{ Taken for Granted }

You know it's been a bit of a crazy week, there is so much going on and I find myself trying to grab a hold of everything. It's a little like being given the title of Super Woman without all the powers.

Far too often the past couple of weeks, I have seen, read, or experienced first hand the feeling of being taken for granted, of seeing a fellow military wife sad, upset, struggling to get through her day when she's feeling completely overwhelmed.

It's nothing new, I've often talked about this on my blog, about the fact that I think that Military spouses, are taken for granted and not given the recognition and thanks that they duly deserve.

It's not easy being in this life, oh the rewards far outweigh the bad, but let me tell you, it gets a little overwhelming when you feel like you're doing it all and not seeing much of a thank you from the military.

The fact is that when your husband is deployed, the immense feelings of loneliness, sadness and fear you feel, are sometimes suffocating.

You become this super person, this woman with a mission. You are mom and dad and you are everything to everyone. You smile, you say you understand when you really don't, you tell your children everything is ok and you wipe at the tears running down their face while holding back and swallowing the huge lump lodged in your throat.

And then there's the phone calls, you receive one from your husband who is overseas and you try your hardest to be tough and to stay strong, to put on a brave front from him when all along you can hear in his voice and yours the heartache of being apart.

And yet, what exactly do Military spouses get in return? How are we repaid by the Military?

We're not. Far too many times we are put aside, plans canceled, birthdays and holidays missed, children's school functions unattended, and never a thank you. Never a simple Thank You for being there for the soldier.

Oh the other military spouses will say it, your family and friends will too and even your husband will tell you over and over how grateful he is to have you in his life.....but what about the military itself, you have no idea how wonderful it would be to have some sort of recognition from them.

At this point you may think I'm just a big pile of "woe is me" but I'm really just venting, and for no specific reason other than it's something that has bothered me for so long, but also for seeing close friends of mine currently going through deployments and fighting so hard to stay afloat and to get through the time apart.

I've resigned myself to the fact that I'm the mistress to the Jets. And if any other military wife is out there reading at the moment, I'm sure they completely understand what I'm saying.

We have amazing young men and women out there fighting for this country and I hold them in a special place in my heart. But too many times the ones left at home holding down the fort, are completely forgotten, not mentioned, not thought of.

Yes the soldiers themselves come first, and they deserve all our love, consideration and support.

But let's not forget about their other halves, the ones at home fighting the war with them, albeit in a different way, but still, just as important to the mission.

Reach out to a Military wife, a military mom, let them know how much they mean and how their sacrifices are also appreciated and not forgotten. You would be surprised just how much it will mean to them.

And in ending, I want to thank my blog readers because you have always made me feel loved and appreciated as a Military Spouse.

If you are reading my blog at this moment and know exactly what I'm talking about, just know you're not alone and I'm sending out huge hugs full of thanks for every thing you do. Military Spouses rock, whether we get to hear it often enough or not!