a poem for us army wives.

one year ago i doubted why God would take me away from the comfort of home, jacksonville, fl, and put me in a place where i knew no one and no one seemed my kind of kind.
the short story?
people around here were down right MEAN!
i would have never said i wanted to go home.
this (active duty army life) is indeed what we signed up for.
if living on post around a bunch of ugliness were part of the package then i'd have to make do.

after a few weeks of living on post and sticking close to the few girls i knew i could count on i was beginning to think i could handle this whole army life.
and i've done great.
of course, there have been low points...we'll leave that to another post.
or a personal conversation.

fast forward to a few days after i arrived home from my florida vacay.
my immediate neighbor friend had told me that we had a new neighbor that had kiddos about all of our kiddos ages.
that makes her an instant 'must get to know' gal.
you moms with kiddos so know what i'm talking about!
there are play dates to plan, picnics to go on, festivals to attend...and all with instant kiddo friends in tow. because they are all the same age.
perfection!

i introduced myself...
probably while chasing one of my rugrats back inside after an escape from the front door...
while she was walking back to her house from somewhere.
i didn't ask details.
i do remember that my pasta was on the stove boiling and our conversation was long enough for me to come back inside to very sticky pasta.
good friends are worth sticky pasta.

laura and i have been good friends since.
i think so anyway.
laura, julie, and myself.
we sit outside with the kiddos,
we take them to the butterfly festival (a post for another day),
we do jillian michaels' 30-day shred (julie will so be there next time!),
we eat each other's dinner...
stuff friends do.

ok, so you're caught up.

laura is an aspiring author.
she did not ask me to say all these kind things about her.
i asked her first, of course. i didn't want to show you all her fabulous work without first asking.
she's a writer.
a poet.
she uses her words so well.

i've read two of her childrens books and one poem (that i'm about to share with you) and i've been so touched by all of them.

this next poem brought tears to my eyes.
really.
i'm getting teary eyed thinking of it.

please read it and take in every word.
if you're an army wife, or any military spouse, it will stir emotions within you.
grab a kleenex.

Missing Him
I'm sitting at home with so much to do,
My cell phone not ringing with a call from you.
Wish you were here to ease my mind,
But these old college pictures are all I can find.
The kids are growing fast, growing up every day,
They're sweet and funny as ever with the things that they say.
"Is Daddy coming home? Will he be here soon?"
But all I can tell them is to send a message with the moon.
"Maybe he's looking and he'll hear you speak.
Just look at the moon if it's Daddy you seek.
He'll look too and he'll send his love,
The moon is our messenger from up above."
We keep ourselves busy as the year goes by,
We make lives for ourselves and try not to cry,
But there's a sadness deep down that only you can replace,
And I cannot wait till you get home and put a smile on my face.
I'm amazed at the strength that the kids truly show,
Knowing you're gone for so long, wondering where you did go.
They are the ones who hold it together for me,
They bring laughter and hope and joy and glee.
I miss you so much but I'm so proud of you,
This is just life in the Army and what soldiers' wives do.

laura just started her new blog at www.squigglydoodles.blogspot.com.
she's not new to blogging, just blogger.
if you love what you've just read please follow her.
i'm sure there will be many more inspiring, tear-jerking, captivating words to follow!