Ever since she was a little girl, Samantha has always been the one who goes for it, the one who climbs everywhere, you can imagine: it seems that the girl is not afraid of anything. After college, she went in Western Canada for almost a whole year with her best friend. It was quite an adventure: lots of new faces, a thousand and one jobs and lasting memories. Those famous trips that shape youth. Samantha’s story is truly inspiring.
A few months after her return to Quebec, Samantha met the man who would become her husband. At that time, Mathieu was starting to talk about joining the Forces. From the start, Samantha was enthusiastic.
Her cousin is a military spouse, so Samantha had a realistic picture of military family life. It’s an adventurous life, for sure, but one that requires a great deal of adaptability and time away from your loved one. She knew that it would not be a long, quiet river, but the taste for adventure took over and she saw herself spending her whole life with Mathieu. Everything was going well between the two of them.
For life.
So Mathieu joined the regular force. After some time in Cold Lake and 2 years in Ontario, the couple arrived in Valcartier, 4 years ago. At first, they lived in PMQs (private military quarters) and recently, they finally bought a house. Over the years, since their arrival in Valcartier, Samantha and Mathieu have become parents of three beautiful children: two girls and a boy who are still in preschool.
Life goes fast, but when Mathieu is away, for Samantha, sometimes it seems forever. The last time he was gone for several months. During each absence, Samantha feels that the best way to support her man is to make sure that everything runs smoothly at home. Taking care of the house, food, daycare, maintenance, calling for a snow removal service, and other services when little problems arise. Military families have a knack for being resilient, Samantha is no exception. There’s something else too: Samantha is never alone.
But in the meantime, who is taking care of Samantha?
Many years ago, and after several absences from Mathieu, Samantha truly began to feel far from home. Despite all her good will, she started to go around in circles. As you get to know the girl, it should come as no surprise that Samantha rolled up her sleeves and started looking for help. She decided to pay a visit to the MFRC right next to the PMQs. From that point on, things changed.
Samantha received a warm welcome at her Military Family Resource Centre. The kindness of the staff and volunteers made her want to get involved. It started with a few hours here and there, and as the weeks went by, she created a real network of friends and contacts and wanted to get more involved in her community. I can’t tell you how much good it did her!
It’s true that the years that followed brought more absences, more moves, and each time, Samantha knew that a new MFRC would open its arms and help her integrate into her new environment. It was as if she would never start over again.
Do you recognize yourself?
Do you share your life with someone in the Canadian Armed Forces? The MFRC is here for you.
To contact us, get involved as a volunteer or learn more about us and the services available to you:
Please contact us at 1 877 844-6060 or at info@crfmv.com
Don’t forget our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CRFMValcartier
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