The Heart Behind My Children's Book

This book was created in the middle of a deployment.

When my husband left for Afghanistan in 2020, I was searching high and low for resources to help our little family. We were on the backside of a previous Europe rotation which kept us seperated for 9 months. Tack on TDY courses, field trainings, and covering down for another base during the time leading up to the next deployment. My husband's head was rarely on his pillow in our home. Looking back it's easier to describe that time as a single parent for almost 4 years. We tried to make the best of our situation, but we were all struggling in some shape or form.

I needed tangible resources...things to help my boys cope with the space in between. Goodness, I needed help coping as well. I ended my search with a few solid choices and recommendations, but couldn't shake the fact that I couldn't find a book written in the voice of the service member. The main thing I was looking for was a book I could read to my boys each night that reminded them of their daddy.

One that would sound like him.

One that would be cherrished on the hard days.

One that we could read on repeat.

The heart of my book flowed out with ease because of our circumstances. Day after day I would watch my husband on facetime try and connect with our boys. I would listen as he reminded them how much he loved them, and how he longed to be home with them.

That's where this story was born... in the heartbreak and hard conversations.

As a wife holding down the homefront, it's easy to get into a woe is me mindset. The lie that your spouse is living it up on the other side of the world while you are sacrificing everything to make this season of deployement possible can be loud at times. Hearing my husband long for our home was a truth filled reminder to squash any lie. It's all hard, and comparing who has it worse doesn't help matters.

Although my book is technically a children's book with the target audience being ages 4-8 years old. I also wrote it with the military spouse in mind. For the one doing bedtime routines alone. The one wiping away tears and comforting kids, all the while navigating similar emotions.

There are times where communication isn't available and time zones don't line up.

There are families who don't hear I love you or I miss you.

There are children who question why their parent always has to be away.

I wrote my book for them. I wrote it as a source of encouragement when words may fall short. My prayer is the words will flow off the page and be the reminder someone needs.

For every family navigating a deployment, TDY, or separation of any kind... this book is for you.

Afghanistan Homecoming 2021: After an 11 Month Deployment

If you are not affiliated with the military but curious about the lifestyle, I encourage you to grab a copy. This is a great way to introduce children to new experiences and lifestyles they may not be familiar with. If you know a military family in your sphere of influence this book makes an incredible gift, and serves as a reminder that their sacrifice does not go unnoticed.

P.S.- If you grab my book from the link, don't forget to leave a review. A minute to leave a simple statement like, " This book is exactly what I was looking for." helps more than you know. The more reviews my book receives the easier it is for more military families to find it. I can't thank you enough for your help in spreading the word.

Have questions about the book or want to hear something specific regarding the creation of this special story? Leave a comment below.