Being a part of the military community family has been a complete eye-opening experience as I didn’t grow up in the military. In fact, watching Major Dad on television is as close as I got to the military growing up.
But then I met and fell in love with Keith during my senior year of college.
He was an officer in the National Guard.
We got married and he promptly quit the guard after his two weeks of training that summer. He couldn’t stand being away from me.
But God had other, more marvelous plans for us!
He became accepted as an active duty Chaplain in the Army after we had been married for five years. I shortly thereafter became pregnant with our first children…twin girls.
They were born prematurely at 30 weeks while he was in the middle of his Chaplain Basic Course training.
He graduated from that and moved to Ft. Campbell, KY when they were just six weeks old. They were still in the NICU, so I stayed in South Carolina.
He deployed to Iraq when they were just six months old.
(this was taken just before my husband’s first deployment to Iraq)
After he returned from that deployment I became pregnant with our third child, our boy-child Will. We PCS’ed (moved) to Germany a few weeks after he was born.
Keith deployed to Iraq a second time just before Will’s first birthday and returned on his second birthday.
I became pregnant with Jenny, the quintessential baby of our family, just before we moved back to the States from Germany.
Keith has never deployed in her short life and we pray that he doesn’t have too.
My husband is an excellent Chaplain. He has a love for soldiers that is like nothing I’ve never seen. He’s passionate about ministering to their needs and taking care of them. He has been called to this life and we are called to serve by his side.
I have grown to love my Army family so much!
Yes, moves and deployments are stressful, but I wouldn’t give up the opportunity to serve alongside my husband as he ministers to soldiers and their families for anything. What an amazing opportunity we have!
Today my husband’s work was recognized as we celebrated his promotion to Major.
Here’s all of our little Army children (I CANNOT call them brats) outside the Chaplain school.
His promotion ceremony was at the Chaplain school, located at Ft. Jackson in SC, where he just completed the Advanced Course and a Brigade Chaplain preparation course.
Chaplain Colwell, the commandant of the Chaplain school conducted the ceremony. His remarks to Keith, the other chaplains, and myself were very meaningful.
I had the task of removing his former rank and pinning (velcro-ing) on his new rank. Of course, I put it on sideways!
Apparently it is a tradition to receive a “punch” to make sure your new rank is on securely. His fellow chaplains had a good time with this!
Congratulations Chaplain Andrews!!! I’m so proud to call you my “Major Husband”!
Pat says
Congratulations to your Major hubby! I loved the pictures. It has been fun watching your children grow up. 🙂 Maybe someday we will meet in person!
Laura C says
Congrats to your husband. What great photos.
Shanna says
Love this post! Congrats to Keith…and to you!! Your support, encouragement, and personal sacrifice as his wife has played a big part too. I admire you both and the example of service you display. Beautiful pictures of a beautiful family, my friend! 🙂
Ashley says
Enjoyed reading this post. My husband is a Chaplain as well and currently deployed. Once he gets back he will be going to Ft. Jackson as well to become Major. Our stories are reversed… I met my husband as an officer in Active Duty, but he is now National Guard. Parts is me wishes he would go back active, but he doesn’t have that calling. He loves what he does even though it can be tough. Thank you for your sacrifice.