(photo by Lea Hartman Photography)
Hi everyone! I'm Stacey, a military spouse and a mama to two amazing boys! I am beyond thrilled that Maureen invited me to be a part of this series!
Little did I know that when I moved to the USA from Jamaica to be with my hubby (my high school sweetheart) that my life as I knew it would be changed for ever. You see, he is a soldier and that meant a nomadic lifestyle would become my new normal. In addition, I was not only embracing a military lifestyle, but also a new culture.
Putting down Roots We never really get a chance to put down roots anywhere because as soon as it feels like we are getting settled, it is time for us to move. Nonetheless, I've mastered the art of making our temporary abode feels like home wherever we are. I find this has helped me to cope with the uncertainty that comes with this lifestyle. It's comforting to have a feeling of home, no matter how temporary.
Italy - Bolzano Vicentino, the town in which we lived.
Italy had to get a subtitle all of its own because our time there totally changed my/our lives. We opted to live amongst the Italians instead of on the military base and that was the best decision ever. We were fully immersed in the culture and in no time I was making transactions in the language when I purchased furniture (which was quite a number of times) or when I visited the fisherman's stall every Wednesday to buy fresh fish. We traveled to many different parts of Europe because it was so convenient and inexpensive. We fell in love with grappa and I became addicted to tiramisu.
Transitioning back to the USA Our move back to the USA was a difficult one because we really loved Italy and didn't want to move. However, that was the nature of our lifestyle. It's seems like we are always embarking on a new journey with every new move we make.
Fast Forward to Today.
Today, we've been married for almost 15 years and although as soon as I start speaking - it's immediately apparent that I am a foreigner because of my accent - I am much more immersed into the American culture now. As for the nomadic aspect of our military lifestyle, for the first time ever, we've lived in one place for over 2 years.
In fact, we've lived here long enough that we built our current home where we are loving life with our two boys and dog, Ginger.
Thank you for allowing me to be apart of such an amazing series Maureen! Blessings and love.
* Visit Stacey at Design Addict Mom
*photo's nr. 2-5 by Stacey