09 May 2018

Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day!




Since Friday is Military Spouse Appreciation Day, I thought I'd change things up a bit in honour of all the courageous military spouses out there. This special day is celebrated on the Friday before Mother's Day, and many take this opportunity to acknowledge the significant contributions, support, and sacrifices of military spouses. They might not wear a uniform, but I know they serve, too. 

Before Martha Washington became the first First Lady of this country, she was equally well known as the General’s wife. In this role, she enjoyed a privileged position, yet she was never aloof. She is said to have spent much of her time with the other officers’ wives. They knitted socks, patched garments and sewed shirts for destitute soldiers. They also provided medical aid, comforted the dying, and supported widows of fallen soldiers. Martha leveraged her high-level contacts in the civilian community, to collect cash donated by upper-class women, and used it to purchase more linen to sew over 2000 shirts for soldiers. She was the prototypical military wife, and her actions would resonate for hundreds of years.  

My own story couldn't be more different. I am a most unlikely military spouse. While I am busy as a bee most days, I don't sew shirts, knit socks or provide medical aid (I can't even stand the sight of blood!). I do, however, keep our household going whenever my husband is called upon to deploy to a war zone. I keep our furry children in line whenever their favourite playmate is not home, and all the while manage to navigate the publishing world. Not to mention all the small and big problems life can throw at you, are taken care of promptly. 

Want to know more about my tumultuous life? I actually wrote two books about it: MY AFGHANISTAN CAMPAIGN DIARY and BEYOND AFGHANISTAN: MORE VIEWS OF A MILITARY SPOUSE

These two heartstring-pulling wartime memoirs openly describe our family's day-to-day lives before, during and after my husband's latest deployment. But, enough about me...

To all my fellow military spouses out there: Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day! You deserve a standing ovation for everything you do, and I sincerely hope you'll be able to enjoy the day!



Piper is the author of several non-fiction books, and recently added two historical fiction novels to her ever-expanding collection of published writings, In the Shadow of Her Majesty and The Country Girl Empress. When she isn't busy typing away on her computer, she can be found chasing after her furry children or holding on tightly to a good cup of coffee. Follow her on LinkedInFacebookGoodreads and Google+.

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