Every person who's ever come to my house may remember the familiar smoky smell of pork wafting from our kitchen as they're welcomed by my mom with a smile and a laugh. Our home is always decorated beautifully, every wall with pictures of those we love, and every couch layered with blankets gathered from many Christmases and housewarmings. My mom is one of those people who will always make you feel understood and valued. She is unwaveringly strong but always funny -- the life

As a military teen, I’ve never been able to actually choose where I went next. While my family has always had a say in the place we move to, I could never absolutely choose where. The military could always say, “Nope - you’re going here.” I’m currently a senior in high school, and I’ve spent the last three years ignoring the very prevalent question of “where do I want to go to college?” I couldn’t figure out where I want to move. I suddenly have the ability to choose, and I c

This article was sent to us by McKenna P., a college freshman at the University of Providence in Great Falls, Montana. Do you have a story to share with your fellow military teens? Visit our guest contribution page to find out how you can submit to Bloom! McKenna with her dad and younger brother in 2013. I hate this. I hate being the new girl. Why did my dad have to join the military? I wish I could just live in one place. Nobody is going to like me. I always have to leave.

There’s a red sticker on my bedside table. Its edges are curled, the nine-digit number is fading. It’s one of hundreds slapped on our furniture by movers over the years. These stickers have followed me through seven moves and new schools. They've felt like an annoyance I tried to peel away. Now, the red sticker feels personal. It represents where I’ve been and who I hope to become. My earliest memory of the stickers was yellow ones in Texas (our second move). I spent hours pe

The shock of leaving, again Saying goodbye to my “not so close” friends, again Packing up my nicer clothes and beaten-up furniture, again...

“Oh, so you’re like Jessie from that Disney show?” Military life is something that, when you’re a military child, can seem like it...

As Autumn approaches and the cool air blows in, I Break down the boxes my sweaters lived in Collages on my wall show the people I've been...

This article was sent to us by Makenah V., an 11th grader stationed in Kentucky. Do you have a story to share with your fellow military...

“This already feels like home” you’re expected to say. After all, you have already moved many times. It already feels like home, as you...

When I was younger, I had no trouble calling my house a home. No matter how many times I moved, it always felt like home to me. However,...

My dad has served in the military my entire life. 16 years of moving. 16 years of deployments. 16 years of orders. But now, after 17...

From Hawaii to DC, and Pennsylvania to Texas, I'm no stranger to the "PCS Road Trip." With packing all the "essentials" - sleeping bags,...

They ask me where I’m from—real sweet, Like it’s a place I clearly know. But moving every year on repeat Means roots don’t get a chance...

Have you ever caught a scent of something and it instantly transported you to a vivid memory flooded with nostalgia? Maybe it’s the scent...

Scroll to see the creations! As a kid, my favorite part about moving was the boxes. With every move, I eagerly waited for the boxes to...

This article was sent to us by Natalie S., an eighth grader stationed in Texas. Do you have a story to share with your fellow military...

My 20th birthday is fast approaching. I am not entirely sure how I feel about that. Turning 18 and going to college felt like steps...

This article was sent to us by Natalie S., an eighth grader stationed in Texas. Do you have a story to share with your fellow military...

The classroom teemed with excitement as everyone took their seats, eager to play a game the teacher had told us about. It was my first...