Found!

Well, it took over a year, but it seems they’ve found me! The spouse’s organization, I mean. You see, when we moved here, I just didn’t give out my information. A lot of people have said, “Well, what if something happens to your husband? How will they contact you?” If something happens, they follow his emergency contact card in their system (which is up to date), it is not necessary for the spouse’s organization to also have that information. 

 Apparently the “lead spouse” here found out that some wife (me) who she was unaware of (we’ve met at least twice) was about to receive benefits and here is where the trouble started. She fired off a rude email to my friend about how she needed my contact information immediately and how upset she was that she had not been kept in the loop. The best part was, she copied her husband on the email. I feel like that’s just the adult equivalent of “I’m telling on you!” Plus, it doesn’t really matter. My actions as a spouse should have no impact on my husband’s career (well, unless maybe I break the law on base, but I rarely go there, anyway, and this certainly isn’t a law)… And that right there is a big reason as to why I had no desire to join the spouse’s organization. I have no time for drama like this.

 Well, somehow she found me herself… The other day, I received an email summoning me to a “welcome coffee” at her home (we’ve been here over a year now and I’ve met her before. Obviously, I was very memorable). She also stated in the email multiple times that she required my contact information, specifically my cell phone number. I have yet to respond but the “welcome coffee” will be when I am 37 ½ weeks pregnant. My usually diplomatic filter is deteriorating fast and frankly, I have no idea what will come out of my mouth lately. It could make for some interesting blog fodder, though.

 Some people have asked, “Why not just give them the information and get involved?” Well, my big reason is because of our previous base. If you’ve read this blog for a while now, you know that the spouse organization at our last base was always asking us to “report in” and would blow up my phone for ridiculous reasons (once, to ask if I was in Texas. This base was no where near Texas). They would also send me to email jail on a daily basis, sometimes sending as many as 10 emails in the span of an hour over things that could have been covered in 1 email. As someone who telecommutes, I spend a lot of time on my computer and I do not have time for unnecessary messages reminding me of the same things over and over again.

 Also, call me difficult, but I don’t like being told what to do by people who I don’t work for. I have a great job and I will do back flips if my leaders ask me to, but they pay me. Imagine if the spouses of your significant other’s co-workers suddenly started telling them that they needed to be in constant contact with them. It just doesn’t make sense.

 And finally, I don’t join because of the drama mentioned above. We’re adults, I don’t need someone running to their husband and “telling on me” if I don’t do exactly as they say. The “lead spouse” at our last base used to copy the commander if she disagreed. That’s just ridiculous.

I have always been involved in organizations. I’m not one to sit back and do nothing or fly under the radar, I’ve always been an achiever… but when it comes to being a military wife, I’d really rather just blend in with the crowd.