I hate this sticker. I see it everywhere; on t-shirts, bumper stickers, pins, hats. I hate it. There are new, but similar ones springing up everywhere. “Behind every soldier is a tougher Army wife.” “She who waits also serves.”

Let me tell you about my day.

I got up around 6 AM, hit snooze a few times, showered, and got dressed. I drove to the walking trail on base to meet my ARC (Arse Reduction Club) friends for our weekly walk. It was raining so we skipped the walk and came back to my house for coffee. After chatting for a couple of hours we split up. Megan and I took the kids to McDonald’s for lunch and to burn off some steam. I went home, did some stuff around the house then went to a physical therapy appointment. After that I took Taryn and the boys to Target. Bought some crap I probably don’t need. Stopped at the liquor store for a box of wine. I texted Christin, Sara, and Heather for a while. Sara and her boys came over for dinner. Taryn and the boys and I drove to the other end of town to pick John up from soccer practice. Once home I bathed the boys and put them to bed. Now I’m sitting here, drinking a glass of wine, watching cable TV, and writing this blog on my ridiculously high-speed wireless internet.

In all of that, no one shot at me. Not one time.

Not one time did I have to worry about the place I was standing getting hit by a rocket or a mortar.

I wasn’t thousands of miles from my children, wondering what they were doing with their day.

My day wasn’t easy. Being here, far from my husband, parenting alone – it’s hard. But it’s not the toughest job in the Army. In fact, it’s not a job in the Army at all. I’m not in the Army. I can walk away any time I want. It might not be easy, but it’s not a crime.

My husband? He’s in it. 100%, every single day of his life. For the last 225 days that has meant living in a very dangerous place. A place far away from all of us. A place where he can’t drink the tap water. Where he can’t walk to the bathroom without wearing Kevlar. Where he has to carry a weapon all of the time, just in case.

I’m pretty sure his job is tougher than mine. Lots tougher.