I'll Take "Wasted Time" For $200, Please

I feel like I've lived the past two years with the Jeopardy song in my head.  Hurry up; time is tight...

Two years ago, I was already stressed out about fitting a baby in before deployment.  Commenters told me that this is just a fact of military life and that I have to get used to the idea of my husband missing out on the birth or other milestones.  They said just to go for it and that life would take care of itself.

Three miscarriages, two fertility treatments, and an awful revelation about my genetic code later...well, we still don't have a baby.  And the Jeopardy song is still playing.

NMFA - Government and You E-News

April 28, 2009

1. Association Testifies at Appropriation Hearing

2. Five States Pass Compact in the Month of the Military Child!

3. Military OneSource Expands Counseling Sessions

4. Post 9/11 GI Bill Applications Accepted

5. New VA and SG Positions

6. Swine Flu Information for Military Families

7. Scholarships for Military Children and Spouses

8. Last Week to Apply for Free Training in the Personal Finance Profession

Asking for Help

That's it.  I'm going to have to ask for help with a household job, and I don't like it.

In my laundry room, I have a shelf that has a screw pulled out of the wall.  I have tried several different anchors to fix it, and it keeps pulling out.  I'm frustrated and I'm tired of it.  There is no good reason why I shouldn't be able to make this shelf stay up, but I don't have the time, the inclination, or the skills right now.

Now, the sensible amongst you will say, "Why don't you ask someone to help you?"  Reasonable enough.  But I hate to ask for help, and it seems like I'm always asking someone for something.  My friend tells me that isn't exactly a fair assessment of the situation, but it is how I feel.  Plus, I've still got a lot of deployment left and I'm trying to save my asks for a real need, not just a want.  We can survive with this shelf hanging off the wall.  I don't like it, but we can.

My Explanation

This weekend I was very blessed - not only did I get to attend the Milblog Conference in DC, but I got to sit on one of the panels.  And with Lily Burana, no less!  Let me tell you, she is every bit as funny, charming, and down to earth in person as you would guess.  Love.  Her.

But I've been thinking about one question from the conference ever since - mulling it over in my mind and dissecting my own answer.  I've been trying to really define what I was trying to express in a way that someone who is not a member of the military can understand without feeling as though the answer itself was an attack (I'm pretty sure that the military folks there "got it").

The question, paraphrased, was this: (see live blog here) I hear that the MSM has failed the military community.  Why do you think that is the case?    I hear there are all kinds of communities that feel the media has failed them. 

Military Spouse Career Advancement Expanded

Spouses Career Program has been expanded for Army Spouses.  Act Fast!

Did You Know?

TRICARE Increases Extended Care Payments
TRICARE Requires DEERS Updates
TRICARE4U Changes Passwords
Did You Live Or Work At Camp Lejeune Before 1988?
Case Lot Sales Coming Soon
Ship To Exchange And Avoid Shipping Charges
DoDDS Europe To Broadcast Graduations
VA Launches Returning Home Website
Splitting Pay Checks Might Make Paying Bills Easier
DoDEA Summer Enrichment Programs
Army Europe To Host Summer Camp

More

Fit Club - Making Some Sort of Progress

This Fit Club post is late because I was at the Milblogging conference in Washington, DC this weekend.  A great time was had by all (I think) but it sure is easy to get off schedule when you are out of your element.

I have to give a huge shout out and thank you to Penny, who mentioned MyFitnessPal.com in her Fit Club comment last week.  I checked it out, signed up immediately, and I think it may have changed my life.  My Fitness Pal is an online food and exercise diary, with great interactive tools and numerous discussion boards to ask questions, learn, and make a few fitness buddies, too.

Here's how I'm using it:  I've entered my height, weight, and goals.  Each day, I put in my food (before I eat it when I'm smart) and exercise.  The program does the calculations and already has most food values in it's database.  The really motivating part is that it tells you each day "If every day were like today...You'd weigh XXX pounds in five weeks."  Obviously, it is just estimating, but I think it is cool and it helps keep me on track.

That said, this weekend was a disaster nutritionally.  On Saturday, I had a healthy but protein-deficient breakfast, followed by a unhealthy (and gross) lunch and a mediocre restaurant dinner.  On Sunday, I had a huge restaurant breakfast, followed by a lunch my sister had picked up from Red Hot and Blue (which I love) and then dinner at IKEA due to an accident on the beltway.  When I got home and put them all in the computer, I was distressed to discover that despite my "better" choices, I'd still eaten nearly 4000 calories on both Saturday and Sunday.

Since I can't undo those days, I can learn from them.  Looking at the online food diary is pretty revealing.  On Saturday, my big culprits were the beers and a enormous, restaurant sized serving of steak fries.  On Sunday, I would have been somewhere in the vicinity of OK if I'd passed on the potato salad.  Who knew that you could eat six sides of cole slaw for one side of potato salad?  I guess I need to check these things before I eat them.

The other thing I really like about this online tool is that it gives me instant gratification for the exercise I do.  I love going for a walk, then entering it into the computer and seeing that I've burned XX number of calories.  I'm definitely squeezing in more bonus exercise because of that motivation.

I'm sure that there are lots of good online food and exercise calculators, this just happens to be the first one I found.  If you're doing Fit Club with us, you might find an online tool helpful like I have.  Let's hope it works!

Chasing Sunset

Recently I had to fly to the east coast for a conference. I find, the older I get, the more I dislike flying. My husband, the helicopter pilot, thinks I'm being silly and irrational. And I am. Intellectually, I completely understand that I am more likely to die driving down the freeway than I am flying. But most of our fears are irrational, aren't they?

What makes it even better - and sillier - is that I am more scared of flying over the ocean (I live on an island so flying anywhere involves flying over the ocean) than I am of flying over the land. Maybe it's not the crashing that scares me but the drowning? Which is also silly and irrational for two reasons:

Better Understanding 'Full Replacement Value'

Things change within the military on a regular basis.  This we do know.  When it comes to moving, we all need to be on our toes and up to date.  We must know how change will impact us.

The Wrong Door

Everyone knows that the worst day possible would be the fateful knock on the door.

But what would you do if it was the wrong door?

We've seen the scene on We Were Soldiers when the taxi driver scares the life out of Mrs. Moore, and we've all heard the urban legends, but it really happened last night.

Sis B got that knock at the door, and

it
was
the
wrong
house.

My heart stopped just reading her post; I can't imagine living through it.

Hitting a Deployment Trough

I've been a out of sorts lately, and I think I've finally figured it out.  At first, I thought that it was just the usual monotony of a deployment that's been going on for a while.  The gung-ho attitude is starting to wear off and the whole family has been a little more cantankerous than usual.  However, I think it might be actually a little more logical than that.

My husband is about 3 months into his deployment.   Because we're Navy, this should be the half-way point of a regular 6-7 monther.  Though I hadn't been thinking about it consciously, I think that my subconscious has been counting and figures that the half-way there endorphins should be kicking in any moment now.  Of course, since this is a year deployment, those triumphant feelings aren't coming along any time soon.  And the whole thing had left me feeling low. 

It doesn't bother me as much now that I have an idea what's going on.  Yeah, it is going to be longer than we're used to, but nothing that I can't manage.  Those happy thoughts are just going to have to come back and take up residence, and I mean now!

PCSing without the kids

While not ideal, many military families deal with divorce and with a pcs on the horizon parents without primary custody may find themselves with little opportunity to remain close to their children.   So with regular cycles of 'picking' new orders every few years, is there any right or best time to try and be stationed near the kids?

I was hoping to get some feedback on this.

Last Chance To-Do List

No pressure or anything.  My husband's last pass prior to his final weeks of training begins this weekend.  This will likely be the last time he will set foot in this house for over a year.  No pressure.

I have a tendency to create a monstrous and ridiculous to-do list when my husband is due home from deployment.  I'm promising (in writing no less) NOT to do that this time IF, and only if, I can pretty please have some karmic intervention to accomplish the following to-do list before he leaves in a few days.

To Rotate Or Not To Rotate

Last summer when she passed through town, Andi helped me rotate my mattress while my husband was deployed.  I used to do it every June and December.  But now I've found myself in a bit of a puzzle.  My husband now deploys for about half of every year.  That means that half of the year, his side of the bed is not getting slept on.  The other half of the year, he is heavier than I am and puts more wear on his side.  I don't know what to do anymore.  Do I rotate or not?  And how often?  Any advice from Navy or Marine wives or families where only half the bed is being slept on half the time?

Yes, I know, these are really deep questions...ha.

Did You Know?

Register Today: Military Spouse Event Coming to Hill AFB
Military Teens Sound Off
New DoD 'eMagazine' Debuts
New Employment Website for Vets
Promoting Alcohol Awareness
TriWest Offers Informational Videos
Volunteer Appreciation Week

More  

Being Vigilant of Scams

We have seen this type of warning before, but the below article reminds us to be ever vigilant.  Being informed about how your spouse's installation and unit deal with notifications will help you to avoid becoming victim to these awful types of scams.

Red Cross Warns of Scam Targeting Military Families

Military families should be wary if they receive a call, apparently from the Red Cross, informing them that an active-duty military relative has been hurt: It could be a scam.

 

Whatever gets you through the night

When my right eye starts twitching, I know I have had enough....

The LAST Straw

I can so sympathize with Andi's post!

Some days just stink.  And have you ever noticed that when all Heck breaks loose, it is usually some silly little thing that sets it off?

Sometimes it seems like we can weather the apocalypse, only to completely fall apart (momentarily, of course) when you open a box of Mac and Cheese without the packet of neon cheese powder in it.

Hitting the High Notes

For all the lip service and late-night thinking I devote to bemoaning the fact that what's lost in the portrayal of military life is the nitty-gritty nuance that few ever see, I never really do a good job of articulating that nuance myself because it's so complex, and there's so much ground to cover. In fact, I've been working on writing about something I said, and didn't say, at one of our LIVE events.  

But this morning via Dawn Patrol, I found an article which does a pretty good job portraying the range of emotions that most military families experience at the outset of a deployment. The pride and the fear, the sadness and the stiff upper lip. The strength. 

Who's That Girl?

Yesterday was a bad day. It was just one of those days when everything I touched, large or small, turned sour. I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience. There I was, watching someone who looked like me handle situations in a manner that someone who was me would not normally handle them.

If It's Friday, It Is Supposed to be Fit Club

Hi, Fit Clubbers!  I'm so glad to be a part of this group...you all are so inspiring.

This has been an interesting week for me, exercise wise.  I decided that I needed to do something drastic if I'm going to meet my goal of losing this extra weight before my husband comes home on R&R in October.  Being the planning geek that I am, I was making a little chart of my options and their pros and cons.  My ideas included continuing to do what I'm doing now but being more dedicated, joining a gym, joining a gym and getting some sessions with one of their personal trainers, or doing one of those intensive one trainer - one client places.  As you can see, I've listed them in order from least cost to highest cost, which unfortunately is exactly the opposite order of how likely they are to be successful.  I was struggling with the balance between cost and results.   On one hand, why should I pay money for something I should be able to do by myself?  On the other hand, doing it myself hasn't exactly been working, and you can't really put a price on my health.  I'm sure many of you struggle with this question as well.

K-8 Enrichment Programs

DoDEA Offers Summer Enrichment Program

The Department of Defense Education Activity is offering free four-week, half-day summer enrichment programs at 61 Defense Department schools for students in grades K-8.

The date for each summer program will be determined based on the local school schedule. The schools will offer the program from 9 a.m. until noon Monday through Friday.

Milspouses at the 2009 MilBlog Conference

Speaking of Lily Burana, next weekend in Washington, DC, military bloggers from all corners will gather for the annual MilBlog Conference. I believe this annual event is the largest gathering of military bloggers in the world. There is no spouse/family panel this year, but milspouses will be front and center. Our own airforcewife, Lily Burana and Rebekah Sanderlin (remember this), are panelists. In addition to the spouses who will be speaking, there will be a host of military spouse bloggers (and non-bloggers) attending, so come on out and join in on the fun.

Click here to learn more about the conference, and to register. There are about 20 seats left.

"Coping with Deployment: Psychological First Aid"

 
(Photo via Red Cross)

Military Families Get Help Coping with Deployments

Military families know how difficult deployments are, and the American Red Cross wants to help them deal with the stress.

Tonight: A Conversation With Lily Burana

A few months ago, I received an advance copy of Lily Burana's book, I Love a Man in Uniform. A little about the book:

An all-American love story about a former punk-rock stripper and her unlikely marriage to an officer in the U.S. Army.

In this brave, eloquent, and often funny memoir, critically acclaimed author Lily Burana writes about love, war, and the realities of military marriage with an honesty few writers would dare.

A former exotic dancer who once had a penchant for anarchist politics and purple hair dye, Lily's rebellious past never would have suggested a marriage into the military. But then she met Mike, a Military Intelligence officer, and fell hopelessly in love, resulting in a most unorthodox romance--poignant, passionate, and utterly unpredictable.

After Lily and Mike said "I do" in a brief pre-deployment City Hall ceremony, Mike left for Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Lily was left in a strange town to endure his absence alone, with no support system and little knowledge of the vast and confusing military world into which she had married.

I found Lily's book (and Lily) to be interesting, on so many levels. I'll be publishing a full review here at SpouseBUZZ soon. 

Lily will join us this evening on LIVEWIRE to chat about her life and her book. I'm looking forward to talking with Lily, there's a lot of ground I want to cover, and I'm sure it's going to be a great show.

Listen live at 8:00 p.m. EST by clicking here. If you have a question for Lily, we'll open the phone lines and let you talk to her. The dial in number is 646.478.5665. Don't forget to join us in the chat room. 

"More Fair"

This is a post about when the Army tries to make things "more fair."  Sigh.

April's Challenge: Conquering the "Stashes"

Ahhhh, April.... The month traditionally known for spring cleaning. Usually, the cleaning involves stuff that people can see and appreciate. Stuff like windows and shutters, baseboards and blinds, patios and flower beds. Nah, we're not going to do that to you (yet). 

This month, we'll tackle the things that people don't typically see but if they could, it might just horrify you.

Military Money Updates

Personal Finance Guide for Military Families
Military Spouse Fellowship Program
Featured Interview: John Gannon from FINRA Foundation
Visit Save and Invest.org

More from Military Money can be found here.

While you are thinking about money, don't forget to visit The Paycheck Chronicles, Ask June and Military.com Finance for great information. 

George Burns Had It Right

I was shopping for a card a few years ago and saw a great one emblazoned with a quote by George Burns on it:

Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.

Of course, this quote is the preface to yet another story involving my mother-in-law.

Did You Know?

File Taxes for Free
Exchange Mall Salutes Mothers
DoD to Cover Bereavement Travel Costs
Early Literacy Military Initiative Kicks Off
Armed Services Blood Program
Columbia University Tuition Waived
Operation Mend for Wounded Warriors
Free Lunch at Military Commissaries
Month of the Military Child
Exchange Issues New Comic Book 

More  

The March Challenge: Toughest One Yet? Really......

I thought the March challenge would be the one that everyone would participate in because I thought it was pretty easy and one that didn't require a lot of work. Boy, was I wrong.... Some of you commented on how you hated this challenge and a few wouldn't even participate in it. I thought we'd have 100 participants in this one! Heh. You guys really don't want to tackle the car!  Who knew?

Here are the results:

What I meant to say about reintegration...

At last weekend's Live event in Norfolk, our panel addressed reintegration.  Actually I think it was addressed by everyone but myself.  And yet this is something I've dealt with before.  As per my usual, it took me a couple minutes to come up with what I wanted to say.  I just never got a chance to say it because we were off to other topics and lots of great input from everyone that came.

So I figured I would share here. 

A Little Disoriented

My husband, who is deployed right now, had to come to Washington, DC, for a meeting.  And since we live near DC, this meant that he was coming home unexpectedly.  As you can imagine, I was delighted.  Okay, delighted with reservations.  He's only been gone two months, so I have made close to zero progress on my whole "get skinny-clean and decorate the house-save a bjillion dollars-transform the children into model citizens" plan.  But those aren't really the important things, so I was truly delighted when he climbed into the car at the airport.

The first night, (when I'm sleeping on my own side of the bed instead of his side, where I sleep while he's gone,) I wake up in the middle of the night and realize that there is someone in my bed and it isn't a child.  I clearly wasn't entirely awake because I'm perplexed.  I'm pretty sure that I know who this person is, like his name and his personality, but I'm not exactly sure how he's related to me or why he is in my bed.  In my delirium, I figured I'd better go sleep on the sofa.  As I'm fumbling around for my glasses, it occurs to me: maybe I'm married to him.  Since this sounds vague familiar, and I'm really tired, and the sofa is at least twenty five feet away, I just put my head back down on the pillow.

Fortunately, my confusion was gone when I woke up properly the next morning.  However, it made clear to me how hard it must be for my husband's brain to keep track of the upheaval of his life.  And it was funny, in retrospect.  Plus, I remembered who he was for the whole rest of the visit. Yeah!

Oh, Those Civilians!

We all have funny (and not so funny) (and irritated) (and angry) civilian stories.  How many of us have told a civilian friend about an impending deployment and been asked in all seriousness, "Can't he just say no?" 

It's happened a lot.

We live in a primarily civilian community right now and it's been a bit of a sad adjustment for me to life off base.  I miss many aspects of base life - the safety of my children and their ability to run around and play free range, knowing all my neighbors, and the support I got during deployments.

But yesterday I had a very interesting exchange with my civilian neighbor.

Challenge Update

As an FYI - I will get the challenge photos from March up, and post the April challenge later this week. Sorry, been on the road, and I'm also trying to figure out my new laptop. And yes, it's a Mac....

Things Aren't Always as They Seem

A SpouseBUZZ reader sent this to me and asked that I post it without attribution. I think it's a good lesson in why assumptions are often wrong, and unfair. I have some related thoughts about military life and assumptions, but I'll save them for another day.

I don’t live with my military husband.  I fly in and see him, sometimes attend a unit event, and leave again.  I appear shy at events, I don’t attend FRG meetings, and I don’t volunteer for anything.  My life on post is a set of constant introductions and questions.  

Why on earth would I do what I do? 

Do you have someone like this in your unit?  Have you heard these excuses?

“I’m at a great job, and just couldn’t give it up for this move.”

“My mom needed my help caring for _______ (sister, niece, grandparent, etc.).”

“Not quite ready to move yet, but we’ll see what happens…”

“Maybe after the baby’s born, I’ll get down here.”

And inevitably, the finger-shaking begins.  Privately, my husband and I laugh about it.  The alternative is crying and tears are a waste of precious energy.

Fit Club, Finally

Welcome to Jessie and ArmyReserveWife!

I've been avoiding writing this post because I keep thinking that I'll exercise, then I'll be able to write that I have been exercising.  Well, let's see, it's been like two weeks since my last post and my strategy hasn't worked well so far.  Not that I've been sitting on my tushie eating bon-bons, but I haven't been regularly exercising.  A walk here, some push-ups two days later; that sort of schedule isn't helping me make any progress.  I need to find my motivation.

So, in lieu of my bragging and telling you how fit I've gotten, how about you share your stories and give us all some inspiration.   I promise we'll say lots of nice things in return!

Did You Know?

2009 Stimulus Package - What's In It For You
Exchanges Offer Direct Gift Cards
Free Mothers Day Tributes Available
Free Anti-virus Software
Free SAT/ACT Software
TSP Updates
Lower Rates For Tricare Reserve
New Withholding Rates 
Special Hotel Rates For Military 
Summer Hire Program Begins in Europe 

More  

A Lot Can Change In 36 Hours

For 36 hours, we were PCSing unexpectedly this summer.

There are 2 things you can count on. Death and taxes.

We were going to find an accountant this year, but frankly it took me FOREVER to gather all information, between the move, DH having several different W2s this year, the sale of a home and the purchase of a home  I thought it would be complicated. 

However Military One Source is offering H&R's tax program FREE. 

It was EASY.

Try it. 

Links for Hampton Roads Milspouses

I promised several of the Hampton Roads spouses that I would post a few links for their reference. Below are the links which we discussed:

The SpouseBUZZ Blog Series: Under One Roof:

Part I - Blog It Don't Hog It: Nobody has a monopoly - This Land is Your Land.

Part II - I Want a Blog, But How Do I Do It?:  Make it Happen!

Part III - Privacy Concerns: Loose Lips Sink Ships...

Part IV: Networking: It's Who You Know - Work it, Baby!

Part V: Blog Etiquette: Mind Your Manners.

Part VI: Blog Bling: Strut Your Stuff.

The Military Spouse Network, where you can create your own spouse hubs.

And, I'll add another resource, the lovely and bright Sue Hoppin, who many of you met in Hampton Roads this weekend, maintains the spouse blog for MOAA. You can find it here. 

When I'm 64

I have decided I can't wait until my kids are in their twenties so I can ask them what it was like to grow up in our family.

The Virtues of Situational Awareness

As I was traveling this weekend for SpouseBUZZ LIVE Hampton Roads, I had a V-8 moment. Airports are not hell to maneuver because there are mobs of people. No, it's because there are mobs of people with no situational awareness. The people in the security lines who do not have their stuff in order so they can get through the line as painlessly as possible (therefore making it as painless on us as possible). Then, there are the ones who forget to take the change out of their pockets and set off the magnetometer.

Then there are the families or groups of people who are traveling together and insist on fanning out, side-by-side and "strolling" through the airport, seemingly oblivious to the fact that they have caused a huge pile-up of people behind them who are uninterested in a leisurely stroll. Then there are the people who decide to stop mid-walk and text their friends, causing human crashes. On and on it goes. You see, if everyone had situational awareness, airports would run efficiently.

Thank You Hampton Roads Spouses!

We had a great time at SpouseBUZZ LIVE Hampton Roads! There were so many people who showed up that we had to pull in more chairs to accommodate everyone, and that's just the way we like it. The more, the merrier...

We're all in various stages of travel, so regular blogging will resume soon, but we wanted to thank the wonderful spouses of Hampton Roads for the warm welcome you gave us. We had a blast meeting you, hearing your stories and hanging out with you.

Thank you for taking the time to come out yesterday, and for making us feel so welcome in your community. We hope to see you again sometime soon!

Are you listening? Those Key Spouses are getting tired ...

Greetings -- SpouseBUZZ LIVE is cranking and running and we have a wonderful mix of all 5 Services represented today!  And as the conversations developed during breaks and as well during the open discussion of the panel, it became apparent that something I've seen before may be more prevalent than I'd thought.  Here tis ...

Commanders -- First Sergeants ... what's up with your support of YOUR Key Spouse programs?  Some seem to be working wonderfully, but more often than not, it seems that your Key Spouse may be getting what little time you have left at the end of the week or even the end of the month ... so ... are you giving it the time it deserves, this Key Spouse program?

No Back Talk

I think one of the most frustrating things about the military for me is that there's no back talk.  No protestations that something doesn't make sense, that it's unfair, or that it really ruins your day.

My husband was going to travel with me to SpouseBUZZ Live Hampton Roads this weekend.  We have precious few weekends left before he deploys again, and so we obviously want to maximize our time together.  But the Army had other plans for us.  The husband's battalion commander gave them a surprise inspection yesterday that his company didn't quite pass.  So the entire company is on extra duty this weekend as punishment.  No ifs, ands, or buts.

There's no explaining to the Army that we had vacation plans this weekend.  The Army owns my husband and can make him work any time she wants, no matter how short notice or how seemingly unfair.  So the Army punishes the soldiers, but she also ruins all the families' weekends as well.

I sure wish I could go give them some back talk...

What is the best part of being a military wife?

an email you might send:

Dear Husband,

I wanted to let you know that I'm a little worried about your trip home next week.  I'm very excited to see you, and I know that the kids will be thrilled.  However, I'm worried that you are going to get all tied up in the fact that the Christmas lights are still up, and there are still boxes that need to be unpacked, and whatever yard work that your eyes think needs to be done.  Please try to ignore these things.  It is such a short visit and I don't want you to spend it stressed out.  That will make me all crazy and then we'll both be miserable.  I just want to spend some nice, quiet time with you and our family.

Fly safe and I hope to see you soon.

Tips Here and There

There are a few things that I wish people had told me before each PCS we've made.  Things like:  rain is not a seasonal event confined to the months between December and March in most places, so plan outdoor events accordingly.  Or things like:  salad bars as a one course restaurant do not exist in great quantity outside California.

I can't tell you how long I've been craving Fresh Choice or Sweet Tomatoes here, people.  It's becoming an obsession.

I'd love to see the collective power of SpouseBUZZ at work on this.  In the comments section, let us know what lessons you've learned about new places in the course of your PCSing.  It's all good -  you never know who is getting ready to move where you already know the scoop.  You may be able to answer the question someone else doesn't even know they need to ask!

I'll get this started:

FACT:  In Texas, all soft drinks are referred to generically as "coke".  If someone asks, "Would you like a coke?"  they are not referring to only one product.  Your "yes" answer will most likely be followed up with, "What kind?"

FACT:  If you go searching for Carl's Jr and can't find one, it's probably because in the new place Carl's Jr is  Hardees.

Month of the Military Child

April is the Month of the Military Child.  A time to focus in on our children.