Bridging Hearts Despite the Distance
This military life continues to surprise and amaze me. My husband and I have been married for 14 years, and during that time, we have had two little boys, moved six times, navigated three deployments, and had countless TDYs. Often, the challenges we military families face can seem isolating, like no one could understand. Watching my boys process so many hard goodbyes and working with them through it is the heart behind Never "Goodbye." Always "See You Later!" I set out to write a book to encourage my kids, but after completing it, I knew it would be a valuable resource for many.
Never "Goodbye." Always "See You Later!" promises to testify to the enduring bond that distance can't break. It is a narrative that will tug at the heartstrings of military families, offering a beacon of hope and understanding. This book is not just a read but a treasured keepsake that will provide comfort and reassurance while navigating such a gut-wrenching lifestyle.
When I first became a military wife, I felt like a fish out of water. I was completing my senior year of college when my husband deployed for the first time. In total, he was gone for 15 months, and I can say with certainty that I have never felt more alone than during that year and a half. I constantly felt like I was wearing a mask. My heart was in pieces on the inside, but on the outside, friends and family perceived me as a pillar of strength.
I often think back on those first few years of military life. Moments like that have, in turn, shaped my writing style. I write for her, the military wife who feels unseen and alone. When I think about my boys as they said goodbye to their daddy and were without him for almost four and a half years due to back-to-back deployments and training periods, I feel inspired to create valuable resources that can help bridge the gap that distance often creates.
In the military world, deployments and various trainings are regular occurrences, which leaves military families behind supporting their loved ones while navigating big emotions due to so much change. This book aims to raise awareness about the emotional toll on the entire family, whether you are the one leaving or supporting on the sidelines.
While writing this book, one of the biggest challenges I faced was being inclusive to all military families. I aimed to include an element of each military branch in the book and attempted to keep it as gender-neutral as possible. I wanted boys and girls alike to see themselves on each page and for the story to benefit both male and female service members. I had to be incredibly thoughtful with the wording while keeping all of this in mind, which had its challenges. This book went through many edits before it was truly ready.
I hope my book will remind military children and parents alike that they are not alone while walking through hard seasons like deployment. I hope this book provides a starting place for vulnerable conversations between the service member and the child. Knowing how there are deployments or training where communication is sparse at best, I hope this book provides a sweet reminder for military children where they never question how much they are thought of and loved.
I have a few projects lined up that I am so excited about. I am currently working on a special project for military wives through the non-profit - Homefront Heroes Ministries. I also have a few more children's books that I plan to push out within the next few years. Everything I write, whether a book, devotionals, or social media content, revolves around military life. The words naturally flow out of me and often come from a vulnerable place to encourage others navigating this same lifestyle.
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