This mentoring opportunity is especially for you! Learn how to become a Powerful Woman.

It seems these days that young women are being told to either “Lean In,” “Get Empowered,” or “Find Balance,” as they step toward…

Survival Tips for Living in the DC Area

It's PCS time and military families will be arriving to the area daily. Whether it is your first time here, or the fourth, a move to the National Capital Region for military families brings lots of unique challenges…

Dawn was just breaking, and a mist was shadowing the shore. It may have been the same type of morning 53 years before. But on this morning, the man and boy watching the tide roll onto the sand could only imagine the armada that would…

Memorial Day reflections

Military life has allowed the Swan family to live across this great country and in Europe, and to visit some unique places. Invariably those family trips focused on famous military sites, from the beaches of Normandy…

Migration season has begun!

It happens every year at this time – the annual migration of hatch-lings back to the nest after their time away for college or…

Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day fellow travelers on the journey through military life! 

Today you’ll get to hear a lot about how special you are. You’ll…

If you really want to show your appreciation…

Look, I am all for honoring Military Spouses. I enjoyed receiving those tokens of appreciation each May while spouse was on active duty. Military Spouses deserve…

The answers may surprise you.

When I was asked to write an article for the recent DC Military Family Life Month of the Military Child publication, I jumped at the task. How hard could it be? I raised three military…

Lessons learned at the Military.com Spouse Summit.

Lesson 1: It’s hard to attend a Spouse Summit as just an observer looking for a blog story. Surrounded by forum leaders like Jacey Eckhart, editor of SpouseBuzz.com (shown…

There’s an image many have of the consummate Soldier/Marine/Airman/Corpsman.

Picture a cross between Audie Murphy, John Wayne and The Rock, combined into one Super Warrior. But real heroes often come in very…

A Month of the Military Child tribute to my three Military Kids

As I reflect on the Petri dish of my military family life, I am amazed at the miracles spouse and I created. From the simple medium of loving and parenting the best we…

The Military.Com 2013 Spouse Summit offers a chance to meet and connect with other military spouses in the DC area

Moving to the Military District of Washington community can be a daunting and lonely experience for military…

...and sometimes seem so inadequate.

Siobahn - Our hearts bleed for you and your family on the loss of your son, Derek. Your moving tribute is so powerful and has obviously touched so many readers. The simple and humble words of condolence we offer seem so inadequate and can in no way ease your pain, but know that others are thinking of you and praying for you all.

Since you began your blog, when…

In the fight to preserve military family programming, all of us can have a voice. Let it be heard!

The current Sequestration battle, and its impact on military operations, personnel, services and programs, is the kind of problem that just seems…

Remember how those words were magic when you were younger?

Back then "Snow Day" simply meant a day off from school. Before the Martin Luther King Holiday, winter breaks and longer spring breaks, we had to rely on Old Man…

The Army Officers’ Wives’ Club of the Greater Washington Area's 16^th Annual International Showcase brings together sisters in service 

(photo: Mrs. Manal…

It’s Valentine’s Day once again, and as usual within the military, thousands of service members and their spouses or special someones will be celebrating the day apart.  It may seem depressing to those outside our community, but those of us who've experienced the separations know a secret. Behind those tough, camouflaged exteriors, military guys and gals are some of the most romantic individuals around and deployments often let them use their full military training to create extravagant…

Did you hear the one about traffic in DC?

Sounds like a great start to a joke doesn't it? Only those of us living here know driving in this area is never very funny.

The Washington Post reported…

…in this season of Oscars and Golden Globes, Military spouses have their own award competition

And all of us have a chance to help choose the Armed Forces Insurance/Military Spouse Magazine Military Spouse of the Year 2013 for each service branch on February 5.

In my opinion, all military spouses are award-winners. Enduring separations…

…always ends in heartbreak!

Every February 2^nd, like most citizens north of the Mason-Dixon Line, I await Phil’s arrival. Will he bring an end to my gloom or tell me this sad state…