Welcome to Coffee and Camo!

Well hello there!

Welcome to Coffee and Camo, my tiny corner of the internet! I’m glad you’re here!

I’m new here (and I suppose you are, too!), so I want to take a moment to introduce myself and this new space.  If you’re wanting to see the short version, check out my About page.  For those willing to sit through a little more, grab some coffee and stay a while.

If I had to guess, you’re probably wondering what Coffee and Camo is all about.  When I was thinking of starting a new blog, I wanted something that would show the two sides of my life – military and civilian.  (Plus, I love alliteration!)  Coffee is kind of like my civilian life.  I make a cup every morning, throw in some stevia and almond milk, and start my day.  I know what I like and I’m comfortable with my routine, but I’m not afraid to mix it up every now and then.  Sometimes, this side feels like my “old life”.

Camo is the military side of things – my “new life”.  There’s been a big learning curve, especially this last year, and it hasn’t been easy.  I hope my experience can ease your pain in some way, sweet friend, or that I can be your cheerleader at some point throughout our time together.  Although it can be especially trying at times, the military has given us the opportunity to do some really amazing things.  As the tagline says, my husband and I are “seeing the world, one duty station at a time.”  Each duty station brings new experiences our way, and a deeper understanding of the military community.  We are blessed to be able to travel, and we want to share our adventures and favorite places with you!

I hope Coffee and Camo is a breath of fresh air, and a place of encouragement for you, especially if you’re a military spouse.  By no means am I a seasoned spouse (military or otherwise – we are still very much newlyweds!), but my transition from my “old life” to my “new life” left me floundering for knowledge and support.  I was sorely unprepared for all that’s come our way in the last two years.  This space is for me to share with you some things I’ve learned (probably the hard way), and I hope you’ll share your wisdom with me.

As for me, I’m a 30-something non-profit professional turned homemaker.  I previously worked in the education and affordable housing industries and I loved almost every minute of it.  As life and schedules have changed, it made more sense for me to stay home for now.  Once life settles down some (I know right, does it ever?) I’m hoping to be able to start freelance writing.

I relocated to be with my husband not long after we were married, leaving behind decades of familiar places and faces.  Although I’ve always craved adventure and travel, I’d never really moved before.  All my previous addresses were all within 10 miles of each other.  Little did I know this further-down-the-coast-jaunt was preparing me for a larger leap across the ocean (more on that later!)

Together, my husband and I love to travel whenever we can.  Our favorite thing to do is to park our car and walk, seeing the city on foot and stopping in whatever place feels good.  You’re sure to get lots of brewery recommendations – husband loves craft beer (I’m a groupie) and we go to at least one in each city.  I’ll make sure to get some coffee shops and good local food in the mix too!

When we’re not traveling, our everyday life consists of slow, quiet mornings (at least for me), hastily made beds, homemade dinners (I love to cook), and evening episodes of This is Us and Home Improvement.  We recently started The Looming Tower which didn’t sound like my cup of tea, but so far, so good.  On Tuesdays, we play trivia with our friends at a local restaurant.  Despite our near perfect attendance, we’re not the highest-ranking team – but we hold our own most weeks.

This is a bit of my story, and a small look at who we are.  I’ve always wanted adventure and I’ve gotten heaps more than I expected.  It’s been a wild ride so far, with so much more of the journey to come.  I hope you’ll join me and share some of your story in the comments.  Let me know where you’re struggling or what things you’d like to see here…I promise I won’t bite!