Milspouse Matters

We're celebrating episode 25--woohoo! Jen's answering listener questions about all sorts of topics--life after the military, dealing with a spouse's PTSD, infertility as a military spouse, homeschooling as a military family, and even what hair products she uses and how she likes the "Gigi life."

Listener Questions:

What scared you most about your husband's military retirement?

What do you miss most about military life?

How do I keep my spouse involved in decisions when he's gone?

Questions about homeschooling:

• How to keep going with homeschooling when kids want to play all day?

• Did you stick to one curriculum?

• What challenges did you have, homeschooling in the military?

Where can I find support as the spouse of a former special ops guy who's struggling with PTSD?

How come infertility in the military isn't talked about?

What's your best advice for launching college kids when your family is still active duty?

What hair products do you use?

How can I support military families if I'm not part of one?

What's it like to be the mom of a military member?

What's the best part of retired military life?

How's the Gigi life?

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Join the Christian Military Spouses Facebook group.

Download your FREE 5-day Deployment Devotional.

Get Jen's book, You Are Not Alone:Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse.

Visit this episode's show notes for the resources mentioned.

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For young children with a military parent, deployment can be a confusing and scary time. The more resources you have to help them, the better!

This week, Jen's talking to children's book author and Air Force spouse, Renee Walker, who initially wrote and illustrated her picture book, My Letter to Daddy, in order to help her own children cope with their father's deployment. Since then, she has shared the project to encourage other families going through a deployment.

By using the voice of a child watching their dad leave for deployment, Renee enters into their world and helps them express the conflicting feelings they'll go through.

We're also talking about strategies she's used to get through several deployments and how she decided to write and publish her book.

Find out more about Renee's book and the resources mentioned in the show notes.

Want to connect? Follow Milspouse Matters on Instagram!

Get Jen's book, You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse

For parents of military kids, it can be difficult to know how to help our children cope with the stresses of military life: constant changes, moves, deployments, and separations from one or even both parents. So much advice is geared towards younger children, but how to help an older child or young adult who's struggling?

This week, Jen's talking to Judy Davis of DASIUM and the Mighty Parenting podcast, who's sharing advice for helping military kids thrive in life. With help for parents with children of any age, she gives practical, positive, realistic tips as well as help for kids in crisis. As Judy says, "Check in regularly with your kids to see how they're doing emotionally. Military kids often don't want to add any pressure to their parents."

Judy also acknowledges the stresses and emotional toll taken on military family members and offers ideas for military spouses to take care of themselves so they can better help their families and service member spouse.

For resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

Want to connect? Follow Milspouse Matters on Instagram!

Get Jen's book, You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse

**If you or your child is in crisis, please call the Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. OR text SIGNS to 741741 for the Crisis Text Line. Both services are free and available 24/7. You're not alone.

If you have a family member serving in the military and especially if your own child has decided to choose a life of military service, this episode is for you.

Elaine Brye, author of the book Be Safe, Love Mom, shares her hard won wisdom and experience with other military families on this episode. She's an "Army brat" turned military wife and the mom of four active duty members—one each in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. She's been through 14 deployments with her children and understands the pride, worry, and fear that are the life of a military parent.

Elaine talks about what's helped her get through the hard times as a military mom, tips for better communication between in-laws, as well as encouragement and practical ideas for parents whose child is deployed.

For resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

Want to connect? Follow Milspouse Matters on Instagram!

Get Jen's book, You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse.

This week, we're talking about military marriage!

Keeping your marriage healthy is a challenge. Add in the stresses of military life, and it can be even more difficult!

Whether you're a newlywed or have been married a long time, it's always a good time to work on your relationship.

While my only "expertise" is 30+ years of marriage, I'm sharing a few tips I've learned. We'll talk about some practical tips for appreciating each other, communicating, and staying connected through separations and deployments.

Some other experienced spouses add their tips for a strong marriage, along with suggested resources.

For resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

Want to connect? Follow Milspouse Matters on Instagram!

Get Jen's book, You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse.

With all the changes, moves, and challenges that go along with military life, it can be difficult to settle in and find your people.

On this episode, Jen's talking to Claire Wood about finding community, what to do when you just can't seem to make friends, and so much more. We discuss her book, Mission Ready Marriage, as well as her work with Milspo Gurus and using the Enneagram of personality to learn to better deal with all relationships in your life!

Claire has so much warmth and wisdom to offer, and this episode will feel like a warm hug, wherever you are in this milspouse journey!

CLICK HERE FOR THE SHOW NOTES AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Get Jen's book, You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse

*Contains affiliate links

Keeping the lines of communication open during marriage can be challenging. Add in deployment, and it gets even trickier! This week, Jen's talking with Lizann Lightfoot, whose family has been through seven deployments.

Lizann, also known as the Seasoned Spouse, offers helpful tips for managing expectations, creative ideas for staying connected during time apart from your service member, and helpful resources to support you as a military spouse during deployment. As she reminds us, there is no reason for you to feel alone...we want to come alongside and support you during this tough season!

CLICK HERE FOR SHOW NOTES AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Get Jen's book You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse

Learn more about Milspouse Matters, get show notes, and more content at jenmcdonald.net.

*Contains affiliate links

What do you do when your only "emergency contact" in a new area is the Realtor who helped you find your rental? Yikes! Finding community as a military spouse can be one of the most difficult aspects of this life, especially when you've just moved and your spouse promptly leaves for deployment or training. But we know it's important to have connections to make it! If you're there or facing this situation, listen in as Jen shares some tips from listeners and her own experience with moving and facing a deployment right away.

In this first episode of Season 2 (yeah!!), we're also talking about what's coming up, a change in format, and making resolutions for the new year--or maybe not.

CLICK HERE FOR SHOW NOTES AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

FREE 5-Day Deployment Devotional

Jen's book You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse

Christian Military Spouses Facebook Group

Have the realities of life as a military spouse ever...scared you? Whether it's starting over in a different country or simply the overwhelm at all the details and the strange little world that is military life, you're not alone.

On this episode, Courtney Woodruff joins Jen for an honest talk about learning to give up control over her life to God, working through marriage difficulties, living overseas, and coming to terms--and peace--as a military spouse.

If you're struggling, this episode will feel like a warm hug. And stay tuned to hear about Courtney's upcoming projects to encourage other military spouses!

CLICK HERE FOR SHOW NOTES AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Get Jen's book You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse

Learn more about Milspouse Matters, get show notes, and more content at jenmcdonald.net.

*Contains affiliate links

If you've ever felt the pull of "military spouse denial," as guest Lindsay Swoboda so aptly words it, you'll relate to this episode! Maybe you've been there, too? It's that mindset of refusing to believe that military life will define you, change your life, or otherwise affect you. Lindsay's been there/done that! She talks about how back-to-back overseas moves, deployments, and the birth of her daughter all slowed her down and taught her some important life lessons.

Currently stationed in South America with her Marine Corps husband, Lindsay shares about her now slower pace of life and how she's come to embrace what military life brings, instead of fighting it. Hear about her family's time living in Morocco and how she learned to navigate an entirely foreign world. Then, be sure to download her overseas guide for military families!

CLICK HERE FOR SHOW NOTES AND RESOURCES MENTIONED

Get Jen's book You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse

Learn more about Milspouse Matters, get show notes, and more content at jenmcdonald.net.

*Contains affiliate links