Web Sites That Help You Meet 

Life's Challenges - Military and More

by Laura Emery, Field Editor

It's the moment she's been waiting for. She's played it out in her head time and time again over the last 15 months, and now it's finally happening. Her heart races and the excitement is almost overwhelming. The crowd of people around her are poised and ready, signs and balloons in hand, anticipation evident in their body language.

Mothers await the return of their sons and daughters, husbands and wives look forward anxiously to reuniting with their spouses, and children are gleeful at the prospect of parents finally coming home.

Into the stadium marches a group of soldiers in camouflage uniforms. They left as brave men and women - but they return as veterans, heroes. They stand at attention before the cheering crowd. Their faces are filled with a mix of pride, thankfulness, joy and relief.

This is the moment every military family waits for - the homecoming of their soldier in the U.S. Armed Forces. Whether returning from Iraq, Afghanistan or other areas of the world, this is an unforgettable moment - the moment when a soldier and his or her loved ones are reunited. It's not just any reunion, though. It's the end to a long period of worrying and wondering, and the time to be thankful for a safe return.

Deployments and other military0related separations are difficult. They bring change, anxiety, and loneliness. But when the anticipated reunion date finally arrives, many people find themselves overwhelmed with a rush of emotions.

Marriage Matters

http://marriage.about.com

About.com has a comprehensive section on everything from relating to marriage. Visitors can read about topics like how to communicate with your spouse, ways to improve your marriage, coping with infidelity, suggestions for a troubled marriage, and more. It it involves marriage, it can be found here.

Separation Anxiety

http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/separation_anxiety.html

KidsHealth is the largest site on the Web providing doctor-approved health information about children from before birth through adolescence. The Web site features information on general health, emotions and behavior, growth and development, and more. Visitors can find information on how to deal with separation anxiety in your children, as well as handling loneliness and acting out during situations involving change.

Mind, Body & Spirit

www.hooah4health.com/body/default.htm

This Web site approaches deployment counseling from the angles of mind, body, and spirit. Under the "body" section, there is information on fitness and nutrition in order to maintain an active lifestyle while your loved one is away. The "mind" section deals with stress management, combating depression, suicide prevention, and how to stay alert and focused. The "spirit" section features hyperlinks to the Army Chaplain's office, a wide array of resource hotlinks to support systems, discussions relating to family and friendships, and pop-up boxes featuring various suggestions for spirit enhancement.

Military Wives

www.militarywives.com

This Web site is a military-oriented Web site specifically for wives and families of military personnel. This site will teach you about the United States Armed Forces with a focus on the special women who man the home front while their husbands are away serving our country. The Web site features personal poems and uplifting stories, general military information, personal photo albums and dedications, and support forums for every branch of the military. There are also links to affiliated Web sites for military kids and husbands.

Dealing With Stress & Change

www.attackstress.com/pgs/articles.htm

At AttackStress.com, topics of discussion include tops, tactics, trivia, and jokes on how to deal with change, give up control, and worry less. These are articles filled with facts and figures about stress, and eliminating its destructive effects.

Meeting Life's Challenges

www.lifechallenges.org

LifeChallenges.Org is a non-profit resource center designed to offer people inspiration, support, and hope while they face challenges, crisis, change, and unexpected events, obstacles, and turning points in their lives.

Editor's Note: Laura's husband, Derek, was scheduled to return to Virginia in mid-December following a 12-month deployment to Iraq.