Military wives tend to support each other and help out when the menfolk are deployed. You make lasting friendships in short periods of time. Then you are stationed away from each other, and you make new friends in that area.
Or like me, your husband gets out of the military and you start a civilian life somewhere.
Social networking has significantly changed things for military families. Now, it's possible to maintain connection to others as they move around, change addresses and phone numbers, over and over again. I managed to keep up with two of my closest companions from NC. DH and I were there with our three kids from 1983 to 1988.
That is a long time ago.
Each year, one of us picks up the phone and calls the other. We spend hours catching up and chatting about families, careers and each other. This year, the conversation was a little different. It usually closes with one of us saying, "we need to get together." This year, it closed with, "you know, I have enough air miles to fly us out to see her." Really. Just like that.
My response was pretty quick. "If you're buying me a free plane ticket, then I'm in." She asked, "What dates are good for you?" I said, "Whatever dates you book that free airline ticket. I'm sure I can work my schedule around free."
So we did it. We flew to Hawaii, the home of our third amiga, and had a reunion after more than twenty years.
It's funny how that kind of friendship works. It's like we never moved on, lost touch or didn't talk for months and years at a time. We dropped right back into a groove with each other.
It was tremendously rewarding and all the airfare was free, thanks to my friend who travels for work all the time.
I would love to go back to Hawaii with DH for a romantic vacation. But the whirlwind "military base tour of the islands" was super fun to do with two old friends!
-- Sandee Wagner
Or like me, your husband gets out of the military and you start a civilian life somewhere.
Social networking has significantly changed things for military families. Now, it's possible to maintain connection to others as they move around, change addresses and phone numbers, over and over again. I managed to keep up with two of my closest companions from NC. DH and I were there with our three kids from 1983 to 1988.
That is a long time ago.
Each year, one of us picks up the phone and calls the other. We spend hours catching up and chatting about families, careers and each other. This year, the conversation was a little different. It usually closes with one of us saying, "we need to get together." This year, it closed with, "you know, I have enough air miles to fly us out to see her." Really. Just like that.
My response was pretty quick. "If you're buying me a free plane ticket, then I'm in." She asked, "What dates are good for you?" I said, "Whatever dates you book that free airline ticket. I'm sure I can work my schedule around free."
It's funny how that kind of friendship works. It's like we never moved on, lost touch or didn't talk for months and years at a time. We dropped right back into a groove with each other.
It was tremendously rewarding and all the airfare was free, thanks to my friend who travels for work all the time.
I would love to go back to Hawaii with DH for a romantic vacation. But the whirlwind "military base tour of the islands" was super fun to do with two old friends!
-- Sandee Wagner
9 comments:
What a wonderful gift from one, and a fabulous time had by all!
xoxo
Sounds like a great time!
Sounds like a tremendous experience! I am amazed at how well you keep up with people!!
And I just want to let everyone know that willingness to be flown for a surprise vacation in Hawaii is a genetic trait that I definitely share with my mother... Just pointing it out... Something to bear in mind ;)
Seriously though. I'm ready as we speak.
TAM, it was super fun! Like we'd never even lost touch. spw
JD, it was great. But you lived over there for years, didn't you? Wasn't Will born in HI? spw
Alexa, I come from an era of letter writing, where keeping up with folks was hard WORK! It's a lot easier now. It helps that they kept up with me, too! spw
Jacob, I hope someone loves you enough to fly you to HI, really I do! spw
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