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employee Evaluation Of My DReam
We have to be all in on whatever we are doing. It's often relatively easy to answer when people ask us what our job is. We are quick to say doctor, stay-at-home parent, accountant, or whatever else. That should not be the only label we use to identify ourselves, but it is undoubtedly an important one that takes up a decent chunk of our time.
I Can Change The World Because
We are visiting family near D.C. this week, so we took the opportunity to go to the National Children's Museum. Our 18-month-old was limited on what he could take advantage of, but it is a massive facility with lots of learning-based toys and games to play with. It isn't free like the Smithsonian's, but I think it was worth the price we paid, especially to escape the brutal heat.
The Taylor Effect
Today, I got to bear witness to one of my best friends getting married. While the ceremony may have been nothing like what she pictured or planned for, it was perfect for what they needed today to celebrate their love and commitment to one another. This is definitely going to be a sappier post because of how essential Taylor is to me and for the many things she's taught me about military life while bearing no connection to the community.
Correction To The Military Bereavement Policy Post
I apologize for the delay in getting this post back up. It was a long week, and I've been processing some stuff that will definitely be discussed later this week. I had a friend reach out to me on Thursday after I ran the post on military bereavement policies. She wanted to clarify that there are guidelines in place for bereavement in the case of miscarriages and stillbirths. She had personally experienced the care provided during one of those times and wanted to share that women were being cared for in these circumstances.
Military Bereavement Policy
Unfortunately, I have been researching the military's bereavement policy this week. We had a loss in the family and were lucky enough to be able to travel (which meant booking last-minute flights, hotels, and rental cars) to be there for the wake and funeral. Quite frankly, it's because we are in Georgia now that we had the ability to do that relatively easily.
Hitting Our Breaking Point
One of the biggest keys to our success in military life, dream chasing, relationships, etc., is knowing where our breaking points are. We need to know where they are, see them coming, and then know how to course correct before or after they hit. We live in a hectic and overstimulating world, and at one point or another, it will get all of us.
Three Rules for Investing in Our Dreams
I picked up the keys to my very own office last night! It was a considerable step to sign that lease agreement. For the next year, I will be the owner of an office space in Georgia. I hit a point where my dream required me to go to the next level. My goals were converging in a way that I needed an office space, and I needed to make a more significant commitment.
DOD Change Supporting Nursing Mothers
One of my biggest gripes with the PCS system is how much out-of-pocket costs families face. In theory, the military pays for everything, and they do cover a decent chunk of it. However, there are so many minor start-up and change costs associated with a move that are not covered.
Happy Memorial Day
Happy Memorial Day to everyone! That really feels like an oxymoron to me, given that the reason we have Memorial Day is to honor those who died while serving in the military. For most people in the U.S., it represents a three-day weekend, but for those of us in military families, we almost always know someone who was there one day and gone the next.
Emotional Bumpers For Our Dreams
I know that the past couple of posts have been a little ranty. I want to be clear that there are two sides to that coin. On the one hand, I am incredibly vocal and upset about the unacceptable issues affecting our military community. There are issues worldwide, but this is the lane I've picked to fight in. On the other hand, though, it's all just, eh, whatever to me. I can't get so heated that I let it overtake my life because then I wouldn't get anything done.
Everything Wrong With Scott Perry’s READINESS Act Remarks
There's an account on Instagram that I follow that primarily covers relationships with in-laws called millennialmatleave. Janelle is great and mainly discusses things like communication and boundaries. As a boy mom whose greatest fear is becoming a toxic boy mom, it's an excellent account to help me plan for the things I definitely shouldn't do. Plus, as a friend to some people with these women as mothers-in-law, it's definitely nice for them to know they aren't alone. She has one segment on her account where she shares out-of-pocket things that people have shared with her that their in-laws have done, which is a great place to see some of the craziness out there in the world.
The READINESS Act
As if trying to perfectly prove my point that we need tangible changes for military families, the READINESS Act came up for a vote in Congress and met some (not so) shocking opposition. The bill passed with a vote of 30-13 and now heads to the full House for approval, or it may be folded into the National Defense Authorization Act. Overall, this should be a win for military families. However, the comments made in dissension still further prove the point that what we need is not a holiday celebrating spouses but a fundamental perspective shift on what it means to serve.
What Do We Actually Want For Military Spouse Appreciation Day?
In honor of Military Spouse Appreciation Day, let's talk about what the spouses in your life actually need. We appreciate the candle set and Starbucks gift cards. Still, if we could have tangible changes to the most pressing issues in military families today, we would see lasting gratitude. Let's try to solve the issues facing our community because we know these problems will have long-term effects on the viability of our all-volunteer force.
What Military Spouse Appreciation Day and Mother’s Day have in Common
Over the weekend, our country celebrated both Military Spouse Appreciation Day and Mother's Day. My heart goes out to everyone who spent those days without their partners since Murphy seems to ensure they miss every holiday celebrating us. I think these two holidays have a lot of similarities. That is not to say that the term military spouse only applies to women. I just mean that the things people look for in celebration of the day often don't compare to that individual's needs on a day-in, day-out basis.
The Hockey Player
The conference I attended a few weeks ago was called A View From The Edge. While it was sponsored by my insurance company, this event was primarily run by a guest speaker. Marc Accetta is a world-renowned network marketing expert who has spent his career helping teams grow. One of his niche training styles is a series of characters that he has designed to further illustrate his message. A View From The Edge is a weekend event packed with a bunch of these characters.
A Study of Dream Supporters
Chasing a dream is not a one-person job. It would be if we existed alone in the world, but that's not the case for most people. We have spouses, kids, parents, siblings, and friendships that depend on us. Changing our habits to chase our dreams has ripple effects in that community. That's a good thing, and it's how we change the world, but it's not always received that way.
The Power Of A Power Of Attorney
While asking friends if they had issues registering their cars, we heard one story that I want to share because it again paints flaws in a system where people should have an understanding of military life. It's something that you may run into and need to be prepared for. And it's something that informs us of our rights. The more information we have, the better equipped we are to thrive in this life.
Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act Of 2009: Part 2
Here’s just a few other things that the Servicemember Civil Relief Act did for us as military families. There’s a lot more in this bill and I don’t have time or energy to sift through the legal jargon. That being said, if you encounter an issue in military life that just feels off, then check for resources because I think we’ll be surprised what is out there. I learn about new things every day and the biggest thing I’m learning is to trust my gut and look for different options when something feels off. With that, here are a few things that the SCRA also does:
Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act Of 2009: Part 1
Throughout this car registration process, we learned one big thing: there are laws in place to protect servicemembers and their spouses, but these laws do nothing unless we are informed about them. It is right to expect the people in charge of things like tag agencies to understand these exceptions, but we have to be armed with the knowledge in case they don't. So, today, let's talk about the 2009 Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and everything it does for us.
The Harrowing Tale Of Car Registration IN Georgia: Part 2
Now, back to it. We get in there, ready to register our cars, and have this nightmare over with. Again, we looked at doing mine first, and the final charge was $350, which was much higher than we expected. I asked why, and they explained that Georgia does taxes for cars by paying a one-time ad valorem tax based on the vehicle's value, and then every year after, you pay the $2.00 processing fee to re-register.