Dear Mr. or Mrs. Military Spouse

I've never faced the struggles of a military spouse, and don't presume to fully understand the complexity of that way of life.  However, I've watched and listened as loved ones and friends have faced all of the ups and downs that come along with the job, and thought I'd write this open letter. This if for all of those men and women who don't always get the shout-out they deserve. 

Dear Mr. or Mrs. Military Spouse,

I have these questions I’d like to ask you:

*How did you manage to pack up the entire house, and move from place to place WITHOUT THE HELP OF YOUR SPOUSE, not once, not twice, but as many as 10 times? 

*How have you been able to create a functional home for your family over and over within a budget and without always having a say about where exactly you'd live? 

*Who have you needed to lean on for emotional support when you've been sick or hurt, or have been facing stress from your own job? 

*How did you cope with the news from your daughter’s Sunday School teacher that she broke down in tears during prayer about how much she missed her Mom or Dad who's deployed? 

*What did you do when you got a call from your school about a child's behavior and realized you'd have to handle it alone?

*How do you and your spouse maintain a marriage when you have limitations that most couples never face?

*How have you dealt with insensitive comments or presumptions about your role as a military spouse?

*How hard is it to spend anniversaries, birthdays, holidays and even births without your spouse?

*How do you get through a night of worry when you fear your loved one might be in harm’s way, but you can't hear their voice assuring you of their safety?

*How tightly did you and your husband or wife hold each other when you were finally face to face after a 9 month-long deployment?

*What gifts and joys come with the title of "military family" that we don't understand? 

My last question for you is the most important one, but begins with an imperative and emphatic statement you need to hear:

Thank you for your service to our country! Your sacrifice, faith, and resilient love is a beautiful form of service and lightens a world that is so often filled with darkness.  I know that we still understand so little about how to support the families that have sacrificed so much, partly for our country's sake. So I ask you, Mr. or Mrs. Military Spouse, What can we do to help?

- Michelle Norris

We at Flooring Direct Temecula love to serve families by contributing to creating beautiful and functional homes.  This month, as we approach the Veteran's Day Holiday, we'd like to shine a spotlight on some of our most beloved families, because we believe the ones who "stay home" to hold down the fort, are also heroes themselves!

A scene from "We Were Soldiers" showing "military-wives" at home during the Vietnam War.

By Michelle Norris