Skip to main content

About Kimber






Taken by Liz Benroth Photography at lizbenroth13@gmail.com
Copyright Liz Benroth Photography 2014

Hello! Welcome to my blog! I am a stay-at-home mother and aspiring writer. This blog is about our life as a military family, lots of emphasis on family. We strive to find normalcy and routine as we move every 1-3 years. I've struggled in my role as a military spouse, longing for past duty stations and trying to make friends with more (and more) kids. I've felt guilty for putting my dreams on hold, guilty for moving our kids so much, and guilty for resenting the Navy at times. But somehow, we have managed to (occasionally) find that balance of military life-- because the military always comes first-- and family life. We have made each duty station feel like "home" (some more than others) and we have plugged our children in to every new community we have moved to. The military life is sometimes messy, sometimes sad, sometimes glamorous, and sometimes lonely or overwhelming, but through every trial we have faced, we have put love first.

I stay at home with our 5 children. We have 4 boys, including a set of identical twins, with our youngest child being a girl. I've had two miscarriages and 3 D&C's. My first pregnancy ended in a surprise miscarriage late in the first trimester. My fourth pregnancy-- and second multiples pregnancy-- ended in a miscarriage and partial molar pregnancy early in the first trimester. I hemorrhaged 2 weeks post-partum after my last delivery from retained placenta and required an emergency D&C. 7 months after baby #5 was born, I had my post-partum complications fixed which included a hysterectomy and so we are officially done having children. We knew baby #5 would be our last pregnancy as I had the complications after the birth of baby #4. Home is relative for our children. Our oldest was born in New Hampshire. Our twins were born in North Carolina. Our youngest son was born in South Carolina and our daughter was born in Washington.

My husband is a career Naval officer on submarines. He spent 9 years enlisted and was commissioned as an officer after completing the Seaman to Admiral program (STA-21). So far we have been stationed in New Hampshire, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, 6 months in Connecticut for Submarine Officer's Basic Course, and Washington state. I am from California; my husband is from Alabama and we met in Hawaii. As we navigate life as a career Navy family, we have learned the importance of communication, good friends, and a strong sense of family. No matter what happens in this unpredictable life, I keep in mind Philippians 2: 18b-19, "Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance."

With such a young family, my life is currently focused on the happenings inside my home. Because of my husband's unpredictable schedule, I have put my degree on hold for the time being, though I write whenever I have a chance.
 



Taken by Liz Benroth Photography at lizbenroth13@gmail.com
Copyright Liz Benroth Photography 2014




Contact me at kimbersnavyfamily@gmail.com and follow Kimber's Navy Family on Facebook!

Comments

Anonymous said…
I am a grandmother of 4 plus another on the way. I was a Navy dependent with my Dad going from seaman to LCDR during his career. My Mom was a stay at home Mom with me and my 3 siblings. I really enjoyed your blog. It gives me fond memories and I certainly support your dedication. My Mom received a plaque when my Dad retired that thanked her for her dedication as a Navy wife and Mother. It was one of my Mom's prized possession. My son is currently in the STA 21 program. My daughter likes your blog, too. Thank you for sharing!
Kimber said…
Aw! I love your story! :) Congratulations all around-- to your son and for the new grandbaby! My parents have 5 grandchildren. It is fun getting them together and watching them interact. :)

All the best to your son with his career! As I'm sure you read on my blog, my hubby is STA-21 as well. Thank you for stopping by my blog.

Popular posts from this blog

Military spouses

I started this blog before my twins were a year old, 7 years ago. We were a growing military family. We had PCS'd together 3 times by then. I felt like when I talked to other parents of multiples that there was a marked difference in our family mentality. They all had a long view-- neighborhoods they planned on living in for their children's entire childhoods, or sending their kids to schools that they themselves had gone to or all their previous children had gone to. As a military family, our focus is much more on the present. The time we have together today. Where we are living right now. My husband's schedule that week. We have to approach our plans with an open hand. Because I have found that I make plans and hold on to them with a tight fist and, like sand, they slip through my fingers. The military is always changing the game on us. Our orders were revoked before we moved to this duty station. Granted, they came through a week or so later, but at that point in time ...

I love my stroller

Napping while we are out. North Carolina September 2011 I get stopped all the time when I go out. I don't mind that people want to wave at my babies or ask D if he is a "big help" or throw their hands up in mock distress and say, "I don't know how you do it." Sometimes, yes, I would rather run in and out of a store, but, honestly, even if people weren't stopping me, would that really happen heading out with three kids? I've gotten used to the "you have your hands full" conversations, but one thing I never tire of talking about is my stroller. People stop me all the time to comment on my stroller, either to tell me that they wish they had that stroller back when their kids were young or to find out what it is and where to get it. Let me start at the beginning. When D was an infant we had two different Chicco strollers, the travel system and the Chicco $40 umbrella stroller. Neither was that exceptional, but they both served their p...

Homemade household cleaners

I love vinegar water. My mom used it as a cleaner when we were growing up and so the smell brings back memories of my childhood home. I've always kept a spray bottle of vinegar water in our home. I have used it for a bunch of small cleaning tasks, but it hasn't been until our most recent move that I have started using it for all my cleaning needs. (Probably because up until we moved to South Carolina I had a housekeeper... read " Domestic goddess "). I want to say what prompted our shift to vinegar water is how environmentally friendly it is, but that's not true. What prompted the switch is how easy it is to make and how inexpensive it is. What kind of cleaning products did I used to use? I used to use the Swiffer Wet Jet , but you have to buy the Swiffer Wet Jet Cleaner Refills and the Swiffer Wet Jet Spray Mop Cleaner Pad Refills , not to mention have the Swiffer Wet Jet Mop. I also had the Swiffer Dust Mop (needs the Swiffer Sweeper Dry Sweeping Cloth...