I am the perpetual planner. More often than not my planning makes my husband crazy, because more often than not, plans change. But what I’ve come to realize is that I cope through my plans. I’m the kind of person who prefers to have control over my life, and as you all know, life in the military offers little control over anything.
So I cope by being prepared for anything. I have a contingency plan for whatever happens. I have a plan for unexpected orders to the west coast, if he decides he no longer wants to be employed by the Marine Corps, or if we stay here. Now with all things considered, my current restlessness and expended patience with this whole process, I have decided to pursue the options that are here.
This means that over the past eight months, I’ve started my own sort of doomsday prepping. No, this doesn’t mean buying loads of canned goods and creating my own biodiesel fuel. My method of prepping is completing as much school as I can, collecting baby items my friends are no longer using, and looking for real estate in the area. My husband and I discuss our futures often (usually as a result of my instigation) but nonetheless we’ve decided that we’re moving towards reenlistment and starting a family.
That’s a lot to take in as we currently live in a two-bedroom townhouse on base; pretty soon our family will expand and so should our walls. Consequently, I’ve been browsing more real estate listings in the area and have considered getting preapproved for a mortgage. It is all rather scary and exciting, this whole concept of becoming a grown up, but after four years of marriage it feels like its time for the next step.
My husband and I aren’t always on the same page. For example, we had the opportunity to check out a few homes recently. The day leading up to our meeting, my husband was reluctant and was essentially called me crazy for investigating opportunities when we really don’t have a clue where we’ll be in six months. Of course, that was until we started walking through the homes, and now he’s excited and wants to move forward!
Most of the homes we looked at were new builds and were beautiful, but the reality is that we have no idea what lays in our future. We’re not about to buy a new home for renters to turn around and trash it. So we’ll keep looking and only move on what we think is right; meaning the right price, location and land, because like my dad said, “You can’t go wrong with land”..
I’m not sure how I feel about become a grown up. We did just buy our first vehicle together and now we’re shopping for potential homes, but I suppose it’s time. I’m ready for the next step, whatever it may be and I’m ready because I have a plan for all the possibilities. My husband may call me crazy, but he’ll be grateful when we’re saddled with news and I’ve got an action plan ready and waiting no matter what.
There are so many unknowns out there that having plans is what helps me stay resilient as a military wife. Creating a game plan for all the possibilities works the best for me. One of my motto’s as a military spouse is “plan for the worst, and hope for the best”… so here I am either hopefully planning or planning hopefully, which I am not sure, but at least I have my hopes and plans to fall back on no matter what gets thrown our way.
Do you feel like planning helps you prepare for your future?
Or do you just let everything go and deal with it as it comes?
