50 Things Military Spouses Learn From Deployment

The moment your spouse is back in your arms from deployment is indescribable. You literally feel whole again. It’s like the world stopped and there’s no other people in the world except your family.

After the initial rush and overall giddiness, you breathe a huge sigh of relief. They are home. They made it. YOU made it.

For me, I look back at all of the highs and lows I felt during deployment. After all, there I was with no husband and a new baby to take care of.  I look back on the lows and feel good knowing that I got through it. After deployment, as a woman, wife, mother, I felt stronger than ever.

The question was asked “What did you learn from your spouse’s deployment?”  Here are the responses of 50 military spouses.

1. I can do anything I put my mind to.
2. I learn that I can do it while he is gone. I care for our home kids and pets without major issues. And that I can keep my head up high while I wait for my love.
3. How appreciative I am of the simple things in life, like Skype and text messages when he’s in port. Also, how much strength we both have, how love is stronger than distance, and that as a couple, we can get through anything together no matter what.
4. I am stronger than I thought I was.
5. I’m finding my strong, independent side again. I’m becoming a better wife and mother in doing so. How to be strong and repair things what I learned about other spouses.
6. How strong you can be. What you can learn about yourself and your marriage. How much you love your spouse, and your Family!
7. That I function better with him around than not
8. To really appreciate the wonderful husband I was blessed with! There were so many things he did….and they went unnoticed until he left!!! My husband is truly an amazing man!
9. My trust & faith in God went to a deeper level.
10. That I can change the tires..? lol
11. I relied way too much on the expectations others had for me, instead of what I needed to get through it.
12. How to be independent.
13. I can run the mower and the weed eater, clean the pool, pay the bills and feed the kids and dogs in 1 day!! A long day mind you but getting it done is all that matters. The least I can do while he was deployed! I’m very certain I had the easy job compared to my husband.
14. I learned I could do more that I actually gave myself credit. That’s why I live being a military wife because it has taught me to overcome anything whether it’s living overseas or having a baby with no family other than my neighbors.
15. I found how independent I am and how strong we actually are apart  though distance stood between us nothing tore us apart, it is not easy it is hard to always stay strong and etc., but I remembered each new day was one day closer to the end of deployment  that’s what i learned not just about myself but about my marriage
16. I learned that I was stronger than I knew and that I loved my family with all of me. And that I was really good with money.
17. That I could have handled my emotions better
18. That it forces you to grow up fast
19. Bring it! I can handle it!
20. It also showed me how important family really is.
21. How much we rely on him as husband, father, helpmate, partner, best friend…etc. I learned I appreciate so many things he does but also that when things go wrong I can handle them too.
22. That even with a ladder, I still can’t reach the top selves in the cupboard
23. That when one of us is sad, the other has to be strong, that we are truly meant for each other, and as long as our love stays strong it doesn’t matter how far apart we are, it always feels like we are together.
24. Who my true friends and family are, and that people really don’t get it unless they’ve been through it.
25. To always ask for help if you need time to rest
26. I learned that I am stronger than I thought I was
27. That my house stays a lot cleaner with him away….
28. My wonderful security is a world away so it’s up to me to regain that confidence for my husband, children and myself. I’m falling deeper in love with my husband even though he’s so far away. The distance and missing the little details about him reminds me of why I love him so incredibly.
29. I learned that I am one badass chick!
30. That the moment he leaves,,,all heck breaks loose,,and I can handle it.
31. I learned to never take the time we have together for granted.
32. That me and my kids can move mountains, and we did when we put a house on the market, sold it and moved to a different state in 6 weeks!
33. It’s ok to cry! Also it taught me to appreciate my husband and all of the little things that he does that make me love him.
34. I needed to thank my father for teaching me how to be able to do things that is normally a “man’s job”.
35. Being a “single” mom of 4 kids, during my husband’s deployment was difficult, but we survived! Not being close to family, you have to rely on friends (that were always willing to lend a helping hand)!
36. I learned how to be a mother and a father at the same time. I raised a newborn for the very first time by myself and he is healthy as can be. I had strength that I never knew existed and I never thought I could take on what he left behind but I did.
37. I found out how much my husband did for me. I appreciated him for all the little things he did. I learned I was stronger than I ever knew I could be. I did not know I could miss someone that one that much. I knew l made the right choice to marry him. I just did not know how hard it would be to get through the deployments.
38. I’ve learned that during my husband’s deployment, I have to rely on and trust God more than I ever thought possible. I’ve learned to draw close to Him, and to find peace no matter how tough things may get. I’ve learned that everything hard in life is a way for us to draw closer to God, and to see that He never leaves us. And I’ve learned to love and respect my husband with everything within me.
39. That I can be a wife one day and a single parent the next without skippin a beat, the biggest lesson…..realizing that the day he leaves begins the countdown to his return.
40. That I’m a lot more strong then I ever knew I could be… Never had to do things on my own till he left and it was just me… We both grew in our own ways for the best when he was deployed
41. I’ve learned how much more I appreciate what he and others do for this country. I’ve always appreciated our military, but each deployment and det, my appreciation grows. I have also learned, how much courage me and my husband have as well. God bless our troops and families left behind.
42. That “I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me”. This deployment that we just finished was a LOT tougher than the first.
43. To keep myself crazy busy.
44. How to love and support him from across the ocean, how much I really love and appreciate him, his service, his dedication, pillow talks and all the little things he does that make me smile!!!! God bless all of our Soldiers and please bring them all home safe!
45. When I pour myself into work, I get promoted.
46. That I absolutely hate to be without him and how we both make one whole unity. Also, it does take about a year to get back to normal.
47. I was taking my spouse for granted….
48. My own strength and to trust my gut.
49. I never knew how much I depended on him as a husband and father
50. That if we can get through deployments, we can get through anything else life throws us.

photo credit: United States Marine Corps Official Page via photopin cc edited by A Semi-Delicate Balance