Mom. Wife. Military Life.

I sit here in my cluttered living room looking around at the toys scattered about by my 3 kids, dry cereal crunched into the carpet, the dishwasher running, Henry Hugglemonster blaring, and the sounds of fighter jets buzzing over my house. I feel like I have already won today because everyone is dressed, teeth brushed, oldest is off to school and BONUS… My hair is still somewhat decent from going out to a social last night so that made for an easier tamed ponytail this morning…. wait…How did I get here?!

12 years ago I was a senior in high school and started dating a boy that I never would have imagined would turn into my husband. I was young and just having fun living life and being boy crazy. We dated and ended up realizing we both liked each other more and more. We graduated and started college and continued to grow into these young adults, who by God’s good graces, grew us together instead of apart. I decided college was not something I wanted to invest in because I had no idea what I wanted to do for a degree (and still don’t) and got a full time job, he decided to pursue the Air Force ROTC program. We knew we were each others people and got married when he was a sophomore in college.

As we balanced life as a young married couple, myself working and Jason doing school, part-time work and ROTC, we found out we were pregnant with our first baby. Fear, excitement, and anticipation filled our hearts. 3 months into the pregnancy we went in for an appointment and found out we had lost the baby. In that very moment the boy I had dated and married turned into a man right in front of my eyes. Feeling the deepest amount of pain I had ever felt also solidified my marriage in a way words can’t even begin to explain. I had never been more sure in my life then in that moment that I had chosen the right person for me.

Every single day for the past 4,141 days (I googled it) I have chosen him. Through high school, college, bad jobs, marriage, graduation, family matters, miscarriage, births, deaths, PCS (moves), TDYs, long hours, early mornings, fights, laugher, and life in general, I chose him. I often say “I don’t need you in my life, I want you in my life”, it is a privilege to love someone, not a necessity. Life plays games and throws wrenches in life’s plan more often then anyone wants to acknowledge or bring light to. Marriage is HARD. Its not always 50/50.. in fact I find more often it ebbs and flows back and forth, a balancing act between the strengths of a couple. The catch is when you notice that balance being thrown off and you choose as a couple to recognize that and pull each other back up from sinking. It’s an effort that I choose to put in every. single. day.

…So thats how I got here…

As I grow older I fall in love with my husband more and more (I know I’m so corny). I have the blessing of being a wife to a man who always puts the happiness of others above his own. I have 3 minions that drive me absolutely crazy and test my patience every moment of every day, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I chose this life. I chose the noise, the extra work, the late nights, the ruckus of life….and I would do every single bit of it again to sit here where I am today. Crunched cereal in the carpet and all.

I love you husband, I chose you once and I would continue to keep choosing you over and over and over again.

Inspire. Believe. Succeed.

-Kinzy