Lord, you will do everything you have planned for me. Lord, your faithful love continues forever. You have done so much for us. Don't stop now. Psalm 138:8

Day 14

 The days have stopped dragging.  A good sign, an answer to prayer. We are beginning to get back into the swing of things. Finding our new normal.  And sooner than I expected. Plus we are getting ready to move, and summer has started.

Military life does bring its challenges. Deployment is probably the worst. Moving takes a little getting used to, but I like it now.  Practice makes perfect, right? Counted it up today, since Johnny and I have been together, we have moved (counting the upcoming one) 14 times (in about 18 years!) The first 3 were during college and the rest have been during the army. I guess it’s good that I like to move. Actually I like the unpacking and putting everything away part. The cleaning out and the redecorating. The fresh start.

I can honestly say I enjoy the military life(most days), even though I would have never picked it. But I did pick Johnny,and even though I still don’t like living without him, and I am proud to be his army wife. The comical thing is that growing up I stated, “ I will NEVER marry anyone in the military or a police officer.” Well my hubby’s Bachelor’s degree is Criminal Justice, and he was commissioned into the army straight out of college. Our first duty station was good ole’ Ft Knox, KY.  When we finally left there (it was a long 9 months) I said, “I NEVER wanna live there again.” We lived there again. And the second time I didn’t wanna leave.  After Ft Knox, we came to Bragg , and when Maliek was almost one , my hubby went to Ranger school. Like advanced camp, we exchanged letters during our separation. Normally I told him what our kiddos were doing and how much I missed him, and he sent  back his love, how hungry he was, and all the foods he wanted when he got home!( if there’s one thing this family takes seriously- it’s food!)

One day I got another one of those special letters. One I wasn’t so sure about. Johnny said he had decided he was going to be a chaplain. Yikes.  We did both know God,  but our lives weren’t exactly reflecting that relationship much, yet.  I thought it was cool he wanted to be a chaplain,something in me felt like it was a dream come true, but I wasn’t so sure I really wanted to be a chaplain’s wife, that I even could be. In my mind, we were already disqualified. I didn’t stress over it, I mean, we didn’t even go to church, hadn’t gone since that unfortunate experience back in college. I kinda shelved the idea, saved the letter, and went on living, awaiting his return. It would have to be an act of God, if that was going to happen. I never said never that time, but I might as well have. Thought Johnny was a little delirious from the lack of food and sleep. We didn’t talk about that letter for years. But we did start attending church after he graduated. And 11 ½ years later, Johnny became an active duty chaplain. Only God could do that.

Thank God He didn’t listen to my “nevers” (and trust me, there are more). So grateful He is in charge and that His story prevails. He knows best, so much better than me. He qualifies me, not my past, not anything I could do or have done.  And if He can do all that, then what could this deployment hold?