Duty Station

We’ve all been there. That dreaded phone call. “Orders came in. Are you sitting down?” “Yes…” A prickly anticipation fills the air, like your foot falling asleep. You teeter between giddy excitement and a foreboding sense of dread, all wrapped up...

I never knew how important it was to be able to make where you live, a place that you love until we joined the Navy.  The Navy was never on our radar either--neither my husband nor myself grew up...

The Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) is located near Mons, Belgium (about 30 minutes south of Brussels) and is the military headquarters for NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Because it is a posting that you don’t hear about...

Before moving to Fort Gordon, Georgia I had no expectations. A lifelong Westerner, I assumed that Georgia would be similar to the base we were leaving, Fort Bragg in North Carolina. I figured it would be a slightly hotter, slightly...

Rainy days are the worst when you have an active toddler. By 9:30 a.m., we have already played with all the toys, watched 700 episodes of Sesame Street, and read Brown Bear Brown Bear 52 times. Toddlers seem to get...

Is this your first year in San Antonio? Have you heard people talk about Fiesta but wonder what it is all about? Or has someone at work smashed a hollow egg filled with confetti on your head and you...

California, You Called My Name written by Shelly Osborne   The vast terrain; From desert to forest, Mountain to ocean. You called my name.   Palm trees sway The crash of the ocean waves. Picturesque drives along the PCH. You called my name.   Wildflowers covering the hills. Trails in every direction Offering vantage...

To my many beautiful friends I have met along the way: You know who you are. We held tight to one another through a season. You were my neighbor, we sat next to each other in church, we played games on...

Spring is finally in the air, and Permanent Change of Station, better known as PCS season, is almost upon us! Are you one of the many military families that will be packing up your household goods and moving across...

It was hard to take fashion advice from someone who used to dress like a pirate on the regular, but there I was standing in front of my husband in my Soffe shorts and flip-flops being told to go...

Pensacola, Florida, is known for its white sand beaches and emerald waters. It also is the home to multiple Naval Air Stations and specific training schools that will land many in the area for weeks or years at a...

April is month of the military child! As a certified child life specialist (CCLS) I use play and bibliotherapy to help children cope with stressful medical situations. This can absolutely be applied to the military connected community when helping children...