Well, I honestly ‘thought’ I knew what Jay did. It’s one thing to hear about it, read about it and maybe even see it on TV. But it’s a totally different thing to actually experience alittle of it.

I signed up to do a L.I.N.K.S Cax training session. LINKS stands for Lifestyle, Insight, Networking, Knowledge Support. I thought, all of us ladies would be sitting around listening to Marines talking “to” us, ’showing’ us the way. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! NOT even close to it! We began our day with morning colors at 7:30am. The Marine Corps Band played for us, I got to see a promotion done by the Brig. General Gurganis. I felt so proud to be a part of all of it! Then we headed down to Victory Field, where the real fun would begin!

I actually put on a flak jacket, Jay’s kevlar (combat helmet) and was told to ‘jump’ in the 7ton truck! Marines assisted us in getting into these vehicles. We rode to an AAV (Amphibious Assault Vehicle) that was awaiting our arrival. Before boarding, they handed out earplugs and trash bags. I thought, it’s like going on an airplane! Are we getting drinks and a snack? HAHA Not likely. The earplugs were because of the noise, the trashbag just in case someone got sick! OMG~SICK? Why would anyone get sick? Aren’t we just going around the block? They sealed us up with safety instructions.  We sat in a non-air conditioned AAV and went out for a wild ride. He was doing donuts, and moving quickly. I am sure the marines had a really great chuckle to hear us wives, screaming and screeching with ever bump and turn! When we finally came to a hault, we dusted ourselves off. They had us in the sand. Again we loaded back into the 7ton and headed back to Victory Field.

Some of you may not know this, but I am afraid of heights! So, as we were getting off of these trucks, they said Ma’am just jump. ME! Just jump? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Were they crazy? Wait, they were Marines, of course they were finatical! They tried not to laugh at me as I was the last one to get off of the truck. I sat at the edge, saying ‘I can’t just jump” I just can’t. Is there a step stool? They tried to hide their laughter. Then they gave a glance and said, “ma’am just stand on the ledge and we’ll take care of the rest” Before I could say anything, I was flying through the air, graceful without fear! The marines had a hold of my elbow and forearms and hoisted me up and brought me back down to earth! They said “you see, you were like a ballerina in swan lake” Now that I can sit back and think about it, it’s embarrassing!!! I should have just closed my eyes and leeped. They were there to catch me. But, I panicked!

The coordinator of the program called me earlier during the week and asked me if I could bring Jay’s kevlar and to not worry about lunch because that was going to be provided for us. WOW! How nice! When we finally broke from the activities to have lunch, they had us meet back at the Village Center. My newfound friend Brenda and I took a few snacks, but we weren’t prepared to hear lunch was an MRE! Meal ready to eat! OMG, for real? I thought in my head. They passed them out to us, I felt like a preschooler trying to open a lunchable! I couldn’t get the damn thing open. No wonder Jay comes home so thin from the field and deployment. He can’t get the stinkin’ pouches to open! So scissors were passed around. I got my Chicken fajita “filling” opened. Smelled ok, but tasted like starch and I could just feel the carbs settling in. The tortillas were like eating paper. I reached for the fig newtons I grabbed from the snack table and devoured those and my water. They were horrible!

The end of my day ended with a graduation cake and certificate of completion at 4:45pm. Put that aside, I also came back with a deeper appreciation of what our Marines do everyday here and overseas. Loading up on trucks and AAV’s isn’t so bad, but try doing it many times a day, day after day when you are a grunt. Riding in an enclosed AAV with no A/C and no windows to know where the heck you are headed. To eat a meal in a box 3 times a day. Homecooked meals are a dream to our men. I am so proud to be the wife of a Marine. I have one of the few good men. Semper Fi.

When I was a little girl, I used to dream about what I wanted to be. There were so many professions that interested me. I now look back at every interest and I find something amazing in my revelation.

I wanted to be a nun! – So that I could be pure and honest.

I wanted to be a hairdresser – So that I could help people be beautiful.

I wanted to be a nurse – So that I could care for the sick.

I wanted to be an accountant – So that I could be good with money.

I wanted to be a lawyer – So that I could defend those in need.

I wanted to be a Fashion Merchandiser – So that I could be a buyer of Children’s clothing for a big company.

I wanted to be a nail technician – So that I could sit and talk with ladies and make a living sharing my talent.

I wanted to be a mom after watching the joy in my mom’s eyes when she looked at us.

What I’ve learned is I’ve never earned a degree or certificate in any of these fields from an accredited college. I hold invisible credentials from “God’s Good Graces University” I don’t owe student loans. Because all he ever asked of me was to have faith in him.

I’m not the nun because, well, we know I’m not pure anymore. But I am honest. He made me a hairdresser because he knew I’d need the skill to brush my daughter’s hair. He made me a nurse because he knew I’d be up long hour shifts comforting my babies. Taking temperatures, administering medicines, alcohol rubs and the stomach to handle being pooped on and thrown up on. He made me an accountant so that when Jay and I fell on hard times I would know how to make our money stretch. He made me that lawyer so that I could stand up and defend my children when they needed me. He even gave me a special commendation as the Fashion Buyer for my family! The nail technician, so that I could sit with my daughter and have girl time and learn how to be a good listener. He gave me the gift of loving parents to show me I could someday have a family like that.

All that he gave to me I never realized when people say “God works in mysterious ways” that it would apply to me in such a poetic and loving way.

I thank God for my many unanswered prayers. Of anyone on this earth he knows me best and he’s known exactly what was in store for me.

I remember once wondering if I had lost my sense of “self”. If I’d ever feel like I missed out by not persuing these interests. Now I see, I am doing alittle of everything. I may not be getting paid the big bucks. But don’t they say a career should be rewarding? My rewards are being able to do all of these things everyday and know I made a difference in the lives of the people I love.

At the end of the day, I may be exhausted but as I lay my head down and I can still hear the giggles from down the hall, it’s all worth it.

I’m so blessed with so much more than I deserve.