All Good Things Must Come To An End

As a military spouse, you learn that all good things must come to an end. I can tell you, it doesn't matter how many times we move and have to say goodbye to friends, it never gets easier to leave.

My husband has been given a new assignment which means leaving Dyess and, unfortunately, saying goodbye to the Big Country.

Over the last couple of years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to learn about the news business and meet some wonderful people along the way. Professionally, I have grown more in the last two years than I ever thought possible. I came to love Broadcast Meteorology and I hope to be able to do this again in the future.

I have to say a special thanks to my KTAB/KRBC family. I love you all very much and I am going to miss seeing you every day.

I also send a big thanks to all of you, our viewers, for allowing me to bring you the weather forecast every morning! I have loved working the morning shift and I will miss our tight-knit crew. You are all wonderful!!

Until we meet again...

The Kindness of Strangers

Last week, after shooting a story, I was involved in a car accident on my way back to the station. Nobody was hurt, I was just a little shaken up when a driver turned into my lane and hit my vehicle.

The purpose of my writing this blog is actually to say thank you to a woman who saw the wreck and came to my aid! This wonderful lady witnessed the accident and rather than continuing on with her commute, she turned around and stayed with me until the police arrived.

Besides being a calming presence, she also was able to tell what happened from her point of view (which helps with the issue of repairing the vehicle).

I am incredibly thankful that nobody was injured and that all is well but I am also thankful for a woman named Donna. She helped more than she knows!!

Japan

Air Force pilots go through tons of training before being stationed at their first, long-term base. More often than not, the friends made in pilot training stay with you until everyone moves on to their first active squadron, and sometimes you even stay together there.

Some very good friends of ours were sent to a base in Japan upon completion of training about two years ago. In fact, my husband and I were almost sent there ourselves. When the earthquake and tsunami impacted the country, our thoughts immediately went to our friends. Thankfully, the base and everyone on it are safe but this was certainly a wake-up call.

Please keep Japan and its residents in your thoughts and prayers as this disaster continues to unfold. I urge you to appreciate your loved ones and stay in touch with friends and family. Too many times, we are wrapped up in our own lives and don't make time to call someone or write a quick email...but you never know when something as devastating as what happened in Japan could happen to us.

Family Strong

I know I've said this before, but the Air Force really is a big family. Everyone cares for and helps each other. We are able to cry together, laugh together and we all understand what each other goes through.

I bring this up again because a huge part of a family is children. Many of my good friends have recently become parents and while being a mother or father is never an easy job, it is even more difficult when the military plays a role.

The Air Force tries to make sure the guys are home for the actual arrival of a new baby but many times the husbands miss out on the essential planning and preparation stages because of deployments and/or temporary duties elsewhere.

Generally, once the baby arrives it is very soon after that the new dads have to leave again. It is perhaps the most heartbreaking thing in the world to watch families, especially ones with children, be separated but they are skilled in making the best of a bad situation! By using Skype and sending pictures, they stay updated and are able to see the milestones their children are hitting. (By the way...Skype is a truly wonderful thing!)

So bottom line is, being a military family is not easy and it only becomes more difficult with the addition of children. However, the support system for our families is wonderful, technology makes it so that kids can never forget mommy or daddy's face and for that we are truly lucky.

I would like to say that I am very proud of my friends and of all the parents who hold the home together during deployments. You are strong and loving and I know that your spouses appreciate all that you do!

A Military Christmas

The holidays are always interesting for a military family. Many are without loved ones or away from family because of where they are stationed. Husbands and wives exchange gifts via Skype and little ones miss their parents who remain on the other side of the world.

I am very fortunate that my husband has not yet been deployed for a Christmas but we have not been home for Christmas Day in three years. Instead, our families hold everything until we are able to make it home and often, Christmas is not celebrated until New Years. I must admit, as tough as it is to not be with all of our family on the actual day, we've gotten into a routine and have begun to create our own little holiday traditions.

So, on this week of Christmas, I would like to say thank you to the military members who are away and to their families who will be without them this year. We all appreciate you so much and wish you a Merry Christmas!

What a Crazy Year...So Far

Its becoming that time of year when everyone thinks about what they are thankful for and I would like to share with you why I am grateful!

This year has been an interesting one...from my husband's first deployment, to a move and a new position at the station...a lot has happened. There have definitely been some rough spots but some things remain constant, such as the wonderful people who are my friends and family.

I am very thankful for everyone who has supported me and been there for me this year. I am also grateful for my job and the new adventures that have come with working the morning shift.

Thank you, to the men and women of the military who protect our freedoms as well as the police and firemen who keep us safe every day.

There is so much to be thankful for and sometimes, we take the many blessings in our lives for granted. So, lets all try to take a moment today to give thanks for the people we love and all of the things we have been blessed with.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

A Long Night.....

Recently, my husband and I experienced a pretty stressful process.....a little thing called being an alternate.

When a deployment list comes out for a squadron, there are always "alternates" on that list. The purpose of an this is to have extra people ready to leave in case something comes up. This is completely understandable but is not easy on the family of the person in that position. Until that deployment actually leaves, we have no idea whether or not our spouse is going!

This scenario is what my husband and I went through with the last deployment that left. Fortunately, he ended up not leaving but it was a very long night waiting to find out whether he was leaving or coming back home. I have to say, that was a very long night but in some ways, I think it was harder on my husband than me. Although he wanted to stay here with me, there was a part of him that wanted to be with his fellow airmen, a part that wanted to complete the mission.

It was a stressful situation for both of us and I don't wish being an alternate on anyone. As difficult as it was to watch the rest of his squadron leave without him, we are very lucky that he gets to stay home at least for a little while longer.