Every military family has a woeful story, or several, about what happened on the homefront during deployment. Mine are mostly about sick children, septic tanks and household pests run amok. Does anything good come from these difficult experiences? I explored this idea with a couple of other military wives for the Sept. 28 Spouse Calls.

Hope Metzler developed www.DeploymentLessons.org, a site where military spouses are invited to post one or two sentences about lessons they have learned in the absence of their active duty spouse.

      Project Rudolph, which brightens the holidays for thousands of soldiers, sailors, airman and Marines at Christmas time, is gearing up and is in need of Santa’s helpers, founder Tawny Campbell said.

      Tawny and her Army husband, Joe, began the charity in 2006. Read all about it in this week’s Spouse Calls.

      Project Rudolph distributes gift bags to wounded and deployed troops, Some are mailed downrange and some are handed out in person at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, nearby Fisher Houses and at the Ramstein PAX Terminal.

“These troops, to me, are not just stenographers mechanically recording their experiences. They have created and crafted real literature, and like all great works of art, they have transcended the subject matter. They are not just about war. They are about despair ,grief, hope, resilience; all these emotions that civilians and military alike can empathize, understand and learn from.”

--Andrew Carroll
Speaking about contributors to Operation Homecoming

     After a long summer of traveling, it is wonderful to be home. Travel broadens my horizons, but it also makes me so appreciative of the sight of my own front door.

     This Sunday's Spouse Calls details a little of our trip. For more details you can read the Travelog here on the blog.

     It was good for our family of five to spend time with our extended families back in the United States and to remember again how nice it is to come back home.

     Where did you spend your summer? Where do you wish you had spent your summer? Take the poll below or add your own travel notes.