Valerie McNulty, Author

Check out the original Flash Sale post for the remaining items. All inventory numbers are up to date. I would love and appreciate your support in making this next book come to life. Every dollar matters. ❤️🎄

I will post pictures and prices in the comments. If you see something you like claim it in the comments. I will send you a message with payment information.

Shipping IS AVAILABLE.. and will be a flat rate of $3 for any order.

A morning routine.

This is something that I have come to enjoy over the past two years. It’s a moment during my day where intentionality and discipline intersect. It’s the quiet to my chaos and the calm before a potential storm filled day.

I would have laughed at you if you had told me that I would have had a quiet and simple morning routine three years ago. My life at that point was anything but calm and simple… yet here we are. Little did I know that what I was doing then was laying the groundwork for what was to come for my morning routine.

Friend, if you are in the thick of motherhood and scoff at having a quiet time, that’s ACTUALLY quiet...

There is hope.

Or maybe your schedule is so chaotic and all over the place that the idea of doing the same thing each morning sounds unrealistic.

Want to know something beautiful? No matter what season of life you are in, if it’s quiet or loud, chaotic or simple, God meets you where you are.

Although my quiet mornings are something I have loved as of late, and my intentional time with the Lord is something I hold close to, I can reflect on my loud, chaotic mornings and see how God met me in my mess.

He’s so good.

What does your morning look like in this season of life?

Just want to share a few ways that you can support me for free on this Small Business Saturday. And… if you need a fun way to add an extra element of holiday magic this season, grab your copy of “The Magic Spoon.” Link in bio to place an order. 🤶🏻🎄❤️

📣 I would really appreciate it if my friends and family could help me out in a super easy way! It only takes a few seconds & would help out my small business, especially for the holiday season!
🤶🏻🎄❤️

Facebook has a feature that helps small businesses like myself & it only takes a few seconds to do.

1. Click on the three dots (by the like button)
2. Click 'INVITE FRIENDS'
3. Click 'ALL'
4. Wait 10-15 seconds for the invitations to send.

** It's as simple as that **

Supporting small businesses doesn't require spending money. It's as simple as sharing, liking and promoting us!

Happy Holidays & Thank you ALL for your support & love. It means the absolute world.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!
GOD BLESS! ❤️

Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours. I am so thankful for each and every one of you. Thank you for following along on this military life journey with me, supporting and encouraging me along the way. I am grateful for you and so excited to see how God moves and works this next year. 💗

The sacrifices due to this lifestyle run deep. I shared a bit about this today with Homefront Heroes Ministries, but I want to share it here as well so I can thank my family personally.

To my family: Thank you for going the extra mile (literally) to make memories with my family. I am so grateful for you all. Makes coming to Georgia and saying see you later that much harder.

To the family I left behind,

I know this isn’t how you envisioned your life in this season. I see the longing that you have for family dinners, big family vacations, and continuing generational traditions drifting away as you mourn the thought of those in silence. I watch you as you desire to be a grandparent - one who has the opportunity to create memories with your grandchildren regularly.

The distance due to military life creates a divide. In some ways, the divide can be positive as it makes us long for those moments when we get to be together. I love that we don’t take our time for granted with one another when the opportunity arises.

In other ways, the divide creates a silence that can stifle already hurting relationships. I know it must hurt to see other people who are not related step into the role of a family member.

As much as I want to tell you all the ins and outs of my day-to-day life and the burdens that I find myself carrying, I still struggle to do so. Not because I intend to keep anything from you but because sometimes the circumstances that military life throws my way are challenging to put into words.

I know you want to help, but you don’t know how. Half the time, I haven’t realized or acknowledged that I need help. As the distance continues and we move further away in proximity, I feel you loosening your grip on my family.

Missed opportunities.
Missed dreams.
Missed memories.

All of these circumstances help foster a hardened heart. Thinking about it too long can bring out emotions I have buried deep within my soul. Time is a thief, something that military life makes me aware of.

Something I want you to know as we navigate the distance and the space in between, although you are out of sight, you are not out of mind. Although we long for more time together, and I can tell you wish things were different, I can still feel your support, which means the world.

So, as we navigate the loss that comes with this lifestyle, I want you to know something. I appreciate you. Thank you for welcoming my family home with open arms time and time again. Thank you for attempting to be understanding when I answer every question you may have with an “I don’t know.”

Thank you for being willing to pick up where we left off the last time we saw one another. Thank you for consistently praying for my family. Although the distance is not ideal, thank you for making the best of it. I know this lifestyle of ours takes a lot away from you, yet your support is always unwavering.

I am thankful for you.

Love,
A Homesick Military Wife

This Sunday I will be participating in my first craft fair here in NY. If you are local to the Fort Drum area stop by and see me. I will have books, ornaments, Property of Mrs. Claus aprons (for kids), and will be raffling off a gift basket for those who sign up for my email list. It’s going to be such a fun event. 🤶🏻

Posting my latest blog post below. I would love for you to join the conversation.

Remember to subscribe at the link below to stay in the know when new content comes out.

An Open Letter to the Local Church (Located Near a Military Installation Part 2) by: Valerie McNulty As a side note, this letter is not intended to point fingers or place blame; rather, it is intended to begin a conversation that can potentially bridge a gap evident in the church. As we dive further into this topic, I want to focus on both sides of the fence. Today, I will prima...

We have a few more hours to go to enter the Homefront Heroes Ministries giveaway. If you are looking for a way to give back to the military community on Veteran’s Day, this is a great way to do it. No gift is too small and ALL will be used to help encourage and equip military wives all over the world.

Did I mention that you can win one of the new HFH sweatshirts and a She Reads Truth Bible?

If you can’t afford to give financially but would still like a way to contribute to HFH comment with an emoji below. I would love to start a conversation with you about how to help and support military families.

* link to donate will be in the comments.

We have a goal to raise $25, 000 this year to serve the military community and the Armed Forces Foundation is making it possible!

Make a tax-free donation today and the AFCF will MATCH your donation by 50%!

Help us share the Gospel with the military community and donate $1 or more today. Your donation qualifies you to be entered to win a She Reads Truth Study Bible and our new HFH apparel!

Donate before midnight CST TONIGHT!

Winner will be announced on Instagram, Monday 11/13. Follow us at hfh_ministries!

Can’t donate? We know money is only a tool and we need much more than dollars to run this ministry well. Please continue to pray for our ministry, our leadership and encourage your military friends and neighbors with the hope of the Gospel!

If you are someone who has the desire to support our troops and their families but unsure how to do so… this podcast episode is for you.

Grab some coffee, and join our conversation as we discuss military life, experiences , and beneficial ways to support military families.

Thank you for having me on your show Tending Fields.

Valerie and her husband embarked on their military journey shortly after exchanging vows, even though they had limited knowledge of what to expect. She is a resilient and devoted woman who has experienced the ups and downs of military life and today she is sharing with us ways that we can support families like hers. So listen up and be prepared to lock arms with your sisters, your friendship means so much!

Check out The Mom Next Door: Stories of Faith podcast on your favorite podcast player or right here at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/themomnextdoor/episodes/171---Standing-By-Their-Side-How-To-Support-Military-Wives-and-Families---Valerie-McNulty-e2b9dhm

Did you hear that Homefront Heroes Ministries has a new line of swag created by the one and only . I seriously can’t get over how soft and cozy this sweatshirt is.

Grab one for yourself or a friend this holiday season. What a sweet and simple way to share where your hope comes from. 💗

By purchasing your own sweatshirt you are supporting a mil-spouse owned small business as well as supporting the ministry efforts of Homefront Heroes Ministries. Check all the HFH items out at the link in the comments.

The JOY of the Lord is my STRENGTH! 💪🏻

The connotation that we, as military wives, are strong can get in my head at times. There are so many moments in this life where I feel anything but strong.

I feel weak.

While striving to be strong, I mentally tear myself down for not measuring up. I can’t live up to the expectations that I place on myself while striving to be a strong military wife.

If you are like me and struggle with this fact, here is a gentle reminder.

You may not feel strong, and you may not feel like you can handle the challenges of this military life, and that is okay.

Here’s the good news… God doesn’t expect us to have it all in control. He doesn’t expect us to be superwomen overcoming each obstacle with ease.

What He does desire is our heart. He yearns for us to seek Him.
And guess what... in our weakness, when we seek Him and tune our heart to Him, something changes.

We start to experience this unexplained joy that can ONLY be from Him. It’s a joy that is life-giving and contagious. Friend, let this sentence sink in…

The joy of the Lord IS OUR STRENGTH.

Next time, you are feeling like you aren't cut out for this life. When the waves of this military life are continuously crashing down on you…

Seek God and pray for JOY.

The JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH, MILITARY WIFE!

This summer I often joked about feeling like I was a referee. No brotherly squabble was safe around me. I was the queen of time outs to both my boys dismay. 🤪

When my boys decided they wanted to be football players for Halloween this year I immediately knew what I was going to be.

I’m sure a lot of moms will be able to relate to the referee statement. Happy Halloween everyone…
Now excuse me while I go collect mom tax out of my boys candy bags.

Introduced some of our favorite people to a few of our favorite spots in the North Country. 💗 Thankful for family visits and making up for lost time.

Hey friends,

Thanks for celebrating my book announcement with me yesterday. I appreciate the love and support more than you know.

Let’s keep the party going today.

I need to build my email list back up since I switched domains from my Mrs. Claus era. 🤪🤶🏻 (this includes those of you who signed up a few years ago.) If you can do me one huge favor and subscribe to my email list I will love you forever. (I promise there will be no spamming!)

By doing this you will be the FIRST to know important dates about my book and when Never “Goodbye.” Always “See You Later!” will officially launch.

Click the link in my bio to sign up and share this with a military friend who is navigating the hurdles that come from deployment.

Hey friends,

You see this huge cheesy smile? This happy face is because I have been keeping a secret. I will give you a hint: it’s something near and dear to my heart. Comment below with your guesses, and stay tuned for what it is tomorrow. 🙌🏻

A chilly rainy weekend is exactly what I needed. I spent the majority of my time in sweat pants, decorating for fall, watching movies with the boys, and working on some writing projects. Even though I love the warmer weather, there is something sweet about hibernating with family during the cold winter months… and I am here for it. 🙌🏻

I want to take a minute and share an incredible opportunity and resource for military spouses. PILLAR: Digital Retreat for Deployment Countdowns 2023

Military spouses and significant others, we know military life can be tough, but you don’t have to do it alone. Join hundreds of other milsos who just get it at PILLAR, a virtual event you can access from anywhere, on your schedule. Grab your complimentary, no-strings-attached ticket at bit.ly/pillar2023 for:
⭐️25+ military life experts giving bite-size, actionable sessions about the topics you care about
⭐️3 amazing keynote speakers, including Dr. Gary Chapman, the author of The 5 Love Languages!
⭐️thousands of $$ in giveaways
⭐️a whole community that understands you

Join us at PILLAR now: bit.ly/pillar2023

Sharing a piece of my heart today thanks to Homefront Heroes Ministries. This topic has been stirring up within me since August, but was finally able to put my thoughts into words last week. God’s timing is perfect. 💗

As a military wife, I often find myself entering the unknown.

The unknown about the state of our world...

The unknown of what lies ahead for our family unit...

The unknown on how to handle all the chaos and change…

The unknown is intimidating and can be scary.

The anxiousness that accompanies the unknown can wreak havoc in my mind.

It's at this moment that I have a choice to make.

I can choose to rest in the unknown, or I can choose to wrestle it.

I can let go, trust God, and find peace.

Or…

I can fight my way into the unknown.
I can carry the world's weight on my shoulders and act as if it won't affect my ability to thrive.

Military wife, when you find yourself entering into the unknown, may you find the overwhelming peace that He blesses you with by resting in His presence.

🎉 Calling all my MILITARY WIVES…

Homefront Heroes Ministries is celebrating their birthday today by giving away some awesome swag. Go check out their page for details on how to win. Give their page a like/follow for daily Hope on the Homefront! 💗

Check out my latest blog post and join the conversation.

Military families, what makes you want to stay at a church? What makes you want to leave? Have you felt a disconnect between the local body?

*As a reminder this conversation isn’t intended to tear down or divide but rather build up and hopefully help pastors/staff gain a better understanding of what we as military families experience jumping around from church to church.

An Open Letter to the Local Church (Located Near a Military Installation. Part 1) A conversation about unifying the local church and its military members.

💗 Amen

Heavenly Father,

Today, I come before you and pray for the military wife wearing all the hats.

She is going 1,000 miles a minute from sun up until sundown.

Lord, she is tired but struggles to find a way to lighten the load that she is carrying.

Every day is on repeat with no end in sight.

Please provide rest for her weary soul.

Lord, remind her of the joy that only You can provide.

Remind her that You are not just another daily task to check off the to-do list.

Help her to realize where her heart lies and what is most important in this life.

I pray that when exhaustion invades her heart, she will find rest in you.

Thank you for carrying her when she feels like she can’t take another step.

We praise you in the highs and the lows of this military life.

Thank you for providing Hope on the Homefront.

Amen

This! 💗

So many things are out of our control in the military lifestyle, but one thing is for sure.

Make the most of each opportunity, big or small.

Our military kids may not remember every detail of the life they lead (and in some ways that may be a blessing.) However, they will grow up with an innate appreciation for their family and the wholeness that is felt when everyone is under one roof.

Thankful for this post and thrilled to call the author a friend.

“What if they don’t remember?” someone asked me before I flew my 3 small kids across an ocean to meet their dad in Germany.
“Well one of them definitely won’t” I chuckled over my 1-year-old.

And for the briefest moment I let that one question cast a shadow of doubt on whether we should go and see their dad after almost 6 months apart.

What if they don’t remember the trouble it took to get us there?

What if they don’t remember eating butter croissants every morning and chocolate croissants every afternoon?

What if they don’t remember walking down the cobblestone streets among buildings that were hundreds of years old.

I’m sure they won’t remember the hotel room. Or everything about their ride up to the highest peak of Germany. They won’t remember walking miles on end because of missed busses. They won’t remember the 9 hour flights or how crazy their eyes looked after 20 hours of no sleep. They won’t remember the Bavarian sunsets or the mountains surrounding them on all sides.

But I bet they will remember the safe feeling that overcame them as they jumped into their father’s arms- because half a year is a long time for anyone, let alone a little kid.
I bet they will remember our family feeling whole for a few days when their lives have been turned upside down by deployment.

I am pretty positive they’ll remember the hotel pool that we visited almost every day.

Sure. There’s a chance they won’t remember. But oh man… what if they do?

So here’s to making memories they may forget…but will shape them forever. Even if all they remember is the pool.

Kalie Vidales | Contributor

Surprise! 🎉

We added to our family and I have high hopes for her. Praying that Florence is true to her name and blossoms overnight. 🤪

Welcome to the family Florence…

Here’s hoping you are the key to making delicious loaves of bread and other fun creations.

Any sourdough experts out there?

This newbie is ready to hear about all your tips and tricks. 🙌🏻

Just an appreciation post for comfy outfits that give off fall vibes without having to try too hard! 🙌🏻🍂

Anyone else love a good jumpsuit?

It’s been a while since I have been able to sit down and blog. I’m hoping to get back into the habit now that school has started. I would love to hear your thoughts about this post. Comment below or comment on the blog itself and I will do my best to respond to each one. 💗

*while you are at it.. I would greatly appreciate your help adding to my email list. If you have not subscribed to my site please do so. (I promise not to spam anyone) Just collecting for when my next book is ready.

Woman of Courage Road trips while solo parenting makes for a summer to remember.

Happy Sunday Friends,
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Today begins the 21-day tactical pause for Homefront Heroes Ministries. I am blessed to be a part of a ministry actively seeking the Lord in all they do. During the next 21 days, all HFH ministry efforts will be on hold as we seek the Lord in prayer, petition, and rest.
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I am thrilled to jump into this tactical pause and use this time intentionally. You may still see posts on this page during the 21 days, but I am eager to use the time I generally do HFH work to dive into my bible, pray, and worship.
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If you are reading this, I invite you to join me. This time will look slightly different for everyone, but one thing I know to be true is that when we call, He answers. When we seek, we will find Him.
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Maybe you are in a season where life is overwhelming…
Maybe you feel lost…
Maybe you feel all alone in your struggles…
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Wherever you find yourself, I hope you know that we have a good Father ready and willing to provide peace for your burdened heart and rest for the weary.
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(I will post the link to our HFH Daily Prayer Prompts in the comments and our Spotify playlist- REST for the Homefront.)

I can’t let today get away without sharing a little about my favorite person.

13 years of putting each other first.
13 years of nonstop adventures.
13 years of sweet memories.

Through the good times and the hard times I am blessed to have you by my side. Happy Anniversary Babe. 💗

Last week my family took a trip to Bar Harbor, Maine. I’m still processing it all and reflecting on the memories we made. It was a week filled with hikes, campfires, fishing, and eating lobster. One of my highlights occurred on a charter fishing trip that we took midweek.

After a few hours of fishing, our boat was returning to shore. During the ride back, my husband and I talked with a man who had been fishing right beside us that morning. We had been joking back and forth while fishing, so the conversation naturally flowed as we sailed along the sea.

He asked my husband what he did for a living, and Austin was able to share about military life. Austin then asked what he did for a living, and he responded, “I am a writer.”

My eyes immediately lit up. I quickly responded, “I am a writer as well.”

With a big smile, he responded, “What kind of writing do you do?”

I immediately shared my writing journey and how I have been sitting on two manuscripts for children’s books for a few years. I explained how my books are specifically for children growing up in the military lifestyle and how I have been sitting on the manuscripts just trying to make the best decision as a way to get them to as many military families as possible.

He smirked and said, “Oh, I understand that. There are so many options in the publishing world.

As we continued our conversation about all things writing, I asked him what type of writing he did.

He responded, “I started my writing journey as a European correspondent for Forbes.” My jaw immediately dropped, and once again, I saw stars.

He continued, “ However, I am more recently known as a novelist.”

I looked at him and asked, “Oh really, what kind of novels have you written?”

He listed three novels and said, “The one that took off is my book, ‘The Hundred-Foot Journey.’ It was adapted into a major motion picture starring Helen Mirren’; maybe you have heard about it?”

I looked at him in amazement and replied, “Yes, I have heard of it. That’s incredible. Congratulations.”

He then looked at me and shared something I will hold close for the rest of my life.

He said, “ The writing business is a lonely one. It takes a lot of guts to put yourself out there in such a personal way. It’s a lot of waiting and waiting some more. There may be a lot of no’s along the way, but don’t give up. Keep working to get your work out into the world. ‘The Hundred-Foot Journey’ took 18 years before a publisher picked it up. It will pay off if you work hard and are patient with the process.”

It’s funny how a conversation that he has probably since forgotten about can impact someone. I left that fishing trip with a renewed sense of purpose for what I do; his encouragement to keep going meant more than he would ever know.

Even on vacation we can’t escape military life! 🤪 IYKYK…

Hey friends, it is officially time to pre-order your “Life in the Estrogen- Free Zone”. If you would like to be added to my pre-order list comment below or send me a message. 💙 This book is jam packed with wisdom and funny stories from moms who just get it.

For all my Ga/Tn followers… I will be in town during the month of August. If you pre order a copy I will happily hand deliver it to you. 💗

Today I am learning to make the best of situations when plans change. (Learning doesn’t mean mastering. The struggle is real y’all.)

I am learning to let go of expectations that I have built up in my head and trusting that this unexpected change of plans is for a reason.

I would love to say that I am doing this all with grace and a loving attitude but the truth of the matter is that it’s hard to let go of plans that may have been placed a bit too high on the totem pole.

What was supposed to be a few days away to truly unplug and enjoy some much needed quality time with my family is proving to look vastly different from the camping adventure I created in my head.

Tonight as I lay in my camper (in our driveway) trying to make the most of a crappy day and fighting a poor attitude, I am immediately reminded that His way is ALWAYS perfect. So tonight, I am going to try my best to let go of my plans and trust that He is the one directing my steps.

If I let my lousy attitude get in the way this week I may miss out on the real reason this camping trip wasn’t meant to be.

Anyone else struggle with letting go of plans?