The One Where He Decides to Enlist

My husband is always a surprise to me. I am constantly caught off guard with what he is going to say or do next and it's part of the reason I fell in love with him. Some days it's a little surprise (like having scientific reasons for the compliments he gives,) but about a month ago he came home and shocked me with the news that he wanted us to strongly consider the military.

This took me completely off guard as he has never mentioned the military in the entire 2 years we have been together. We also just got married a little over 2 months ago and the plan was to buy a house, settle in and figure marriage out. Well. We talked about it and I could clearly see that he had great reasons for wanting to join.

He had just started in a new division at work and one of the guys there is a total beast. Ex-Special Forces, about to re-enlist in Special Forces, unofficial walking encyclopedia and recruiter for the military. He presented the military to my hubs in a way that made it make sense and in a way that highlighted all the perks of joining. He also explained the cons, but the perks definitely outweighed the cons.

So we decided to take a month to think about this life-altering decision and a month later we have decided to join the U.S. Military.

A little background on me, I grew up as an Air Force brat. I know all about what it looks like at home for a family in the military. I know about the moves, the disconnect between us and civilians, and what it's like to have the man of the family be gone for long periods of time. Thankfully my dad never got deployed, but I do know about the system.
But its different when it's your husband that's deciding to join. We have talked, and prayed, and talked about this decision and through all those conversations we found ourselves consistently pointed toward enlisting.
So we decided to enlist.

We announced it to our families yesterday and he will be going to talk to the recruiter in a few days. I have got to say that this decision gives me waves on waves of anxiety of the unknown. I don't want anything bad to happen to him or Us, I don't want to be separated, I don't want to lose control over our decisions, I don't want to be in charge of the homefront while he is away...but I want him to pursue this. It will be immensely beneficial for us both, give us a great opportunity to travel while we have no kids, and really set us up for the ability to have children and a more financially stable home. I fully support my husbands decision but I am also anxious for this massive life change.

I'm excited, nervous, scared, stoked, curious, and researching like a crazy woman.

I decided to write about this because if anyone else out there is in a similar position, you aren't alone. I am also planning on writing more of our experience as the weeks go on for other women going through the same thing.