Thursday Thirteen #18

I know when all the "smug marrieds" were cuddling up and smooching on Valentine's Day, my sister was missing her husband. He's a Marine with the 1/6 and he's in Iraq right now, but like always, she's keeping it together with the poise and grace that she tackles everything with and that's why this Thursday Thirteen is dedicated to her. (Visit her at "Old Man Hancock", her blog dedicated to her husband's deployment. Give her your prayers and well-wishes!)

13 Reasons My Marine-Wife Sister is a Pillar of Strength

1. She spends every day, every hour, living her life to the fullest, supporting her husband back home, and not dwelling on every minute that he could be in danger.

2. Not only is she playing her biggest supporting role ever, she's working fulltime at a government job, getting her Master's degree at John's Hopkins, and going through the grueling process of home buying all by herself (she closes this month!) Who does all that, simultaneously??!! Is she crazy???

3. And she will probably get an A in the class, get a raise at her job, and still have time to decorate her new condo. This is how she is. Grace under pressure.

4. She organized a supply drive at her job where dozens of people volunteered their money, time and dozens of boxes of supplies for her Marine's unit.

5. She sends him packages of his favorite things all the time and always makes sure he knows she's thinking about him, even if he can't get to a phone for a week or two.

6. She sometimes has to go that long without talking to him! I don't know how she does it! My husband goes on a business trip for a week and I have to talk to him 2 or 3 times a day!

7. She's truly "taking care of business" at home. She does all the bills. She stays on top of all their finances and troubleshoots everything so that her husband does not have to have any added worries in the face of danger.

8. She is the better person when people talk ill about the war in front of her, full well knowing her husband is over there. She bites her tongue. She does not kick them. Although inside she is screaming. If you hate the war, that's ok, you can have an opinion, but please know there is very likely a soldier's family member within earshot of your rant and whatever you're saying will very likely make them cry when they go home and get behind closed doors.

9. She is the better person when hundreds of people march down the street in front of her apartment toward the Capitol in protest. It can't be easy living in Washington D.C. of all places when your husband is deployed in a war that's causing such a division in this country. People actually yell at her when she tells them her husband is over there! People can really be not nice!

10. She has a blog dedicated to her wonderful husband, where she keeps everyone updated with his deployment and his needs. He actually reads it when he can and leaves comments! His family, our family, and all of their friends always know they can keep in touch with him through her blog, if only for reading the latest news about him and his unit. She also posts a lot of helpful links on there, so if people get a wild hair to send things like phone cards and other supplies to the soldiers, they can use her blog as a resource.

11. She treats all the Marines of the 1/6 and their families as people she's related to. Because in a way, she is. She meets with their families and she visits wounded soldiers in Maryland just because.

12. When there's word of an extension, she calls everyone. When the deployment's shortened, she calls everyone. She worries about everyone in his family and how they will feel more than she worries about herself.

13. She never, ever, ever complains about the hardships of being the wife of a deployed soldier. It is something she just "does" without even so much as a peep, like it is her duty. I truly believe that behind every strong soldier, is an even stronger wife. That is my sister, AnnaMary.

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!