Military Life

Sometimes I look at my life and it makes me smile because it's absolutely nothing like I thought it would be when I was a kid.  I lived in the same house my entire life until college.  I never switched schools.  I can't remember anyone in my neighborhood moving away.  Sure, there were a few folks here and there that came and went when I was a kid, but I really can't think of any in particular.  I didn't have to make new friends; my friends were always there.  And as a child, I remember my two biggest fears.  The first was my house burning down.  (I think there were one too many "Stop, Drop, and Roll" campaigns in my school.)  The other was moving.  The thought terrified me.  It was second only to burning to death.  So the fact that I'm an Air Force wife now makes me laugh.  In fact, when Peter and I were friends in college and I heard he joined the Air Force Officer Training Program, I told him I felt sorry for whoever he married.  Spending my entire life moving, even as a college student, was not appealing.  But life is what you make it.  One of my favorite movies is Groundhogs Day with Bill Murray -- the one where he has to live the same day over and over and over again.  In the beginning it was miserable, but by the end he had found a way to love his life.  I think the military has been a little like that for me.  So for those of you who aren't military, and maybe even for some who are, here are a few of the things that have made me laugh about military life since we've moved to Korea.

1.  All the exercises on base.  It's been almost 7 years since we've lived on a military installation.  I kind of forgot what it's like.  It's so different from a normal neighborhood.  You are constantly reminded where you live.  Just the other day I heard what sounded like gun shots outside the hotel window.  I looked out my window to find this:

So these aren't the greatest pictures because I took them on my cell phone camera out the hotel room window, but there was a mock terrorist attack happening on the children's playground at the hotel.  They had paintball guns and I'm not sure if those were gas masks or ski masks, but either way, pretty scary to look out your window and find this on your playground if you're a kid.  Could you imagine this happening at your neighborhood park?  It made me laugh.

2.  Running on base.  What's so funny about running on base you ask?  Well, you have to wear a reflective belt or vest when you run-- anytime of the day.  Seriously!?!  That was my first question.  I'm not sure what I'm reflecting during the day, because it can't be the car lights that are turned off.  

3.  Family Gas Masks.  We haven't been fitted for these yet, but we're going to be.  

4.  Military Commercials.  We only get a few channels in English here.  The ones we have don't have your normal commercials advertising things you might want to buy.  Instead we get public safety commercials about how to stay "Army Strong.".  Since living here I've now been educated on the proper way to walk across a crosswalk, the proper shoes to wear so as not to slip, the correct attire for riding a motorcycle, and my personal favorite, not to send your kids to school with drawstring pants because they might get caught in the playground equipment.  I'm not sure how I've managed to keep our family safe all these years on my own. 

Living life in the military is truly a different world, one that I wasn't looking for, but am so glad I have.  I think my absolute favorite part, however, is all the friends we've gained from each duty station.  Whether we've lived somewhere for 3 years or just 9 months, we've made the most amazing friends.  And while I absolutely hate leaving every time, I can't imagine not living in any of the places we've been and not meeting the people who are there.  What a blessing it's been to our family to have all of you in our lives. I guess I can even tolerate running in a reflective belt for that.