MilGirl Live and Learn: Tay

I AM SO SORRY THIS INSTALLMENT OF MilGIRL is LATE! Silly Blogger didn't post it while I was away... I'm sorry Tay!

We're talking to Tay from Skinnie Piggie! 

I'm so excited to be moving in a Northward direction (toward our featured MilGirl today) so that maybe, just maybe we can be real life friends!! *wink wink nudge nudge*

This picture is so so sweet! I love it!

Tell us a little about you: I am an Arizona girl temporarily relocated to the East Coast. I love to plan special events, be crafty, and bake. I am currently unemployed, but not for the lack of trying or credentials (I have my Bachelor's of Science). I'm about to enter my mid-twenties and feel as though life is going to get very interesting soon.  God comes first in my life and my family and friends respectively.

The branch of service: USMC

How long have you been together? If you're married, how long did you date? And how long have you been married? Well this is a complicated/loaded question for me. Technically... we haven't physically been near each other except since we got married (October 2009).  We went on dates 4 weekends during the summer of 2007, then he was re-stationed to the East Coast in August. We didn't see each other again until May 2008, a whole 10 months apart. It was then we decided that if we always wanted to (and got frustrated when we couldn't) talk to each other over the phone, internet, via letters/packages that there had to be something more than just friendship there. So we "officially" started dating May of 2008. We only saw each other three more times that year- October, November, and December. In December he asked my dad for my hand in marriage. January-May of 2009 I did my senior internship for the Coast Guard at TRACEN Petaluma (Northern California), he flew in my last day to drive home with me, he proposed on the beach! 5mo later we got married... we figured we'd been apart long enough, why have a long engagement?

How did you meet your man? Was it before he decided to sign his life away?: I met my husband via my cousin, who is also a Marine. They wanted to get off base for the weekend, so they made the 3hr drive to my parents house to visit. I had been out late with friends so by the time I got home Friday night I walked into the house and found 3 Marines sleeping in the family room! At this point he'd been in the Corps almost 1yr.

Is he career military? Sometimes yes, sometimes no... He loves the work he does, the uniform brings pride to him, and he loves our country. Some days he thinks about our future and doesn't know if he wants to be moving children all over the country/world.

How did you initially feel about him being in the military?: In all honesty besides the dangers of deployments, I had no qualms about it. My grandparents were military, many of my best friends are in the military, and I have always supported the troops- In my summer camp classes (I was a counselor) I always made sure to have the kids write thank you letters to troops.

What attracted you to him? Was it the uniform?: I will say, no offense to the other branches, that the USMC Dress Blues are the most attractive uniform out there. However, considering I met him sleeping on my parents couch it didn't have an affect on my being attractive to him... it was his personality, sense of humor, the fact that we could talk for hours (literally)!

How does/did your family feel about him being in the military?: At first they were worried and they still don't like the fact that we live so far away, but they are very proud of him for what he does and for me being willing to stand by him no matter what.

Does the sexy uniform (or the sense of pride you feel) make up for the sacrifices you have to make?: As sexy as his uniform is- no. I am very proud of him for serving our country, I will support the him through everything, and follow where ever the military send us. In all honesty though, nothing will make up for the time we have to spend apart, so I just try to treasure every moment we have together. In my personal experience it is also very hard leaving everyone/everything you knew and were accustomed to, as well as trying to find a job at each new place.

Have your plans been messed up thanks to the military?: Well, his leave to come in December (when he asked my dad for my hand in marriage) almost wasn't approved.

The very first blizzard we went through, we had just moved, so we didn't have snow shovels, etc. He was gone doing a bootcamp instruction weekend, so I got snowed in alone with nothing but a dustpan! 

I haven't been home since the wedding and we keep trying to plan a week or two that I can go, but now he is on "hold" for a deployment. I really would like to see my family and friends; however, I cannot fathom missing my last week with him or the send-off because I am vacationing on the other side of the country!


Does it motivate you as a couple to get married sooner if he is slated to get orders to leave you (go off to training/school, move to a new duty station –PCS, deploy)? Did you elope? Since he was always far away we both wanted a short engagement! I think we figured out the total time we had actually spent together from 2007-wedding to be somewhere in the vicinity of 3-4mo. Crazy.

What is one piece of advice you wish you had received while dating? There will always be arguments, especially within long distance relationships. If you can get through them peacefully and actually resolve them, not just push them aside, it will help out in the long term. Especially in the awkward transitioning of "oh, I'm actually physically talking to you not a phone or picture on a computer screen" phase.

Wow! What a great story of enduring love!

We all know long distance relationships are hard, 

but being able to sustain it for so long is a testament to your strong relationship!!

I'm sorry this story was late!

MilGirl Live and Learn: Betsy

Sorry about the late installation of MilGirl Live and Learn today! My Blogger decided to work its own magic and not cooperate! 
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Here's a blogger I actually know in person! Meet Betsy from Just a Little Something Betsy!  She is a fantastic cook and takes yummy looking pictures for her blog. She also sells cool stuff on Etsy!

Tell us a little about you: I am a housewife/artist originally from New Jersey. I went to college and graduated with a bachelors in Engineering which I used for... 3.5 years or so :-P Maybe I'll use it again someday, but I got burnt out, and have no desire to go back yet. I have an Etsy shop to sell photography that hopefully I can turn into a real business this year/next.

The branch of service: Marine Corps!!

How long have you been together? If you're married, how long did you date? And how long have you been married? We've been together... almost 5 years, and married 3 of them. We dated for 1 year, and were engaged for 8 months (I would have been much happier if we'd done that the other way around- dated 8 months and were engaged a year, but hey - ya get what ya get!)

How did you meet your man? Was it before he decided to sign his life away?: I met my man serving him beer at our college pub. He had a bad day, and I could pour a near-perfect pint of Guiness. It was a match made in heaven (plus, the beer was cheap)!  He was in ROTC (Reserved Officer's Training Corps) at the time - so although he hadn't QUITE signed his life away yet (AKA, didn't sign on the dotted line) he had definitely promised to. We were together for 7 months when he officially signed his life away and as my mom likes to say regularly "Married the Marine Corps"

Is he career military? Considering he deployed to Afghanistan, and while he was there couldn't think of anything better to do when he got out... yea. It's been a bit of a roller coaster decision (In college it was "20 years", after the first school it was "6 years max", after the second school it was "4 years and I'm out!", after reaching the fleet it was "at least 6 years", and then after deployment it went to "20+")

How did you initially feel about him being in the military?: I was amazingly comfortable with it. I wasn't EXCITED, but I was in love and oblivious to what it would really MEAN and blissfully ignorant... and totally ready to follow him wherever he went for the next 20 years. (We'd agreed at the onset that I'd follow him for 20 if he followed me for the next 20 - HA!)

What attracted you to him? Was it the uniform?: It wasn't the uniform - in fact, I'd had a pretty strict "No Military" rule up until him. But his big goofy grin and plaid shirts somehow managed to suck me in, and I couldn't be happier. Although, I DO love the uniform, especially when I can prance HIM around my girlfriends back home ;) I say all the time that I fell in love with a guy named Pete, and it just so happens he's a Marine, not the other way around.

How does/did your family feel about him being in the military?: Wary at first. Worried for me. Mostly because no one understood it. Although both my grandfathers had been in the Navy, neither had been married while in the military, so the idea of it was far from concrete. Mom called me a "part time daughter" while we were dating since I went to visit him every chance I got, and therefore wasn't home for all the long weekends and some family events. I don't regret it, and she understands a little more now why it was so important (now SHE'S not home for all the long weekends, cause she's visiting me!) Now however, they're OK with it. They know how MUCH of a Marine he is, how he's ALWAYS BEEN a Marine, and always will be one, and they love him just as much as I do.

Does the sexy uniform (or the sense of pride you feel) make up for the sacrifices you have to make?: The uniform definitely doesn't make up for it, because the REALLY sexy uniform is NOT the one he wears every day, lol. And the amount he complains when he WEARS the really sexy uniform (it's so hot... it's uncomfortable... I can't move my arms... I was measured for this at my smallest!) detracts from the sexiness unless I have earplugs in ;). I'm not sure anything makes up for the sacrifice, but if it wasn't for such a good reason, I wouldn't do it at all.  So I guess in that sense, the pride I have for him and what he does must make up for most of it ;). It definitely helps that he's insanely happy being a Marine.

Have your plans been messed up thanks to the military?: Plans? Not entirely, we've been lucky there. Wishes? Dreams? OH YEA! I had planned a cross country photo trip after graduating college - been saving money for years to take 3 months and explore America doing a photo exposition before I settled into being a numbers girl. All of my best friends graduated college a semester early (damn smarties) so my man and I were going to go. I had a route planned, I had places picked out, but not the finer points and the stuff that actually cost $$. And then... about a month before graduation, we find out that instead of going to school in September like we expected, he's going in June... because a buddy of his begged for an early slot. (P.S. the buddy ended up going in September and didn't miss any opportunities to remind me of how HE got a summer in Europe. PBTHHHH) Needless to say, that trip has been postponed to... retirement? I dunno... We may have broken a few rules along the way, but we've managed to get all the big stuff in. However, this will be our first anniversary TOGETHER this year. 1 out of 3 ain't bad, right?

Does it motivate you as a couple to get married sooner if he is slated to get orders to leave you (go off to training/school, move to a new duty station –PCS, deploy)? Did you elope? YES! In our case, it was a "this is the only time we'll KNOW he'll BE THERE for the wedding" decision. There were 2 weekends we could pull it off, fortunately, one was available at the church! We did not do a justice of the peace marriage first and then our church wedding, but I've had a LOT of friends who have. The benefits you DON'T have before you're married make things VERY difficult.

What is one piece of advice you wish you had received while dating?  You know how women tell you that they had NO idea what childbirth or being a mother REALLY was until they WERE a mother?  The same is true for being a MilGirl (heck, the same is true for just about everything) and it's OK! You can prepare, and know, and understand everything going in, but when you experience your first move, your first deployment, your first ball, your first social, your first anything... things will change and it may be harder than you thought. (and it's OK) Just remember that no matter how hard it gets, you're where you are because you love your service member and he loves you, and all you need is that LOVE to get you through - wherever that may be. Oh, and when it gets hard and people say "you signed up for this" (because... they will) you should NOT punch them in the face like you REALLY want to, but remind them of the childbirth concept. It's the only way I've found to shut people up, and took me 2 years to figure out! :)

Thanks Betsy!

Hey MilGirls, be sure to check out her Etsy store and her blog!

Don't forget about the Giveaway happening soon! <3

MilGirl Live and Learn: Jordan

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Oh how much I love this week's MilGirl, I cannot even TELL you! She is so fabulous, gorgeous and funny! Oh and it helps that her lover is hunky too!! Please join me in welcoming Jordan from Southern Hospitality!

 OMG they are so stinking cute together, I might just gag. Just kiddin.

No seriously though, don't you think they would make the most absolutely gorgeous children EVER?

Here's Jordan!

Tell us a little about you: I am going to be starting my senior year at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, majoring in Communication Studies and minoring in Parks and Recreation.  I would like to work for the MCCS after graduation.

The branch of service: United States Marine Corps…Oorah!

How long have you been together? If you're married, how long did you date? And how long have you been married? We have been dating about a year, but we have talked, and he is planning on putting a ring on it before TBS, we want to be together. Speaking of TBS I guess I need to explain my lover’s situation. Lover will be graduating from Officer Candidate School Seniors this summer and will be commissioned as a Marine next summer after graduation.

How did you meet your man? Was it before he decided to sign his life away?: Ben and I met on Wrightsville Beach through a mutual friend.  I had another boyfriend at the time, but that was crashing and burning, and was ending anyways. We were going to take it slow, yeah, that never happens. He was very patient with me, and I am so thankful for his persistence, because he truly is my soulmate.

Is he career military? You never know where life will take you, but it has always been his dream to be a Marine. It’s his purpose in life, and I am so thankful he discovered it so young in life. I know his plans are to make the military his career, and we are both looking forward to an exciting life with the military.

How did you initially feel about him being in the military?: Initially, shoot have you seen those uniforms…um I was like, “sign me up for your team hot stuff.” Now, after completely being head over heels for him, I of course stress out every day about his safety, but I am so proud and blessed to be with such a selfless and honorable man.

What attracted you to him? Was it the uniform?: Well, I didn’t actually see him in his uniform until very recently, but he is so fine, so I knew he would look amazing in it. I fell in love with his personality and loving heart.

How does/did your family feel about him being in the military?: My family adores him. He is so respectful to everyone, so you can’t help but love him. My family is so proud of his sacrifices and accomplishments through the Marine Corps and outside of it.

Does the sexy uniform (or the sense of pride you feel) make up for the sacrifices you have to make?: This reminds me of the quote…"Never say that someone completes you. We have to feel whole even when we are by ourselves; for needing a certain someone is not love, but dependency. Wanting a person to become part of your life is the best reason for having them. So rather than search for someone who will complete you, wait for the person that will compliment your completeness." Lover is his own person; this is what he has wanted to do his whole life. I just want to compliment his completeness, so his decision to be in the military is his decision and I am there to support because I love him and want to be with him and because I love this country.

Have your plans been messed up thanks to the military?: No, just altered them. At the same time you have to remember, I have not been through the same things other Mil ladies have, yet. Not that I will never bitch in my life, but what in life should be wasted on negative thinking?

Does it motivate you as a couple to get married sooner if he is slated to get orders to leave you (go off to training/school, move to a new duty station –PCS, deploy)? Did you elope? Yes we're motivated, being separated at OCS has shown both of us that it’s important we are together while he is at TBS. I have always wanted a beautiful wedding, but starting a life with him is more important than a wedding, so we’ll do what we have to.

What is one piece of advice you wish you had received while dating? Well, we're still dating…but I have friends who are married/engaged to servicemen/women and I would have to say you are the company you keep. Drama is not hard to find, in and out of the military, but seriously I have friends who like to engage themselves in drama, and it’s embarrassing. Being married to someone in the military you are representing them and this country, you never know who it reading what you say on ANY social network, just be careful.

Thanks Jordan. Wise words from this week's MilGirl.

I am so excited for you! And I can't wait to meet you!!

Don't forget, if you want to be a MilGirl, 

(or if you want an extra entry for an upcoming giveaway) email me!

Date.a.Marine [at] gmail.com

MilGirl Live and Learn: Carmen

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Today we're talking to Carmen from We See the Same Stars!  

How exciting that she and Mike are getting MARRIED in 20 days!! Please wish this lovely couple a lovely wedding and a long and beautiful marriage! Congratulations!!

Congratulations on your wedding in 20 days! WOO-HOO!

Tell us a little about you: Hmmm, where do I start? Well, I'm a recent college graduate of Marquette University moving to North Carolina after I get married on August 1st to the love of my life. I love to play and watch sports, spend time with my family, traveling (pretty much everywhere), and I plan on becoming a medical interpreter with the degree I have (Spanish for the Professions) so I'm pretty excited about that! I'm a roller-coaster FREAK and I love to ride them, I love theme parks, and I'm definitely the party type but I also enjoy chill nights of cuddling and movie-watching. =)


The branch of service: Marine Corps

How long have you been together/married? 5 years and some odd months


How did you meet your man? Was it before he decided to sign his life away?: I met him in high school and let me tell you, it was definitely not love at first sight. We HATED each other (and hate is being nice...) and we played tricks on each other all the time. Not nice ones either. However, our attitudes turned around our junior year and we started to talk and actually be nice to each other and we started officially dating on February 1st, 2005. He didn't sign his life away to the military until 2006 so we were together for about a year and a half before he left for boot camp.

Is he career military? Yes and no. It's difficult to explain. As of right now, he's getting out in 2011 to go to college and then return to go to OCS once he graduates with his degree. It's slightly complicated but I guess you could say he's a "lifer!"

How did you initially feel about him being in the military?: I supported him 100%. I wasn't ready for him to leave me at all but if this is what he wanted to do then I would always support him. Of course, the military has its ups and downs but as long as I'm with him, I don't think it really matters. I'm proud of what he does for me and for our country. =)

What attracted you to him? Was it the uniform?: I would definitely have to say that his sense of humor attracted me. I don't know why, but I love people who are funny. I tend to click with them very quickly but I also love how caring he is. He will always care for me as if I was a fragile piece of glass. Unfortunately, he worked for Jewel at the time I met him so the uniform definitely was not a factor then!

How does/did your family feel about him being in the military?: My adopted family supports him 100% and is very proud of him being in the military. My biological family, however, is somewhat wishy washy. Sometimes they are proud of him, other times they aren't. It's really complicated, ha ha.

Does the sexy uniform (or the sense of pride you feel) make up for the sacrifices you have to make?: Nothing will ever make up for the sacrifices you make as a military significant other. Not only do you have to sacrifice your time with him to do his job but you have to completely revolve your life around the military (which, believe it or not, is very hard for me to accept... but I'm getting there!) but I do have a great sense of pride that he is making sacrifices as well just to do his job. I can never get the time back that I didn't have with him but hopefully once we are married it will make up for it.


Have your plans been messed up thanks to the military?: OH YES. Quite a few times actually. During my freshman year of college Mike and I were supposed to fly to Spain to visit my family over there and we were one week away from leaving when he tells me that his leave got denied and we couldn't go. My dad had a FIT (since he paid for our tickets) and he was pretty much forcing me to go. I told him that I wouldn't go without Mike and that I wasn't going to spend Christmas without him so we both ended up staying at home for Christmas and we used our tickets at a later time to go elsewhere.

The other time that it got messed up was when he wasn't scheduled to deploy and we had set aside time and go on a vacation since we hadn't gone in almost 2 years and we were about to book the vacation when they told him he was deploying.... IN TWO WEEKS! They gave him pretty much no notice at all and when he asked for pre-deployment leave, he only got 4 days. I'm glad that he got those 4 days, but I expected at least a week or two when guys are deploying to come home and spend time with family. Let me tell you, those 4 days were a roller-coaster of emotions.


Does it motivate you as a couple to get married sooner if he is slated to get orders to leave you (go off to training/school, move to a new duty station –PCS, deploy)? Did you elope?: I would say so. When Mike was getting deployed in those 4 days we contemplated getting married on paper but we weren't sure yet. We thought about eloping and/or getting married on paper without telling anyone but in the end we decided to wait and I'm glad we did.

What is one piece of advice you had received PRIOR to getting married or while dating?:
Always support him no matter what. Being in a partnership is supporting one another and being there. Even though they might not show it, the guys need you more than you can imagine and they need the support to get through things like deployments, boot camp, etc.

If you don't mind, I want to offer a piece of advice for those of you who are new to the military life. Don't expect everything to go your way. I've been disappointed quite a few times in the 4 years he's been in and you just can't rely on the military to do the things you want them to. They might change plans around 50 times before they make up their minds. It's a hard lifestyle to get used to but as many of you know, the waiting, crying, hoping, praying is all worth it when you see their smiling faces again. =)

Thanks Carmen! You have some wonderful advice.

And once again, Congratulations!!

I hope your wedding is as amazing as you dreamed it to be!!

And I want pictures!!

Ladies, if you're a MilGirl and want to share some advice or encouragement, please contact me!

date.a.marine [at] gmail.com

Love,

R

MilGirl Live and Learn: Melissa

I hope you all enjoyed your Independence day!  I had a lovely weekend and I'll be blogging about that some other time! 

Just a sidebar, how much ucky gasses does this country release into the air with fireworks that are set off on the 4th of July?? Just a thought! 

Without further ado...

Today we are walking to Melissa over at Head in the Game. Heart in the sand! She is an Army girlfriend whose blog I love reading... thanks always for the deeper level of blog writing! I appreciate it a lot!! I also think that Melissa is our first MilGirl who is an Army girl!! 

(Look at them, they are so cute and color coordinated!)

Tell us a little about you: I am 26 and I am in law school in Minnesota while Al is serving in Iraq. When's he's stateside, he's in El Paso, TX so we've been long distance for our entire relationship. I like good conversation, a good book, a cold beer and a baseball game or simply a long drive blasting the radio. I am addicted to chapstick, I LOVE shoe-shopping and I have an odd affinity for eating pasta. I don't like people who don't vote or don't move fast enough and I despise cold weather and feet. I am not shy nor easily offended, but I'm a stickler for respect. Once you have that, I will be a loyal and passionate friend! I'm a fighter when I'm mad and a lover when I'm loving and at the end of the day, I want BOTH a career and a family and I will work hard for both! (Note from Editor: Melissa, can we be friends? I knew you were bad ass before but that just solidifies it for me!  Here's my phone number ;))

The branch of service: Army

How long have you been together/married?: We have been together a little under 2 years (however, we've known each other for 5)

How did you meet your man? Was it before he decided to sign his life away?: I did meet him before the Army. We worked together back in the day when we were just kids (20). After a few months of hanging out he told me he was leaving for boot camp and that was it. Fast forward 3 years and we re-acquainted ourselves and have pretty much been together ever since. So, while I was there before the Army, I certainly wasn't a factor in the decision in any way.

Is he career military?: He goes back and forth. If the job and circumstances were right, I think he absolutely would be. Right now, he wants to get his degree and start a family and neither are terribly conducive to staying in the Army.

How did you initially feel about him being in the military?: I had no problem with it. It was something he enjoyed and that he was good at. I was in law school so it was actually good timing (if there ever is one) for him to be doing what he does. I know I would feel a little differently if I wasn't so busy. Either way, I am extremely proud of him and his job and will continue to support him no matter what.

What attracted you to him? Was it the uniform?: Nope. I was attracted to how strong and hard-working he was. He was quiet, with friendly eyes and strong arms. When he chose to talk, he was funny...really funny. Of course, a shaved head and pair of dog tags certainly up the ante on the attraction scale!

How does/did your family feel about him being in the military?: My mother loves it! She goes to Blue Star Mothers meetings, even though he isn't her son and we're not married yet. She sends him more care packages than I do, definitely more than his family does. She's a riot. The rest of my family fully supports it, although they wish we could have a more "normal" relationship.

Does the sexy uniform (or the sense of pride you feel) make up for the sacrifices you have to make?: I wouldn't be with him if it wasn't worth the sacrifice. Although, the uniform doesn't cut it on its own. Ha ha. I am extremely proud of him, the man he is and the job he does - those things make it easier for me to continue in our life this way.

Have your plans been messed up thanks to the military?: They really haven't. I am blessed that I can still be in school, doing what I love. We are both pretty independent and while we are both working towards a life together, the individual things we have in our lives are very important. We have managed to keep the things/plans in our lives straight and converge them into plans we want together. I will eventually (when I'm done with school) move to wherever he is so we can start the next phase together.

Does it motivate you as a couple to get married sooner if he is slated to get orders to leave you (go off to training/school, move to a new duty station –PCS, deploy)? Did you elope?: Not for us. As I mentioned, keeping our individual goals was very important, which included not getting married before we were truly ready. We wanted things to be on our timeline and in our way, not motivated by the military and benefits, or by his deployment. It's certainly been a battle and my extensive school debt constantly reminds me of how my budget wouldn't be so tight if we had married before he left. But for us, we are stronger, more connected, and better individuals because we did it our way. We are definitely looking forward to the marriage part!

What is one piece of advice you wished you had received PRIOR to getting married or while dating?: When I was little, before I really understood what it all meant, my Oma (grandmother) told me something that I still remember and cherish: "Your relationship has to be based on mutual respect. There will be days where the butterflies are gone, where you don't even like that person because they make you so mad. But if you have respect, for who they are as a person, husband, etc... then you have all you need."

Melissa, you always make me think a little bit harder, 

dig a bit deeper with each piece of writing!

I love it! That's why I love reading you!

I hope y'all (readers) enjoyed her advice too!

Do you think you have some advice or stories to share? We'd love to hear it! Email me!

Date.a.marine [at] gmail.com

MilGirl Live and Learn: Ines

 Thanks for joining us today! 

We are talking to Ines from The Few, the Proud, the Wife!

Tell us a little about you: Ugh! This is the worst thing I hate talking about because I usually don't know where to start and then I just end up talking nonsense. Here it goes: I'm originally from Spain but due to my father's job I have lived abroad my entire life (10 countries in 4 continents and still counting). I went to school in NY, Manhattanville College (a small liberal arts school in Westchester County) and I went on to Major in Communications with a Minor in African Studies and Latin American Studies. After graduation I moved to France and then to Austria, where my parents where living at the time. I did a bunch of internships and got a job and then headed to get my MA in Human Rights at the University of Essex in the UK. My biggest passion in life is Africa, the continent as a whole. I was born in Kenya and lived in Namibia right after it got independence from South Africa and its history basically stuck to me (man, I should've majored in history). The reason I mentioned Africa being my biggest passion is because if you read my blog there will be a random blog on the subject. I was going to major in African Studies but I knew that if I majored in that I would have to teach and to be honest I don't want to so I did Communications and as my thesis a created a magazine of Africa. My thesis for my MA was different, it was based on Argentina's Dirty War (my mother is Argentinean and this subject is so close to home).

Now I'm happily married to love of my life and I wouldn't have it any other way. Like every couple we have dealt with a lot but knowing that we have made it means we can make it through anything.
I guess that's what I can sum up about me in a nutshell, education and all.

The branch of service: USMC

 (Wow. Just wow...)

How long have you been together/married? Almost 4 years together, 6 months married.

How did you meet your man? Was it before he decided to sign his life away?:  I met my husband while he was on the MSG (Marine Security Guard) program in Austria. We met through a mutual friend and from then on the rest is history.

Is he career military?: Yes!

How did you initially feel about him being in the military?: To be honest it didn't bother me at all. I had known a few other Marines who where stationed in Austria as MSGs and I got whole different look at the Marines and military. When I met my husband I feel in love for who he was.

What attracted you to him? Was it the uniform?: I won't deny it that he looks amazing in his dress blues, I'm kind of smiling just thinking of it. My husband has a great personality. He gets along with everyone and everyone gets along with him. I envy how a great talker he is and how straightforward he is about things.

How does/did your family feel about him being in the military?: I think, even though they have never told me, my family feels the same way every family feels when their son/daughter marries a military person, the fear of them getting hurt or worse.

Does the sexy uniform (or the sense of pride you feel) make up for the sacrifices you have to make?: The sexy uniforms do help of course, but the most important thing is the sense of pride. He loves the Marine Corps, this is what he does and he's good at it.


Have your plans been messed up thanks to the military?: Oh yes! The MSG program has many ups  and plenty of downs. Curfews, 7 days a week work week, random off days, etc. The program, from my point of views, is a great program. They get to live in 3 different countries for 3 years and the majority go out and visit the neighboring countries. One thing with this program is dealing with long distance relationship,  My husband and I had to deal with long distance relationship from country to country, continent to continent and we made it!

The one thing that got to me was when we were planning our wedding. At the time I was living in the UK and my husband was living in Germany and his sister voluntarily asked if she could help with the wedding and be our wedding planner. We of course jumped to the opportunity knowing that it would be ridiculously hard and expensive to go back and forth from Europe to the US. In the midst of planning my husband tells me that they have changed the dates of when he's leaving the MSG and its sooner than expected. Our wedding was planned for January 9th, 2010, we ended up getting married December 12th, 2009, and he was suppose to get out of MSG December 15th, 2009. Well, apparently he was notified that he had to report to 29 Palms September, 2010. SHIT! So I was stressed and pissed, he was pissed and annoyed and his sister was confused. Hubby worked some magic and got them to move the date later in December where he would start school in January. Perfect!...not so much. We lost our spot of the reception place and had to go for something less...."nicer"?

Does it motivate you as a couple to get married sooner if he is slated to get orders to leave you (go off to training/school, move to a new duty station –PCS, deploy)? Did you elope?
I wish I had eloped but it was more for the reason that I didn't want a wedding. I'm so not a tradition girl :) But my husband wanted one and that was fine with me. Because he was in MSG he could not get married while on the program (they actually sign a contract saying they will not get married) hence as to why we couldn't get married at any time we pleased. ALSO, since I'm not American I was waiting for my fiance visa which I needed in order to marry my husband in the US. So yeah, I was pretty much stressed!

What is one piece of advice you wish you had received PRIOR to getting married or while dating?: Be sure and be strong. Be very sure this is what you want in life. It not easy to being married to someone in the military so be sure. Be strong because you are going to endure a lot and you need to be able to handle it.

Thanks Ines! What a wonderful perspective!

Thank you for sharing your experience of going through the MSG program with us!

It's so inspiring to see couples who make it through such long distances (different continents!)

MilGirl Live and Learn: Karley

<center><a href="http://sempergumbythelife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Semper Gumby"src="http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/b449/betterwifeblogdesign/milgirl3.jpg"/><br /> </a></center>

Today we're talking to Karley aka LCpl Princess from Boonie Caps & Tiaras!

 (They just LOOK like a Marine couple. Adorable!)

Tell us a little about you: I am 25 and in my last year of Nursing School to be a RN, I already have my bachelors in Kinesiology but I wanted a job that would move easily with my husband and I since he is a career Marine. We currently live 14 hrs apart and its miserable! We had a JOP May 8 wedding; we are having our "white wedding" when he gets done with the upcoming deployment! We are from the deep south, and I can't wait to move =)

The branch of service: Marine Corps

How long have you been together/married? together 5 and 1/2 yrs- married one month =)

How did you meet your man? Was it before he decided to sign his life away?: We met in college, he also has his bachelors in Kinesiology and a bachelors in business. We had class together and sparks flew immediately (which was crazy cause I was engaged to someone else at the time! but I called it off, when I met my husband now we both just knew we were soul mates- i know that may sound dumb to some) My husband had not signed his life away, in fact we dated 3 years before we made the choice to become a military family! Boot camp was terrible cause we are one of those couples that does anything and everything together, it was our first time to be apart much less 13 weeks of not hearing his voice and sitting every day by my mailbox crying my eyes out if there was no letter. but I guess it was getting me ready for all the distance our future would hold!

Is he career military? yes, infantry

How did you initially feel about him being in the military?: Well because we made the choice together I was anxious about change, but excited about our future, nervous,  and bummed about the distance

What attracted you to him? Was it the uniform?: No, not the uniform that didnt come for 3 yrs later! Definitely my husbands wittiness and i thought he was so sexy

How does/did your family feel about him being in the military?: they hated it when we made the choice and they still hate it! even though I am the daughter of an Army vet, they didnt want their daughter in the position of having to raise my kids alone at times, and having to take on man duties when he is gone, the thought of combat stresses them out. They were under the impression he was going to law school since he got accpepted in our home town, so when we took a different direction they were unhappy!

Does the sexy uniform (or the sense of pride you feel) make up for the sacrifices you have to make?: haha no the uniform doesn't do anything for the tears, loneliness & fear. I have gotten used to the uniform by now since he wears it daily! What makes it worth it is- the sense of pride, and the fact that my husband handles things so well, he does his best to not make me feel second or neglected though he stays so busy and on the occasion I do get down he lets me vent and gets me back on track haha!

Have your plans been messed up thanks to the military?: oh gosh yes, our original wedding date was last May (we wound up getting married anyway and doing a JOP) but our big wedding was supposed to be last month and because my husband was supposed to be at Mojave Viper for the upcoming deployment I moved it, but then my husband shattered his ankle in training so due to rehab they moved his deployment date again, so I moved our wedding again, and we still arent sure the exact date of our "white wedding"  because I am sure the Marine Corps will have other things in mind SO thats why we went ahead with our JOP =)

Does it motivate you as a couple to get married sooner if he is slated to get orders to leave you (go off to training/school, move to a new duty station –PCS, deploy)? Did you elope? we did elope, and it was due to shifting deployment dates on top of my wedding date haha

What is one piece of advice you had received PRIOR to getting married or while dating? I got tons of advice on my blog! Communication is key to a military relationship, being patient, and flexible, and keep your own hobbies that make you, you. Dont let becoming a military wife become you, your future husband fell in love with YOU (not DEERS, LINKS,FRG or TRICARE). I know my husband loves that I still have my own identity cause he deals with military ALL day I am a refuge, a breath of fresh air =)

Thanks Karley for being this week's MilGirl!

I hope you loved learning about her today.

Are YOU a MilGirl (wife, fiancee, girlfriend?) and want to be interviewed?

email me at date [dot] a [dot] marine [at] gmail [dot] com!

Is there something else you want to ask the MilGirls? Let me know!

MilGirl Live and Learn: Samantha

Thanks Karissa at Being a Better Wife for my new MilGirl Logo!

Today it's all about Samantha of Navy Doll

(Aren't they just adorable? Nod... yep!)

Tell us a little about you: I'm 23 years old, married to a handsome sailor, stay at home mommy. I love to cook. Hate to clean, but somehow manage to keep the house under control. My favorite scent is cherry blossom and my favorite food is guacamole!!! :)

The branch of service: United States Navy

How long have you been together/married? We have been together for 3 1/2 years, and married for 2 years.

How did you meet your man? Was it before he decided to sign his life away?: We met in bootcamp, August 2006. We were interviewing to get stationed in Boston. I thought he was so adorable, and he thought I looked like Dora the Explorer. (I had this awfully short haircut, I'm Hispanic, and I have a pear shape....enough said) We were like bootcamp sweethearts!

Is he career military? He says he isn't, but everytime i ask him where he sees himself in 10 years, he goes straight to being stationed somewhere like Japan or Italy. ha ha! He's definitely a lifer!
How did you initially feel about him being in the military?: I love it! I'm so proud of him and he is such a hard worker. I've had the privilege of working with him. He keeps work as work. There will be plenty of time to play afterward.

What attracted you to him? Was it the uniform?: His smile and personality. He's got a sense of humor that is out of this world. His uniform not so much. When I first met him we were both wearing the same thing...nothing sexy about that! lol! But now, he works a pair of dress blues and whites like no other! :)

How does/did your family feel about him being in the military?: Nobody seems bothered by it. They are just glad that he has done something great and amazing with his life. My father, a Vietnam Veteran, couldn't be prouder.

Does the sexy uniform (or the sense of pride you feel) make up for the sacrifices you have to make?: Although he does look great in his uniform, that will never be the reason to make me feel better about a missed anniversary or birthday. Yet, the sense of pride I feel for him somehow does. I know he does it because he loves his country and he wants his family to have a good life. There's nothing better than that.

Have your plans been messed up thanks to the military? Tell me your horror stories!: He's missed so many holidays and birthdays! It's the pits, but you get used to it. The worst thing that has happened was this past Thanksgiving. He had come home from a 2 week underway a few days before. The week of Thanksgiving they called him to go back out. He came home late on Thanksgiving. Around 8pm. It stunk because last year he had duty on Thanksgiving.....I was more than a little peeved.

Does it motivate you as a couple to get married sooner if he is slated to get orders to leave you (go off to training/school, move to a new duty station –PCS, deploy)? Did you elope? We were lucky enough to get stationed together in Boston and our new Duty Station. We eloped because we couldn't wait any longer! I couldn't wait to become his wife!!!!!

What is one piece of advice you had received PRIOR to getting married or while dating? Never marry a military man....Here's what I say to that: Guess my honest, faithful, and loving husband wasn't the military man you were talking about.

Thanks Samantha for joining us for the 2nd ever MilGirl Live and Learn!

Come back and see us next week when we talk to a Marine Princess.

~

Do you want to talk about your MilGirl experiences?

I'd love to talk to you! Please email me at [date.a.marine@gmail.com] for details!

Drum Roll Please! MilGirl Live and Learn: Shayla

I am so excited about launching...

MilGirl (Monday) Live and Learn!

Today we'll be hearing from Shayla of Sunshine and Sprinkles!

She and her husband just got married 2 weeks ago!!

Their pictures on her blog are SO cute!!!

(see? so super cute!)

Without further delay, here's Shayla!

Tell us a little about you: I'm a Jesus freak, I just got married a little over a week ago, I'm 20 years old.  I'm in my 3rd year of college- I want to be a first grade teacher!

The branch of service: The BEST branch ...lol the United States Coast Guard :)

How long have you been together/married? We've been married for like...10 days (HAHA) but together for almost 2.5 years.  Note from Editor: This is as of May 31! Congratulations, Shayla!

How did you meet your man? Was it before he decided to sign his life away?: Funny story, he took MY friend to prom.  Given, at the time I had a boyfriend *who I was CERTAIN I would marry-thank goodness that did NOT happen!*  Before they went to prom together he started eating lunch with all of us (he was a senior, I was a sophomore).  Almost 3 years later we met again through facebook.  He was living in Michigan with his older brother and he came down for a weekend and asked me out..the rest is history :).  He signed his life a way a little over one year into our relationship- ironically, him going through boot camp SAVED our relationship.

Is he career military? We are not for certain on that, it depends if he really loves the aviation program.  Probably not though,  being in the military keeps him away from family, and he's a big family guy so things are tough for him right now.

How did you initially feel about him being in the military?: Um, I was thankful he was doing the Coast Guard out of all the other branches, but I was very scared that the military would change him into a tough and mean guy that didn't love me anymore.

What attracted you to him? Was it the uniform?: At the time we met his work uniform was black slacks and a red Radioshack Shirt! haha so not the uniform!!!  He has the most GORGEOUS blue eyes I have ever seen!!!  His heart is what I love most, I've never met someone who cares so much about the human race!  He cares so much about people!!!

How does/did your family feel about him being in the military?: My dad was THRILLED.  He was in the Air Force and feels that EVERY man should be required to serve 2 years in the military after high school- so he loved the idea.  My mom was excited for him, and my little brother was really proud of him for joining.

Does the sexy uniform (or the sense of pride you feel) make up for the sacrifices you have to make?:  I don't think ANYTHING can make up for lost time with my husband, but I do have a LOT of pride in what he does.  I don't think the pride makes up for the sacrifice, but it makes the sacrifice easier to swallow.

Have your plans been messed up thanks to the military? Tell me your horror stories!:  Well, if his ship gets called to go deal with the oil spill we may have some serious issues come our big family wedding in August...or if a hurricane hits...things may get canceled!!!  Other than that...there have been sometimes when visits have been pushed back a weekend or two, but nothing major thank goodness!!!

Does it motivate you as a couple to get married sooner if he is slated to get orders to leave you (go off to training/school, move to a new duty station –PCS, deploy)? Did you elope?: We eloped! It's fun everyone should try it! LOL  We got married sooner because of BAH, and the fact that if we waited until December he would have to go to A-school right after the wedding...so YES the Coast Guard made us get married much sooner--but I am so thankful for it!!!

What is one piece of advice you had received (or wish you received) PRIOR to getting married or while dating?  I was told that if he gets what he wants at home he won't go looking for it elsewhere (thanks mom!).  Always RESPECT your husband UNCONDITIONALLY (Love & Respect - amazing book) 

If I were to give advice to future MilSpouses I would say; stay involved in his life.  Know his chain of command, the buddies he works with, and all of the lingo associated with his job.  A lot of times guys don't share with their significant other what is going on b/c they feel that they don't care or understand- that's BAD news.  You WANT your man to tell you EVERYTHING.  If not, you give away your ability to honor him- making it reallllllly easy for another girl to come in and take your place.

Also, ALWAYS support him.  You may not always agree, but you can always support him in a loving way!!!

Thanks Shayla for being with us today!

Also, thank you for reading the Semper Gumby the Life's FIRST 

MilGirl Live and Learn!

Let us know what you think! 

xoxo,

Reina

Sneak Peek: MilGirl Live and Learn

Ladies! I'm so excited to announce that tomorrow, we will have our FIRST MilGirl Live and learn right here on Semper Gumby the Life!

Just as a preview, I wanted to give you a glimpse of what the girls will be talking about EVERY MONDAY starting tomorrow!

Today, it's ME!

I'm Reina! But you already knew that.
Branch of Service: My Fiancee serves in the United States Marine Corps.

How is going from a civilian to a MilGirl different?: Obviously, the learning curve is HUGE. The mannerisms and the protocol freak me out the most.  I always get scared going through the base gate with him, even if I'm not doing anything wrong.  The biggest one is that you can't show affection while he's in uniform (except for in our engagement pics, above...).  Perhaps it's just the USMC because they take their uniforms VERY VERY seriously, but that's a hard one for me to get used to. I also didn't have to carry around a Marine to English dictionary with me before this guy!

How long have you been together/married?: We have been "together" physically in the same country since December 2008.  He was stationed in Okinawa prior to that.  We are getting married in September 2011! I am a lucky girl.

How did you meet your man? Was it before he signed his life away?: I actually met him for the first time before he was a Marine.  He says it was love at first sight but it took 2 years for me to get to that point.  By then, he was a Marine, in Japan and very very far away from me.  We skyped and IM-ed and emailed all the time.  He walked into a pole trying to text me (while he was "out with the guys").

Is the career military?: He most certainly is.  Currently he's enlisted but he is hoping to finish up the few last years of college to go through OCS (Officer Candidate School) and TBS (The Basic School)!  I think he would be a wonderful officer.  I know he'll be awesome also, having been enlisted himself. I am so proud of my Marine... Can't you tell?

What attracted you to him?  Was it the uniform?: Honestly, it probably WAS the uniform but not the fact that he was in the military.  Quite frankly, I was terrified of the military (since I didn't know anything about it).  But after getting to know him, his personality was exactly what I wanted: attentive, caring and goofy as all get up (like me!).


How did/does your family feel about him being in the military?: I don't think they are quite sold on it.  It's frustrating at times when I feel such an amazing sense of pride for what he does and what our military does to protect this country and they just don't get it.  To them, the military is an accessory to war.  That really gets me sometimes.  I don't like to say this too much because it portrays my family badly but honestly, they just don't get it. I think it's my fault for not taking the time to explain it enough.

Does the sexy uniform make up for all the crap that you put up with sacrifices that you have to make?: It does.  Hear me out.  The uniform is a recognition of the thing that he loves to do.  He is SO happy being a Marine.  He is SO proud every time he puts on his dress blues.  I am so proud every time he gets dressed in the morning... even his cammies.

Have your plans been messed up by the military?: Yes, minor plans have been messed up by the military.  But that's part of the reason I planned for our wedding to be during a time when he can't get orders that will take him away.  I know that they can do what is necessary for the unit or the country so I know I have to be proactive.

What's one piece of advice you wish you had received before joining the Military family?: There are several things that I wish I had.  They aren't necessarily words of advice.  They are people who are there to support you while you learn and make mistakes figuring out the military lifestyle.  It means taking advantage of the people and resources that are available to you to get to know people, to get to know the system.  That means you should learn the lingo.  Yep, there's lots of it.  Having the blogging world and twitter has been crucial to my integration in the Military community.  Thanks for your support!!

I know that being a girlfriend, it's always difficult... the future isn't always clear for you and your beau (unless you've both said "we're going to get married" and you know you both are committed to it).  It can be volatile and it can be a tenuous time.  Add in the chances of deployments, work ups, PCS (Permanent Change of Station aka moving to a different duty station)... It's quite stressful!  If you're able to have that conversation of where you both think your relationship is going is an important one to have...

Keep your eyes open for tomorrow as we launch MilGirl Live and Learn!

love,
Reina