are thousands of us across the US and the World.  Some of these women (and men) are among the strongest people in the Universe.   Many of whom I am blessed to call “friend.”  

So, it is to all the Military Spouses out there... that I want to say:

HAPPY MILITARY SPOUSE APPRECIATION DAY!!! 

You continue to inspire and amaze me everyday!