I will always have Hope

Can anyone describe the meaning of the word hope? Without looking at a dictionary, just off the top of your head when you think hope, you think?...

Tomorrow, no matter how great today was or wasn't, you always hope for a better tomorrow.

Your children, you hope they have a better childhood and future that you had.

Hope can mean so many things but it always has a basis. For the rest of my life, I will no longer think of hope as just a word, but a person, and angel.

You know you always hear that god has a plan for you, that god put you on this earth for a reason and we have to figure out what that is. Well, Hope has a purpose, I believe she was brought here to bring a little bit of light into our lives.

About 9months after moving here I got invited to this crafts and conversations thing. Of course I said yes, I hated being cooped up in the house with nothing to do, with a 9month old. I had friends but I had 2 friends and that was it. I invited my friend Molly to come with me, we were so timid walking into the chapel on base, we didn't know what to do or anything.

Then these people walked in, they both sat next to us and just started talking. One looked like she was knitting, and the other just talked on and on and on. That's when I met Neighbor Debbie and Hope. They explained to us what to do and that this was just a weekly get away for wives to meet other wives.

Then Hope brought up Compass. She told us all about it and that we should do this next upcoming class. We both said yea why not. Compass was the first thing that I went alone, that I didn't need a friend to ride with me there, I just tried it on my own. But I wasn't alone, I had Hope. She was so excited to see me, she really is great as a Compass Mentor and making you feel special.

If it wasn't for Hope, I wouldn't have ever joined Compass, I wouldn't have such great friends and support group that I have here. And its not like the friendship ended with Compass, it continued, when we went to WA she texted me all the time to see how I was doing. And when Compass started up again that Jan. she made sure I was going to volunteer.

I only got teary eyed about one person leaving this base and that was Molly. Now Hope's husband is retired and even though they will just move a few hours away, again I find myself getting teary eye about losing another part of my military family. It makes me worry about how much I'm going to cry when we leave here in July to Sicily. The navy takes you here kicking and screaming all the way, just to move you again...kicking and screaming.

Hope, like you said the other day in Mentor training, you are like an adopted mama to me. I will miss you so much, I will miss seeing your face at Compass and keeping it energetic. I will miss your southern sayings that I have never heard in my life. You've done so much for me, that I don't think you have realized. You've made this command bearable to me and an enjoyment, you got me into blogging and then the next thing I know I'm writing my own book (which when I do finish it I will send you a copy). I really don't know where I would be without you, thank you so much for your friendship and hospitality. And I know its not goodbye cause I know we will see each other again, I mean I got to take Brock to Disney World sometime, but its just going to be hard not having you around all the time. God has blessed you with joy and kindness, and you will always be in our prayers and apart of our military family.

Welcome to the civilian world, I will always have hope in the military and in life, because I found Hope while I was here.