Let me tell you one thing, I am married to the Marine Corps… and my husband. A quote I heard shortly after we moved for TBS was this, “When you marry a Marine you marry the Marine Corps, and get used to the Marine Corps coming first.” Kinda like when you marry someone you marry their family too. I found this to be too true too soon.
An example was last 5 days. Or really all of the time we have been at TBS. Last weekend was a 3 day weekend (thank you GOD for 3 day weekends), so the week started on Tuesday. Wednesday came and it was a “most likely” overnight. A text came in late and Brendan wasn’t coming home. On my way home from work the next day another text came saying he wouldn’t be able to come home. And then 5 minutes later ANOTHER message saying “Oh yeah, and I have duty on Friday night so I can’t come home till Saturday.” …… Guys, I was disappointed when the first message came in. But then I started laughing hysterically. That’s when I said to myself, “Well, I did marry the Marine Corps.”
Guess what? After this weekend Brendan left on Sunday night for a week in the field. ANOTHER week being gone.
Saturday morning came and I was so happy to wake up to my actual husband and cuddle with him. But, he had been up most of the night so, sleeping was a good part of our [his] Saturday, and the Husker game (GBR! 6-0). Sunday, Sunday was short lived. Brendan had to go to base in the morning and put together his pack for the week of FEX3. So as I went to church, with a little bit of a grudge on my shoulder mad at how short the weekend was, Brendan went to base. I came home at 11:15 am, he came home at 2:15 pm.
After he was home for a short time he asked if I wanted to do anything. I did but with only about 2 hours of free time what is there to do? Well, thankfully there is Netflix. So we watched Better Call Saul for an hour. But we got to sit together and focus on one thing that wasn’t military related, that’s the goal of every weekend.
I cooked dinner, we washed dishes (I got to dry this time!) and then sat on the couch to watch what was left of Toy Story 3 on TV. Brendan held me real tight and I laid my head on his shoulder. I absolutely love this feeling. But as the Marine Corps calls he had to leave. Again. For a week. All I want to say is “Blllaahh.”
Note: I really hate looking at him tying his shoes right before he leaves.
Some of you may be asking/thinking, “Didn’t you know what you were getting into before you got married?” and the answer to that is, “Um, not really, but kind of.”
See, before I married Brendan I always knew this lifestyle would be challenging and stretch our relationship at times. But what I didn’t know is how much I would learn to love it. I never thought I would say that so early on! ( I definitely came kicking and screaming.) Another thing that became stronger and more loving was our marriage relationship. Yes, the many days and nights apart make for much better times together even though they are short lived. You really learn to appreciate the small things and to love selflessly. And for those of you that may be thinking “well, it probably won’t last because one of you will end up cheating on the other, or it will just end up being ‘too hard'”, here is what I say to that. Yes, that unfortunately does happen to some people and its sad, and also a stereotype. But I don’t see that in my marriage or any of the other military couples around us. Why? Because there is an understanding of what true, supportive, God honoring, sacrificial and selfLESS love is. I am incredibly thankful for that.
So, I am married to the Marine Corps; I am also married to the best husband ever. It kind of sucks at times but is incredibly rewarding the other times. Does it take a lot of hard work to be married to the Marines? Yes, but it also takes a lot of hard work just to be married in general. Will I wake up every day and choose love, joy, and my husband? Absolutely YES.
Oh, and for all of you reading this that don’t know military language here is what these Acronyms mean: TBS = The Basic School FEX = Field Exercise (they spend a week out in the field sleeping on the ground eating MRE’s and blowing stuff up) MRE = Meals Ready to Eat Marine Corps = United States Military branch that defends our country and takes my husband from me. Their also bad a**.
Women, or men, married to a branch in the military, you can do it! You just need a little bit of faith.
~Erin
The Short Wife 
One thought on “I am Married to the Marine Corps”