How Having A Baby Changed My Perspective On Military Life

Well another month has come and gone, but I was inspired to come back to this little space to write about a topic I've been wrestling over in my mind these last few weeks and months: babies and the military

If you guys have read this blog long, you know that I love Navy life and think there are so many positives to this wonderful adventure if you're willing to see them. I also love being a mom more than anything, and family is a big deal to me. 

Before we had our son, I felt like I was a pretty good Navy wife in a sense that I loved the adventure. I loved moving and living in different places and meeting all sorts of people. Don't get me wrong, I still love all of that so much, but when I had a baby, things changed. Priorities shifted. I grew up in the same town as my grandparents, aunt, uncle, cousins, etc. We were always together, and I loved every minute of it. Naturally, that's what I wanted for my family one day too. 

Obviously, the military doesn't allow us to live in the same city as our families and raise our kids with grandparents and cousins right down the street. That dream and this Navy dream can't co-exist, and coming to that realization has been hard for me. 

As with everything, it came down to outlook, and I had a decision to make. I could be sad that my son isn't growing up 5 minutes from his cousin, but that isn't going to change anything. Or, I could be grateful for Facetime and the Navy stationing us in the same state for the next couple of years (whoop whoop!). Having a baby did change my perspective on military life a little bit. It made me realize all the more the sacrifice of living away from family. I think these things are magnified when kids come into the picture, because every Sunday afternoon dinner or Easter Sunday or family BBQ we miss takes a toll on me. But then again, today I Facetimed two girls that became some of my best friends in Virginia, and I would have never known them had it not been for the Navy.

There is always give and take. Our son isn't going to live in the same city as our families for a long time, but this is where God has us right now, so I will rejoice and be glad in that. Having a baby makes me long for home more than ever, but right now, we are living and still loving military life, and I really believe that is where we are supposed to be. 

(Throwback to this tiny little military baby that somehow turned into a stumbling little toddler overnight!)