The military ended everything for us. When Joel made the decision to join a few years ago, I was living in Washington, DC and he called me telling me he had a date for Basic Training (BMT). The day I dropped him off to leave for basic training, I just knew we were done and decisions had to be made. We planned for Joel to move to DC too and we were starting the process of applying for jobs. I knew he was interested in joining the Air Force but I also did not know it would happen the way it did.
The Process:
I remember every month something new was going on. One month he was going to speak with a recruiter about his options. The next month he had to take a test. The month after he was doing something else related to joining the military. A month later he was signing papers to official join and receive a date. And then he called me saying “I’m leaving on September 5th“. Can you imagine what was going through my head when his initial meeting with the recruiter was in May? Tew much!
Leaving Day:
The day came for him to leave and I came up from Washington, DC. He went to complete paperwork and then came to talk to us for about 45 minutes before he would be leaving. After watching him swear in, we took pictures, and all I remember is giving him a hug and a kiss.
We Survived Basic Training!
Fast forward to 6 weeks later, we were still going strong. We were only able to talk through letters and short phone calls. If we we’re being completely honestly, I was living my best life. Lol! (Purposely) I was lonely and felt like I had just lost my best friend. Dramatic, I know. But how do you go from talking to someone all day, every day, to having to wait for letters? A mess. Lol! Anywho, fast forward to his two-week holiday vacation while he was in Tech School. We spent those two weeks visiting family, friends, and making a baby I suppose. Lol! A few days after he left, I found out I was pregnant. And the rest is history!
Being a military wife is something I never imagined I would be.
At times I’m a bit stressed because I feel like I can’t do some of the things I want to do (career wise). It sometimes feel like the military literally runs your life (and it kinda does lol) and that’s exactly why having a support system means so much.
The other night I was watching this commercial and the father was leaving for deployment. He gave his daughter a hat and throughout the commercial, it shows how she would not take off her hat for anything. Not even for her school pictures. Lol! Has anyone seen that commercial? All I could think about was that being Ryann, and I started crying. You never know when your spouse or family member would come home saying “I’m leaving for deployment”. Although you have these conversations with your loved ones and try to plan out what you would do in those moments, I know it is not something I will ever be prepared for.
The support Verizon gives to military and first responder families is so important! I did not know how vital it was until I became a part of this community. Verizon has some of the best military discounts for their phone plans as well. Feel free to check out their website and share it with any military or first responder family you may know! Having the best service is extremely important because sometimes that’s the only way we can communicate with our loved ones.
This link will lead you directly to the information for military members.
As a military family, I am asking you all to please, share your stories, share messages of gratitude for our families, be an extended support system. We truly need and appreciate it!
Hopefully through my story and others, the world will see how much we sacrifice our lives daily as our family members service this country.
This post is in partnership with Verizon, but all of the opinions within are those of my own.
Until next time,
xo Kenniqua