Dedicated to Katie & all military wives

So I know I usually write all about Chad and how brave he is and how hard he is working overseas, but I never want to forget to remind people how brave these wives have to be. Everyone knows how hard being married can be and at times very stressful, but try adding the military (especially the Marine Corps) to that daily life and you can't imagine what these brave women have to go through. What most might not realize is while these men are away fighting these women are home taking care of bills, children (if they have them already), animals they may have, the house, their jobs, keeping mom in touch, and most importantly, continuing to be their husbands' biggest cheerleader and making sure they have everything they need or want while they are deployed. That might sound easy and it might even sound easy if they are stay at home wives/moms, but I can tell you having a daughter who is experiencing this right now, I know it isn't easy. Not only are these ladies doing all the above, but they often do it with a lonely and fearful heart. I can tell you how it feels to be a mom with a son over there, but I can't truly tell you what it must feel like as a wife with her husband over there. I know how I feel when my husband travels for work or has to be gone or I'm gone for more than a day so imagine 7 to 9 months of that. On top of that, you never know when you will hear his voice and you just pray you are never anywhere that you can't hear or answer his call. When that happens (and it does) it's the worse sick feeling you can have. At least when Tebo is traveling or we aren't together for whatever reason I know I can just pick up the phone at any time and hear his voice. I'm not constantly in fear when he is gone like these women are. Katie was a young bride and she had to grow up very fast and if I must say so myself, she has done an amazing job. Not only has she done a great job of taking care of the financial end while Chad is away and making sure he has the perfect care package, but she has gone above and beyond to make sure she calls me every time he calls her. I told him from the start, if you only get to call once to always call her and she can call me. She should always be the first person he calls no matter what and I couldn't ask for a better bonus daughter, because she has made sure that every single time he has called she calls me first. Thank you Katie Bug for that. You may never truly know what that means to me. These women go to sleep alone, go to the doctor alone, are sick at times at home alone, take care of babies/pregnancy alone, manage the financial responsibilities alone, take care of household duties alone, experience sadness and fear alone and some after only being married a short time. So the next time you pray for a Marine or any other soldier in the military and they are married, please say an extra prayer for the wife that is faithfully standing by her man and remember to thank her as well for her service. Just think, if she weren't supporting and encouraging her husband while he is fighting over there he couldn't do his job and stay focused so as far as I am concerned, they too are Marines and any other soldier in our Armed Forces! Thank you beautiful ladies and I will always be praying for you as I do our men! I love you all, but especially you Katie Bug. Love, mom