by Meg FlanaganEvery morning, over oatmeal or yogurt, my family hears the dulcet tones of FaceTime ringing. It's 8:00 and time for our daily video conference with my parents, one of the new rituals that self-isolation had created in my family.Video calls aren't anything new for military families. We are used to creating and sustaining relationships over distance and time zones. This is the first time that I've needed to use that skill when located in such close proximity to our families.Largely, it's been a crazy success. My kids have an incredibly close relationship with their Keep Reading...
Politically Active? You’re Not Alone, Milspouse
by Kate Marsh LordDoes it feel like everything and everyone is suddenly political? That our once politics-free bubble of the military has been pierced so strongly that is it now wide open and laid bare for everyone to see? Heck, even the names of some military bases are at the center of a politically-charged conversation.Would you believe me if I told you this isn’t a bad thing? That, in fact, it’s actually quite good for our community, the military and our country.The concerns and doubts can be deafening - Am I allowed to do this? Did I say the right thing? - but many folks have Keep Reading...
6 Creative Ways to Make the Start of This Strange School Year Special
by Meg FlanaganSchool is starting soon--maybe--across the US. Even if school buildings open up for in-person teaching, this will be an academic year like no other. It's going to be strange, for sure.The good news?You can still make the start of this strange school year special with creative ideas and new twists on familiar routines. Here's how.1. Create a New At-Home Learning Station Let's face it, virtual school is something that's not going away anytime soon. We were all caught off-guard in March and April during the rapid change to at-home learning. As you prep to move at Keep Reading...
4 Creative Ideas to Stay Connected Despite the Distance
by Meg FlanaganLet's be real: we're all finding new ways to connect with the people we love. Thanks, pandemic! But military families have been rocking creative ways to stay connected despite the distance since, well, forever.Whether we were waiting patiently at home during the days before regular, reliable mail service, sending letters that wouldn't be delivered for weeks or video-chatting, military families are professionals at long-distance relationships.And I'm not just talking about romantic connections. Keeping all sorts of relationships fresh and thriving is Keep Reading...
Here’s How to Send Free Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee to Someone Who’s Deployed
Over the past years, I've been lucky to have some corporate help when sending care package supplies. You can read my story about how Panera was amazing! John received a huge box of tuna while he was in Afghanistan, too. When I was sending to a friend abroad, Chick-Fil-A gave me a bag full of sauce to send, free of charge.I know that some people go whole-hog when it comes to care packages and soliciting free items to send to their loved ones and their units. And that is amazing-- way to go! Others aren't sure how to get started or are a little intimidated, to be honest. (And I get that! It Keep Reading...
The Money Talk: Military Couples, Finances, and Figuring It All Out
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Navy Federal Credit Union. All opinions are 100% mine.I wasn't going to marry John if he had credit card debt.That's the truth. I told him that I'd wait for him as long as he needed to pay it off. The credit card debt was manageable; getting rid of it was a tangible way we could start our relationship with one less expense. But we weren't going to get married until it was gone.Now, I can definitely feel some people rolling their eyes reading that. And maybe there are some choice words being said about something that sounds so Keep Reading...
5 Ways to Help MilKids Build Strong Relationships with Family and Friends from “Home”
by Meg FlanaganRight now, my kids are upstairs laughing with their grandmother. No, we're not together. It's just their normal morning FaceTime chat.I'm so incredibly lucky that my kids have these strong bonds with family and friends, no matter where everyone currently lives. Partly, it's just because of who they are as people. But also, it's because my spouse and I have done a few things to help our military kids build strong bonds.1. Make your intentions clear Part of being a military family raising military kids is that creating strong bonds to "home" doesn't just Keep Reading...
5 Creative Ways to Make the Most of an Unusual Summer
by Meg FlanaganI was in tears as I deleted my AirBnB list for New Hampshire this summer. Tears. Every summer since I can remember, my family has spent a week or so in the White Mountains. The only times we skipped this was during high school and when I have not been on the East Coast thanks to military life. In high school, apparently my sister and I were “too cool” for a week of hiking with our parents. Back to school shopping in Montreal was much better - and I won’t argue with that logic. Being finally back in the US after three years OCONUS, I was looking forward to a few weeks Keep Reading...
6 Things You Can Do to Prep for Your Pandemic PCS
by Meg FlanaganWe’re headed into a PCS season like no other ever before. Seriously, we’re about to move in the middle of an actual pandemic. So, that’s cool.On top of all the normal PCS things we do for a move, we’re also all on high alert for germs. Getting set for this year’s move is going to be a whole new level of extra.1. Pre-pack as much as you can Every time we move and I start to stuff my SpaceSaver bags, my husband gives me some serious side-eye. And then, without fail, when we unpack he’s praising my forethought to high heaven.Right now, start by washing and drying Keep Reading...
Silence Is Complicity
I started writing Jo, My Gosh! in 2012 as a teacher in Baltimore. It started out as a care package blog and bloomed into something I never imagined. People who don't look like me, don't worship like me, and don't have the same experiences that I do are part of the Jo, My Gosh! community-- this wonderful group of military spouses.At the same time that I started the blog, I was wrapping up five years of teaching in a predominantly Black high school. As an English teacher, I was afforded the immense honor and pleasure (and I truly mean that) of listening to my students as we talked about Keep Reading...
