It’s Veteran’s Day. I love and feel respect for all who served. I totally admire those who are called by something greater than the single human spirit to serve in our armed forces. They are the ones who have patriotism run through their veins. Their love of country is to be cherished.

I am a Navy Wife. I’m married to one of those Veterans whose love of country often times had to take precedence over love of family, love of friends, love of life at home. I would never want it any other way.

I married into the Navy. I thought I knew what I was getting into….– after all, the one six-month deployment that we were testing the waters ended up with all port calls cancelled and a trip to celebrate an engagement in Hong Kong and Japan cancelled. I received the telegram telling me to cancel the trip. I didn’t understand the needs of the Navy but I loved that man. I married him anyway. I married him, knowing that life could be difficult. I was drawn into his love for our nation, his love of flying, and the camaraderie of a squadron of fun loving, like minded men.

Little did I know that alongside his squadron mates stood an equally supportive group — the sisterhood of Navy Wives. I’m sure you could take spouses from any branch of the military and it would be the same but for me, there’s nothing like my Navy Wife Sisters.

Over the years, I would be welcomed to countless new towns & bases. I would join the softball team, be a scout leader, teach new wives about what our Sisterhood was all about. I would travel, trade babysitting, and sit out typhoons with the Sisterhood because the multi-million dollar aircraft needed to be flown to safe locations. I would celebrate milestones, no matter how big or how small, I’d wait for each an every letter to be delivered, I’d get giant projects done. I would laugh and enjoy the life that we’d chosen. I would cry at the heartache of tragedy. I raised our babies, I kept the home fires burning, and I loved my husband deeply.

Cheers to the Sisterhood. We are blessed by the friendships made in the course of decisions that were often times not our own. It doesn’t matter. They were the women who would be on my doorstep in moments if needed. They were the women who danced on the tables with me. They were the women who drank Margaritas on rooftops, stood in receiving lines for dignitaries, shopped and played in foreign lands. They were the women who could be in a stunning evening gown one day and competing in a triathlon the next.  We stood side by side at countless airfields and docks, waving goodbye and wondering how we would survive another deployments only to be back in the same place six or seven months later waiting to catch a glimpse of our guys as they walked toward us at the Welcome Home celebrations.

They were the women who understood having to be mom and dad, who networked to share information for car repair, dry cleaners and baby sitters.  They understood me.  Their friendships molded me into the woman I am today.

Even though our retirement from active duty is over 15 years ago, it’s as if it was yesterday.  I can recall the moments with so many emotions.  I look at these sisters now and feel nothing but appreciation for what they did for me, for their husbands, and for our country.

PS God Bless the Veterans and their Families.