MilSpouse Life
I opened the door to our apartment, walked in and melted into the couch. I just finished a two-hour round trip of taking my parents to the airport and returning home sans houseguests.
The visit was amazing. We got along. We did a lot of fun stuff. We connected as a family again.
But now?
The week-long family vacation was finished and I was burnt out. To a finely charred piece of crisp, if we are talking exact level of burntness (that’s a word).
With my parents on their traveling way and my husband running errands with the kids, the house was empty, yet clearly lived in.
Messes scattered across the floors, counters and tables and a funky-not-sure-what-that-is scent permeated the house.
I sat there on the couch for a minute, wondering where to begin.
That’s when the annoyance crept in.
At first, I was just a little frustrated with saying goodbye to my parents. Living overseas is a great experience, but it’s also challenging living far from family.
Then the mess blanketing the house started to bother me. Before I knew it, I was completely annoyed with life and rage cleaning all the way to crazytown.
My husband walked in the door.
Immediately when he saw me, it was as if he knew exactly what I was doing. He kinda gave me a look that screamed, “I’m going to stay out of your way now.”
I carried on with my rage cleaning therapy for the remainder of the day, and he opted not to get involved.
After the kids went to bed and the dust (pun indented) settled, he walked up to me in the bedroom, gave me a hug and said the one phrase that fixed everything.
“I am still here. I love you.”
I instantly felt better.
I took a deep breath and felt a huge sigh of relief knowing he understood my lunacy…or at least accepted it.
He didn’t try to fix my frustrations or tell me what to do differently. He just accepted that I was working through things in the way I needed.
This is the one phrase that always brings our military marriage back to center. It creates a place of acceptance, offers support, and blows the communication door wide-open. After he said that, I immediately wanted to apologize and talk.
I wanted to start fresh.
When you’re both frustrated with deployment and you wish things were different, remember…
“I am still here. I love you.”
When you’re both at your wits end on your next PCS move, remember…
“I am still here. I love you.”
When you both wish you lived closer to family, remember…
“I am still here. I love you.”
When anything in military life challenges or frustrates you, remember…
“I am still here. I love you.”
Sometimes in military life, all you have is each other. Just you and your spouse against the world. To navigate the ups and downs. To offer reassurance. To remind one another that everything really is going to be okay. This one phrase says it all.
Honey, if you’re reading…
“I am still here. I love you.”
Want more on military life?
- Why Deployment Meltdowns Are Actually a Good Thing
- What Military Marriage Really Looks Like
- 6 Military Spouse Career Resources That Will Help You Land a Job
- The Pictures You Didn’t Take With Your Service Member
- 6 Military Homecoming Outfit Ideas That Will Make Him Swoon
I love this phrase! It is so simple yet speaks volunes of love. It’s absolutely perfect for a deployment. I love this post, thanks for sharing.
My 73 yrs old. Marine lives, breathes it, and forgets his wife is a person. Every thing is centered around him. If someone has given me complement the then it’s has to automatically has to be turned around to him. It’s always been this way he runs our friends off because he brags of himself. He was aboard the Enterprise. Lots of times it’s caused heated arguments in our marriage. I don’t think my husband knows or cares about my life only about his. He is a good provided and works very hard. He just forgets he has a wife in all ways. Anyone have any recommendations