Guest Blogger (Mrs. B.):

I am the worst blogger ever. I totally forgot to post her blog URL! Please, check her out! She's amazing, as you can see by this post. http://thediaryofamrs.blogspot.com/


Hi ya’ll, I’m Mrs. B from The Diaries of a Mrs., I hope you come and check me out. This is the first time I’ve ever been a guest blogger and I’m so excited about it. I had been following Mrs. Ma’am for a while and seen some of you other awesome bloggers’ guest posts, I think they are all so fun and I wanted to join as well. Since Mrs. Ma’am is a mil-spouse and my husband is leaving for Air Force BMT I thought it was a good time to share our story.

I met my husband Ryan in the spring of 2007, at the time he was taking the semester off of school, since he didn’t do very well his first semester, working full time and trying to get his life back on track. That fall he headed back to school, it was important to me that he got an education and did well, even if he didn’t know 100% what he wanted to be. He was thinking of becoming a male nurse, but that just didn’t sound like a “good” path for him to go on (in my eyes, don’t ask me why I thought that because I honestly couldn’t give you an answer), so I suggested business (mostly accounting). He switched his major and started taking classes for a business degree. He continued taking classes through this past spring, but was getting really frustrated with his school loans only increasing and felt as if he wasn’t making a dent in the classes he still had to take. I knew I was graduating in December and it would become even more difficult for him to go to school. I remember we were sitting at dinner one evening and I said, “Ry, have you ever thought about the military?”

After I asked him, I quickly wanted to take the question back…after a long pause he said, “It’s never been an option, but maybe I should schedule an appointment with a recruiter.” What did I do? Why did I ever ask him that? I tried to stay calm thinking he would never actually make the appointment and go., he did say it had never been an option. Boy, I was wrong! In the beginning of June, Ryan scheduled an appointment with an Air Force and Army recruiter. He seemed to like the Air Force better than the Army (the Army flat out told him that they didn’t need him), he talked with friends from each branch (A.F. and Army) and made his decision on the Air Force. After about a week or so, he was scheduled to take his ASVAB (scored in the high 80s) and got all of his medical and personal records in by the end of June. At this point, everything became extremely real to me, the process was going so fast, and I began preparing myself. I remember a conversation that we had, he said, “I would be really disappointed if I backed out or was not able to go for whatever reason.” In the second week of July, Ryan was headed to MEPS and swore in under the Delayed Entrance Program. Throughout this entire process, I began googling (is that a word?) everything, reading mil-spouse blogs to get first hand experiences from other wives and looking for forums and websites that helped “teach” me more about what our lives were about to be like.

Ryan and I were both expecting quite a long wait before he got his call informing him of when he heads to BMT. After doing some research, reading forums and talking with his recruiter we were under the impression that it could be a really long wait. It was the end of August and Ryan sent me a text in the middle of the day telling me to call him and that it was important while I was at work. I called him and he said, “I’m leaving in November.” I remember my heart feeling heavy and my stomach drop; I was silent momentarily before I finally found words…or more like rattled off 100 questions in seconds. Ryan couldn’t talk too long since he was also at work and he didn’t know all the details. When he got out of work he called his recruiter and sent me a message full of details. He was leaving November 2^nd, he wasn’t able to sign a job and had to go in as open general (something that made me go from excited and anxious to REALLY scared).  Have any of your husbands, fiancés or boyfriends signed as open general? Did it work out for you?

Both, Ryan and I were hoping he would be able to sign a job, he would know exactly what he would be doing, when his tech school was and how long it would be. “Open general? Are you sure? Is there anything you can do? Is there anything your recruiter can do? What if you get a really bad job? What are your options? Can you not go?” I had so many questions but kept asking the “Are you sure it’s open general?” question.

I asked him if he still had to sign or if you could figure something else out, if he wouldn’t go. While I was only mildly serious, I was scared shitless. He told me he could not, not go. At this point he had done so much running around and research, began training, and was preparing himself mentally and physically for going. He told me that he thought he would regret his decision if he just didn’t go. I respect his decision and despite my fears and anxiety I would never be able to tell him no or hold him back. Eventually his regret would turn into anger and then would be shifted towards me and I too would regret holding him back from something he’s worked so hard to achieve. It seemed he really found his calling, he was excited and it was something he REALLY wanted to do.

The past two months we have been able to do a lot and I’m extremely grateful for the time we’ve had together (especially since I used to wish he would get a call saying he had 24/48 hours). I didn’t think I would like knowing he has X amount of days before he leaves and doing the whole countdown. Just in the month of October we went from boyfriend and girlfriend to being engaged and now married in a matter of 2 weeks. We had dated for 3 ½ years, we were engaged for 13 days, and as of October 21, 2010, I married my best friend. While it wasn’t my dream wedding, I married my prince. At first I was disappointed because I didn’t get the “excited, this is everything I ever dreamed for day”…but then when I sit back, I did get everything I have ever dreamed of just not put into one day, I got a best friend and the most amazing man I could ever imagine and I get to enjoy that for the rest of my life. We are tentatively planning a vow renewal and reception for June of 2011. While it’s somewhat difficult without knowing when Ryan’s technical school is and how long it will be for, we are still so very excited for it.

I’m scared of the future, the unknown and everything the military has to offer, my anxiety is often through the roof, AND I have been more emotional as time gets closer than I have in my entire life. I no longer take the small things for granted (laying down at night with him by my side, help with the dogs, and even the things that would normally annoy me I try to let slide), I squeeze a little tighter and kiss a little longer knowing Ry will soon be jumping on a plane and I won’t see him until graduation. With all those scary emotions, I am still proud Ryan took a step that so many will not, I am his biggest fan, I am excited to potentially travel and for all the other…benefits, and I am happy to say that I am [going] to be a “Milie”!

For any and all of you Milie’s, I’m always open for advice, suggestions and pick me ups. I am expecting my days to go by much slower beginning November 2^nd, but I have faith in our relationship and believe in our love.

Thank you, Mrs. Ma’am for allowing me to share my story and thank all of YOU for reading my story about why we chose the military. I hope you all will visit my blog or send me an e-mail just to say hi or even to give me any advice, suggestions, show your support OR even send a funny little joke. J