Wanna make your soldier do a double take when he returns from Iraq? TMWC is partnering with "Capessa.com ":http://capessa.comto give a few lucky ladies the chance to give their husbands a welcome back surprise that will be sure to remind him just how great it is to come home. The women we select to participate will be filmed for a series of online videos that will be published in the fall.

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Have you ever thought about joining the military? I can't say that I ever have and here are some of my reasons. Please feel free to comment and add yours!

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Michelle’s reason’s she would never make it in the military

I know I can’t be the only person that has sat down and thought about what it would be like if roles were reversed and I was the one in the military instead of my husband. After a few minutes of thinking about it, I come to my senses and realize that I would never make it. I mean NEVER make it. There are many reasons why I wouldn’t but I thought I share my top 5 reasons why I would never make it in the military. Please feel free to add on yours!

1. I hate getting screamed at. I am very emotional and if someone yells at me, I will cry. It’s an absolute given, ask my husband. I will cry at the drop of a hat which in turn, will make the screamer even madder and want to scream more, which in turn turns into more crying!

2. PT. Not happening. For one, I hate to run. Period. I can’t imagine running more than a mile without keeling over. Now don’t get me wrong, I go to the gym but some days that is a challenge (the going part). I don’t think I would be a fan of mandatory exercise while someone is yelling in your face (see numero uno.)

3. Those silly uniforms. For one, they are not flattering on any woman I have ever seen. If I wanted to look like a man, I would dress in a suit.  I might look good in green but I have to draw the line at the hideous boots and the ever so flattering, well, uniforms, all of them. Some things just aren’t made for females, especially military uniforms.

4. Having to be up at zero dark thirty. I am not a morning person by any means. If I have to be up before 6:30, someone better watch out because there will be hell to pay. If I have to get up because I need to go run, the whole world better watch out for reasons 1 and 2 above. Also, if I get up early, I must nap. Last I heard, they didn’t allow naps when you were at work (one of the best reasons to be a SAHM!!)

5. Last but not least, in all seriousness, I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t be away from my kids for extended periods of time. Heck, I leave them for a few hours once a month and always go pick them up early because I miss them. There is no way on this green earth I’d be able to leave them for weeks, months and years at a time. Props to all of you that do!

So there you have it folks. Thank goodness I never had any desire to join the military. If I had, I probably would have made it one day before they sent me home. For those of you that have done and it and will do it, kudos to you! You have dared to venture into a world I adore, but I prefer to be on the other side.

There are two really interesting projects I read about this weekend that made me think of all of you - a new documentary series called In Their Boots and a special on Nickelodeon called "Coming Home: When Parents Return from War." Many of you are living these stories and have shared morsels of them here on the site -- I hope you continue to do so in a supportive environment where sharing your real stories can help you and others.

Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama have taken time out from the campaign trail to join mylifetime in saluting our dedicated troops and their loved ones. Watch the video messages from these two candidates and PLEASE tell us what you think.

Now that Obama is the official Democratic nominee, and it's down to these two men with VERY different views about the war...how are you feeling about the future of our country? Please join the discussion here. We really want to hear from you.

Enter our ""MommaSaid:"You Deserve A Day Off"
TrueMom Confessays Contest and you could win a $250 spa gift package from Spa Addicts.

Click here to learn more.

And watch Jen Singer's video confessay now!

It’s almost summertime! This means we’ve had almost six months to either fail or succeed on our New Year’s Resolutions. I am kind of scared to even look at mine, this year has been interesting to say the least. We’ve embarked on our 3rd deployment, this time for a year, my youngest has turned 3 and is now in preschool and my oldest is now a self proclaimed vegetarian. I sit back and look at everything my family has done and experienced but I have been putting myself on the back burner. So let’s take a look….(I’m kind of scared!)

I first started with saying I will not go psycho on my kids this year. Well, I’m not in a mental hospital and I still have my kids so we’ll call that one a success!

My second resolution was to run a 5K by R&R. Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to happen. Not at all. I have been slacking on my gym going and especially running. The bike looks so enticing. I can sit and read my magazine instead standing and making more of an effort…can anyone say lazy? Ha ha.

My something new. That got put by the wayside about 2 seconds after New Years. I haven’t picked up my knitting needles since my husband has left and I really have no desire to. I’d rather read a book or sleep.

Finally, taking care of myself. I am still doing that. I still put my issues off because one, I don’t have the time, two, I can’t find a sitter or three, I really don’t think it’s that important. But I’m learning that I need to be “me”. It’s a slow process but this one will be a success come December.

So overall, I guess I’m doing okay. Usually I throw them all out the window by February so I’m doing okay! Kindergarten has started so I still have that resolution biting at my heals but I know I’ll be okay. I think the main lesson for me learned is to not over do it, start small and grow from there, no room for disappointment there!

This weekend we mark the 142nd Memorial Day. It is a day to remember the fallen hero's of wars past and present. I was going to make a tribute to those that have fallen but had a hard time trying to capture what I wanted to share. I did some searching and found an amazing video that reflects what Memorial Day is about. I know all of you are not religious but I thought the song in this video fits quite well. So while you are all getting together this weekend to barbecue and hang out with your friends and family, please remember those that are missing their loved ones. Please take a moment to remember the ones that have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

I'm so excited to share the news that we have a new guest blogger on TMWC -- the talented Sarah Smiley, navy wife, author of Shore Duty - a syndicated newspaper column and of the memoir, GOING OVERBOARD: The Misadventures of a Military Wife.

To me, Sarah's writing truly embodies all that is shared here -- warm, funny, insightful and most importantly, honest dispatches from the homefront.

Despite a hectic home and work life (not to mention a move in the very near future!), Sarah's going to chime in every now and then, joining the conversations sparked by the confessions and sharing her experiences as a wife, mother (and a daughter) in the military.

Welcome Sarah!

More women than ever before are carrying babies for those who can't. A lot of these women are military wives who've taken on surrogacy to supplement the family income while their husbands are overseas.

We're asking our friends at True Moms to share their thoughts on what has become a heated topic.

Talk about it here...

Becky Estepp is the mother of a child with autism and the wife of an actively deployed US Marine. She has made a video asking that each of the three presidential candidates address how they would deal with the harmful ingredients in vaccines which she - and many other autism advocates believe are a direct cause of autism.

Please support her and learn more about her cause by reading the email below and watching the video.

This is from Becky:

_Dear Parent advocate,

On May 3rd, 2008, I released a videotaped request that I sent to all three 2008 Presidential Candidates asking them if they would issue two Executive Orders should they be elected to office to begin to improve the safety of vaccines that are currently on the market. My name is Becky Estepp and I am both the mother of a child with autism and the wife of an actively deployed US Marine. You can view the video on YouTube on the links below.

I have asked all three of the campaigns to rsvp by Mother's Day to let me know if they will provide a videotaped response by Memorial Day this year. My husband won't be home for Mother's Day but will by Memorial Day and I can't tell you how much this would mean to him to have responses to these questions when he sets foot back on American soil!

My husband and I strongly believe that children should be both protected from diseases that could hurt them AND receive products that are as safe as possible that don't contain harmful ingredients and have been thoroughly tested before they are marketed. They are very simple, no-nonsense, fiscally responsible requests.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP ME GET THESE ANSWERS?

1. FORWARD THIS EMAIL with these 3 links your ENTIRE address book.

FOR MOTHER'S DAY: START LISTENING TO MOMS.STOP BLAMING THEM.
http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/05/for-mothers-day.html

VACCINE SAFETY REQUESTS FOR THE NEXT COMMANDER IN CHIEF
YouTube: 2 minute edited version of video sent to each of the Presidential Candidates
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGC_U_4nJHc&feature=related

YouTube: Full 6 minute video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNqMLsrCUoo

2. ASK YOUR FRIENDS TO HELP by emailing these links to each campaign, once per day. Please

ALWAYS contact the campaigns POLITELY. These are requests. I want to maintain a constructive

relationship with the campaigns. To help them out, please keep the subject line uniform.

Subject: "Vaccine Safety Requests for Our Next Commander in Chief"

CAMPAIGN GENERAL EMAIL BOXES: info@votehillary.org, info@mccain08hq.com, info@barackobama.com

Please cc: me at milmom2008@gmail.com so I can see how this is working and be able to send you a

thank you note and update!

Sincerely,

Rebecca Estepp_

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