HAPPY NOVEMBER, THE GRATEFUL MONTH!
Because I have Type 2 Diabetes, I am vigilant about my diet 95% of the time. I’ve learned what to do and what to eat (and not to eat) to keep me healthy and maintain my weight. But here come the holidays. I do love this time of year, but unfortunately there are temptations everywhere–goodies hiding in plain sight, gravies, sauces, and the evilest of them all, SUGAR! So, as I focus on being thankful for my many blessings this month, like my family and of course, my health, I would be incredibly grateful if I can get through this season without gaining five pounds. 🙂
My husband and I journey to a family farm in rural Georgia for Thanksgiving. The occasion encompasses extended family and then some, a special place with special people. Everyone brings a dish, either a side, salad, or dessert, and you can’t believe the layout of wonderful food. Some folks are famous for their specialties, like my daughter-in-law’s Mac & Cheese, and my son-in-law’s Brussel Sprouts dish, those favorites are actually requested every year. The hosts provide the turkey and other meat options. It’s quite a spread! You can understand why the day is anticipated and yet challenging for someone like me who loves good food. It’s a challenge I look forward to every year and wouldn’t miss it for the world.
BEING THANKFUL FOR OUR VETERANS
This month I’m also thankful for our servicemen and women who we honored on November 11th. My grandchildren’s school holds a very patriotic tribute to our Veterans every year. Last Friday, my 23-year-old granddaughter, Ava, a graduate from that school, was asked to sing God Bless America and lead the audience in The Star-Spangled Banner. I was so proud of her and her beautiful voice.
A SALUTE TO STRONG WOMEN WHO SERVE
How many women do you know who currently serve or who have served in the military? Each one of these women represents a strong female role model. Because of this, I’m contemplating creating a female protagonist for a new project, a forthcoming novel in the historical women’s fiction genre. She would be woman who served in the Vietnam War. You know how I love to create strong women characters.
Let’s call her Charlotte, or Charlie, for short. I think Charlie would have a gentle spirit but be strong in her convictions and loyalty. She’d be a heroine to her own family as well as to her friends. The story would take place before and after she served in the military, and it would reveal how she changed because of the course she chose for her life. Charlie would have a strong moral compass who had flaws and insecurities like most of us. She’d be a practical joker and a sucker for a sob story. As I write this, the idea of this strong woman is becoming real to me. Can’t wait to see where her story takes her.
PLEASE WELCOME MY GUEST BLOGGER
PATRICIA QAIYYIM is an award-winning author. She grew up in a large family and lived in several states throughout the Midwest. From a very early age, Patricia knew that her career choice would be a military one. After high school, Patricia attended college for two years before joining the United States Air Force. As a member of the Air Force, Patricia had the opportunity to work in several specialties (jobs), and her assignments included Air Force bases in Texas, Illinois, Spain, Arizona, South Carolina, and Japan.
Patricia became a mom early in her military career and spent most of her career tackling both military service and motherhood. She retired from the Air Force after 23 years and worked as a contractor before becoming a professional writer. Patricia’s non-fiction book, Moms in the Military Raising a Child While Serving in the Armed Forces, was awarded the Military Writer’s Society of America’s silver medal in 2023. She is preparing to publish her second book, Shrouded in Words: A Collection of Poetry, and working on a companion piece to Moms in the Military Raising a Child While Serving in the Armed Forces.
Thank you, Jody, for the opportunity to write about my book, Moms in the Military Raising a Child While Serving in The Armed Forces, and the more than twenty women who contributed their stories. Because it’s non-fiction, I cannot use the word protagonist, but these women are definitely heroines. I am excited to provide your readers with a glimpse into the insights and perspectives of women who are or were raising their children while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
The decision to serve in the Armed Forces is brave and requires much of its servicewomen (and men). Likewise, being a mother comes with many responsibilities. Both roles are unique and require you to be available and “on duty” 24/7. These strong women take on the obligation of service and the responsibilities of motherhood simultaneously. A choice that was not available until the early 1970s; before then, pregnancy meant separation and the end of a military career.
Like me, the women in the book chose ‘military service and motherhood.’ Navigating both roles with determination and courage, dealing with issues such as separation from their children because of military obligations (separations that could last from a few days to more than a year), raising their children without the familial support many mothers take for granted, and frequent moves to meet military needs. Throughout the book, you can see just how successfully these women managed this unique lifestyle.
Women like Navy veteran Jacqueline G., who joined the Navy in the early 1970s and faced challenges that her male counterparts did not. As a female sailor and a mom, she was a trailblazer in her unit, where her presence created circumstances that her leadership had not encountered.
Jacqueline’s service opened the doors for women like Coast Guardsman Melissa B, serving in the Coast Guard, the service with the least number of women members and one that doesn’t provide the traditional support found on military installations. She achieved the rank of Admiral and adopted a child later in her career. She shares how motherhood made her a better leader and gave her new insight into those under her command. Today, she is an example and a voice for the current and future women of the Coast Guard.
Another contributor to the book is Air Force Spouse Eboni A., who tackled moving her family every few years, acting as a single parent during her spouse’s deployments, and putting her career on hold to support her husband’s military career. She represents many other women who choose to ‘serve’ as spouses of service members.
These women chose to bravely serve their country as servicewomen or spouses, raising their children in a unique environment in locations across the United States and around the globe. The strength of these brave women is undeniable, and this book provides a glimpse into their lives as they ‘write’ the narrative of what military service and motherhood look like.
This book offers encouragement and inspiration for not just military moms but for every mom and anyone who loves them.
A big thank you to Patricia Qaiyyim. You can check out this author on her
website at https://patriciaqaiyyim.com, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PatriciaQaiyyimAuthor/
Patricia’s book is available on: Amazon: https://bit.ly/49C6wVz
Barnes and Noble: https://bit.ly/3Qy4QDY
Books a Million: https://bit.ly/3G1789Y
Green Apple Books: https://bit.ly/3u9fRnA
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The holidays are right around the corner, and I think BOOKS make the best gifts. Don’t you?
My novel, RELATIVE CONSEQUENCES, is available at the following:
BookShop – https://bit.ly/3IMV1Nk
Amazon – https://amzn.to/3GN4l1M
Barnes & Noble – https://bit.ly/35BMdLW
Kobo – https://bit.ly/3IStGKl
BooksAMillion – https://bit.ly/3OifwDp
Hope your Thanksgiving is full of blessings! Thanks for stopping by…see you next month,
Jody
Jody Herpin 