Bravo to authors: Tara Crooks, Starlett Henderson, Kathie Hightower and Holly Scherer on the fabulous job they have done putting 1001 Things To Love About Military Life together!
I am so excited about this book and reviewing it, and I am excited to offer our You Served Spouse and Family readers the chance at winning a copy of this marvelous read! So, take a moment to read the review and at the end of the review are instruction on how to enter to win!
Those of you who have read my articles on marriage and military life know that I am a strength’s based person. What does that mean? It means that I live my life looking for the strength in any given situation. I do this because of two principles I have discovered:
1. We often focus on what is broke and ignore what is not… and in doing so we forget that we have actual qualities, strengths and resources to overcome obstacles. I think this was beautifully illustrated in the movie Apollo 13. When the Apollo crew radioed to mission control that they had a problem, what was the response? The leader at mission control said “Tell me what IS working on the ship so we can problem solve!” Why would he waste his time focusing on what’s broken? We can’t always fix the broken, but we can certainly work with and build on that which is functional! This is a wonderful perspective for living !
2. Many years ago the World Health Organization (WHO) determined that illness (or dysfunction) and wellness were not being properly measured. They concluded that health and illness lie on two separate continuums. Before this we thought they were on the same continuum at opposite ends. Now we understand that a person can actually be healthy and still be battling an illness… and a person can be free of disease but be very unhealthy. It also means we can focus on one of the continuums… instead of trying to prevent difficulties, we can actually build up our wellness (and in this case mental and emotional wellness). This ties back in with the first principle in that the stronger and healthier we are the better we can overcome difficulties. I also remind myself that no matter how hard and difficult life gets, struggles do not mean my life is absent of joy and happiness!
I bring up these two points to illustrate what I LOVE about this book. It is a strength’s based perspecive. It’s general message is not negating that mlitary life is difficult and and presents some unique challenges, but rather it’s asserting the life affirming message that there are many things to love about military life!
The layout makes it very easy to read! It’s fun, dynamic, poignant, uplifting and well written! It’s not just a book you read through, but it’s a book you get into while you are reading it — and it’s the kind of book you keep around for a lift-me-up when you need it!
I was touched when I read reason #437: “The fun of hanging Christmas tree ornaments with memories of each place you have lived.”
We had started this tradition before we were a military family, but continued it since. We have all kinds of ornaments (and this year some from Germany from my visit with my son and his wife at Graf). My all time favorite ornament is one I got my husband 2007. He had been in OCS’ HHC for months as the Army was trying to figure out what to do with him after he snapped his leg in two. He was also trying to figure out what to do with the Army at that time. He would text me once a day (not always allowed to call) and he would say “Groundhog Day.” I knew he was referring to the Bill Murray movie, and everyday for two months life felt like that for him. A few weeks before that Christmas he came home and I found the perfect ornament for him… you guessed it, a groundhog! I found it on a Punxsutawney Phil website, and he was holding a sign. I wrote “HHC” on the sign as a reminder. What was painful then is quite humorous to us now when we hang our groundhog on our tree each year!
So, that is one memory that has been preserved for us in our own ornament tradition! You can find more like this in the book!
You can find this wonderful book at Amazon by clicking HERE. Consider giving this great gift of uplifting encouragement to a military spouse you know!
Now onto the contest!
Post below your favorite ‘thing’ (memory, occasion, place to live, etc, etc) to love about the military life! This contest is open to US Service Members and their families (including parents!) I will draw a winner at random on Monday 19th at 0800!
COMMENTS are moderated. So please only comment one time. I will approve comments a few times a day! Thank you!
Growing up as a Navy brat, my fondest memories were traveling in Naples, Italy, going to a DOD school there and the wonderful lifelong friends I have made.
Would love to get a chance to read the book! Wonderful review!
My favorite thing is the pride. The pride I feel when I see the flag and know that my husband will defend it, the pride he has when he puts on the uniform, the pride I feel when I see them marching, or homecomings of those I may never meet!
The travel experiences we’ve been able to have when stationed in Germany & in Japan don’t even come close to what we would have been able to do without overseas assignments. Plus, overseas living and travel has taught me a lot!
My favorite part about Military life is the homecomings!
We’re new to military life, but my favorite memory was my handsome sailor showing up last Christmas in his dress Blues for Christmas. The kids and I were so proud to call him our hero!
My favorite part is all the wonderful, amazing people I get to meet. I have so many friends, some I have been neighbors with , some I know only through my computer.
My favorite memory would be basic training at Lackland AFB. It is astounding how much one can grow in just a mere 8 weeks. I went in a young adult but came out a more mature woman. To that I owe the US military!
I love the friendships I have formed in the past 4 years. They are raw and some of the truest friends I have formed in life!! Fort Hood has such a wonderful support team, it’s incredible!
I love the friendships that I have cultivated over the years. If it were not for military life I would have never met some of the most wonderful people in the world.
I love everything! I burst with pride when I see my Soldier or any military member. I really like meeting new people, making new friends and experiencing new places. I couldn’t imagine anything else!
My favorite thing about military life is hearing about the amazing places my husband has gone to. I haven’t moved around in my military wife life, but my husband has deployed several times and I get to hear about the wonderful places. And my kids get awesome geography lessons on where daddy is!
I would love to give this book to my daughter who is a Navy wife with two toddlers. Jamie EMBRACES being a military wife .. I’m not saying that it’s an easy life for her but she loves all of the opportunities it is affording her … she loves the other military families that she is meeting, that are becoming part of her lifelong friendships. She loves seeing new places. She loves seeing the pride on her husbands face when he speaks of the Navy and I love seeing the pride on her face when SHE speaks of the Navy .. She has such a great support group of military wives that watch out for each other when their spouses are away, which is frequently … My Son-in-law and Son are both sailors with the U.S. Navy and both will be “Lifers”. My husband is an Army veteran as well … I love my military family ~ God bless the USA!!!
my favorite part about military service is the guaranteed paycheck, benefits, job & lifestyle that the Marine Corps provides. What an honor to be a part of such an amazing group of people.
I love knowing and seeing how proud my children are of their Father and the soldiers they see everyday. This life has given them such worldly experiences traveling, friendships, and culture. More so it has made them proud Americans, proud of their country and of being military kids. Nothing says it more then how at 5:00pm everyday, they stop whatever they are doing and face the flag as it is lowered at the end of the day.
I love moving to different bases and making new friends that become part of the family.
My favorite thing about being part of the military is the friendships you make. I have met the incredible people throughout my military career. I am grateful to meet those people who have made an inpact on my life.
I love moving around every few years and the wonderful opportunity to meet so many different people. The military life pushes me out of my comfort zone and has really helped me grow in the past few years.
I was so happy reading all of your favorites and to know they were all covered in the book made me even happier. I’m glad we captured a sense of pride and adventure that is so relatable by the military community.
This book is also an introduction to our military for those who have never served or doesn’t know anyone who served. They can pick this up and read the hundreds of reasons why our military members and families stick to it.
Hopefully it’ll motivate them to know more.
Good luck to all of you in the giveaway. We hope if you don’t win, you’ll all check the book out. It’s good for spouses, but part of what we love most is that members can read this book, journal answers to some of military life’s pressing questions and pass it on to their spouse or children to be their testimony of why they Love Military Life!
My favorite military life “thing” is really the opportunity to be humbled and grow into a very mature women. My husband has been away via ARMY for our sons whole life pretty much (he is 19 months now) and through having him alone and raising him and my daughter alone for that time I now am way closer to my children. I also appreciate my husband more then I ever had before he joined
I grew up in a Navy family and am now an Army wife. I appreciate my parents so much more now that my husband and I live the military life as spouses and parents. I love that the military allows my husband to have the career he wants, to serve the country in the way he felt led and it has brought our whole family closer regardless of the miles between us.
The amazing friends I have made! The military introduces you to people from different places and cultures that you otherwise would not have met. I’ve made friends from all over the world. The military is our common bond, but it’s not what keeps our friendships going.
I love all of the events that make me feel like I am part of a special group of people – whether through meeting other current military families, talking with retired military, or simply seeing my husband put on his uniform. There is a great deal of pride that I feel in the fact that my husband serves, as difficult as this life can be at times.
My favorite thing about military life is the travel opportunities I’ve had.
Congrats Stacey J! You are the winner! Please send your mailing address to claire@cmwives.org!