My military child

Today was the first time I really thought about the friends that Miss K makes while at this duty station. She has just completed her first year in preschool, and was able to make some close friends. We live off base, which means that the friends she has made are not really tied to the military lifestyle. This has been a blessing, and a curse at the same time. Luckily, summer has hit, and preschool is out, and she is able to have playdates with one of her best friends from the school.

So, after we let them play at the play area in the mall, we headed over to Chick-Filet to grab a bite with the kiddos. My friend proceeds to tell me, that I might find it weird, but she doesn't think Miss K and Miss L should get too close since we might leave in a year with orders. Apparently, her older daughter had a best friend when they were little, and she moved-- and it was super heartbreaking for her daughter. She didn't want Miss L to have to go through what her big sister went through.

Of course, I am a little stunned. Do people really avoid befriending me and my daughters because they risk us moving? I had calmly told her that my husband just so happens to be from this state, and I assured her that even if we move, I am still stuck coming back for visits. {LOL!} Plus, we really don't know if/and  when we will get orders at this point. We were told by my husbands monitor that we didn't even rate orders until we've reached three years on station. Besides, with the budget cuts, it doesn't look like anyone will be leaving anytime soon. So, she was a bit relieved. But, it makes me sad to think that is why we can't form close relationships with people. Living on base was a bit easier, because we knew we all had to move at some point, but the chances of us finding each other back on another base was always a possible chance.

I literally had a friend that I was active duty with (different branches) that seemed to follow me from state to state. We've known each other when we were single servicemembers to getting married and having kids around the same age. It is crazy, and I am soo thankful to be apart of the military lifestyle. Yes, we move a lot, but I can say that I have made friends in every clime and place. When I go on vacations, chances are, I can call on a friend, and we get to reconnect. Truly awesome. I just hope that someday Miss K and Miss A will realize this, too. The sad day will be when the hubby retires, and we actually have to settle down.