5 Flights and One 10 Hour Car Ride Later

Hey everyone!

So sorry for the lack of updating on my part.. It had definitely been a busy time in my life.  So some updates are that I have been able to visit Shane 3 times! This is where the title comes from hah.  What a blessing time has been to the both of us.  Through this experience of being apart, it has truly brought us together.  Not only in how much we miss each other, but in how much we rely on God to get us through everything and to be our true joy in life.  While this time apart has definitely been difficult, it has truly been a blessing.  It gave us time to take a step back and see how much we appreciate each other and love each other, but most importantly, it gave us each personal time to grow in our individual walks with God which has been the biggest blessing of all.  A lot of times, when people grow, its apart because their focus isn't on the same thing.  But while Shane and I have grown individually, it has brought us closer together; more than I thought possible, because we are both focused on God being at the center of our marriage.  It really has been beautiful to watch and to see how God is working in both of our lives every day. 

Some updates on Shane are that he has finished basic training, and just recently finished airborne school (you know, the part where he jumps out of planes).  So he is now officially an Airborne Infantry man!  I couldn't be more proud of all that he has come to accomplish.  Even more than what he has accomplished, I am proud that while surrounded by an environment that is dark and not very encouraging, Shane continued to be a light to those around him.  He truly relied on God and grew so much and I could see it.  Every letter he wrote to me was dripping with faith and encouragement and I was and am amazed at the work God is doing through him.  Shane is now waiting to go off to Ranger Assessment and Selection Process which is going to be the most difficult thing he has done by far.  He starts November 7th and will be done around mid January.  Although it may be difficult for him, I have no doubt in my mind that he will make it though.  He was born with the ability to do this and is relying on God's strength to get him through this, so I have no fears.  As time is drawing near to finally get to live with him again, I find myself antsy.. A part of being in the military is the cloud of uncertainty that comes with it.  That cloud being that we won't even get to know where we will be going until the day they tell him he has made it into Ranger Battalion.  So there are no plans as to where we will be living, although, I am just excited to be with him again for longer that a period of 3 days.  So send some prayers his way for this next phase of training he is about to enter.  And send him an encouraging text if you want, or a call. :)

My job has been very tasking but more enjoyable lately.  I am done with my training and am now an assistant manager!  But, because we don't know where we will be living, I am just an extra manager at the store I was training in because they can't place me anywhere.  Granted there are still some challenges and emotional hurdles that I have to get through with this job, I am still trying to find joy and be the manager I want to be.  Now that fourth quarter has gotten here, it is getting crazy in the retail world.. once black Friday hits, i will be working 6 days a week.. yikes.. I'll definitely be needing God's help with this one.  Something that did rub me the wrong way though, is that we will be opening at 8pm on Thanksgiving day.. I just wish we could go back to the days when everything was closed on holidays AND Sundays... what ever happend to family focus?  So now, people will be leaving their homes at 6pm on Thanksgiving to stand in line to shop.  Call me crazy, but that doesn't really sound awesome to me.  And being on the working side of retail, it means that I won't get to be with family on Thanksgiving.. So I think retail is not very family oriented.. I think that once my job here comes to an end, I will not be reentering the retail industry.

Some exciting news about my sister-in-law, she is almost 20 weeks and finds out the sex of the baby on Tuesday!! I can't wait to hear about it!  She has been another big blessing in my life.  Not only is she my sister-in-law, but while Shane has been away, she has become a very good friend.  I love the fact that we talk all the time, because there are some things that I ohh and ahhh over with her, that Shane would just not appreciate in the way I would want him to hahah I guess its just a girl thing.  And really I wouldn't want Shane to have the same reaction as Cheyanne because I fell in love with him because of how manly he is haha as weird as that may sound, I love the fact that he is basically a lumber jack.  But it has been nice to get such a wonderful friendship formed with family :) Love you Chey!

Ok, so here is my last little bit.  I just recently read the book alliegant (the very last book to the divergent trilogy) and have never been so upset with an ending before.  Upset to the point where I wanted to start writing books, but as you can tell from these posts, I would need a really good editor.. whoops.  I cried I was so upset.  The reason I like young adult books is because they are supposed to leave you with a feeling of hope and love and this ending crushed my dreams. But maybe I will read it again and feel differently.. but I need some time before I can read it again haha. Just a quirk about me, I really get into books.  I submerse myself into the story, its like a retreat.. im a book worm, who would have guessed.

Thats all for now :) and I'll try not to make it so long before a do another one of these.

p.s. maple is still spoiled, I died my hair brown, and lost 15 pounds.. so far. :)

Excitement is in the Air!!!

So the past week or so has brought so much excitement!

First, I am so excited to announce that I will be an upcoming aunt again! Shane's sister, Cheyanne, is pregnant with the first grandbaby!! I'm really excited for them and the journey they will be taking.

Second, One of my best friends, Nikki, got engaged and asked me to be a brides maid! I can't wait for their wedding and am so honored to be apart of it.  I couldn't be more excited :)

Finally,  I was able to go to Blacksburg and visit good friends and get my hair done! Horray! In doing my hair, however, I have decided that the upkeep is so difficult and I spend too much money getting my hair highlighted.  So i have made the brave decision to dye my hair back to its natural color (light brown), once my roots have grown out to a point where it is awkward looking.  From there, hopefully I will not be getting my hair colored any more.  I haven't talked to Shane about this, but I don't think he will mind much. We will see how it goes when the time comes, probably in December haha.

New hair:

Oh, I also got to see these wonderful faces this weekend!

This weekend, I also had a profound awakening by God.  I have been consistently saying how I don't like my job and I can't wait until I don't have to do it anymore.  Then I was able to finally pin point why I felt that way.  I feel like to be a manager, you have to be a certain type of person, that I personally can't be.  I don't want to make someone cry, I want to make personal connections and relationships, and I want to be compassionate towards people and make friends.  Well, all of the above are not considered professional for an assistant manager... and that is why I have been struggling so hard.  Then, at church on Sunday, the sermon was partly about being thankful for the spot God has placed you in.  So instantly I was confused as to how I could do that. So I prayed and asked God to intervene.. I said, " God if you want me to quit my job, let this penny land heads up three times when I toss it in the air."  I tossed the penny once.. and it landed on tails.  So I thought, maybe I just didn't pray hard enough.. So I prayed again, harder, more in depth.. and I tossed the penny in the air and lost the penny because I am terrible at catching... When I found the penny, it was tails up.  So i chuckled a bit and thought, " Alright, I get it.. I'm supposed to be here."  Then yesterday, I had the best day of work I have ever had.  I know now why I am there.  I am there to redefine the role of a manager.  I am there to show that you can effectively manage your people while showing them compassion and making friendships and personal relationships.  I can give them a review without hurting their feelings.  I can show Christ's love through the way I manage.  I don't have to be the manager they are trying to mold me in to... I'm here to mold them into the manager God wants me to be.  I am here to be BOLD.

Today was the first day that I am actually excited to go to work.. I know my purpose and how God is going to use me in this season of my life, and I am so excited to deliver. God is good, always.

A Touch of Home

I have been staying at my mom's now for almost a month! It's crazy that is already been that long. It has been really good to be able to stay with family and develop relationships. It has already been such a wonderful experience :) I have the majority of my things unpacked except for some books but more and more it feels a little like home. Is nice to come home after a long day at work, walk into my room and have a feeling of home while shane is away. <3 which by the way I get to see him in less than two months!

These wonderful paintings that I get to look at are painted by Mrs. Neil! She is so wonderful at what she does!

In other news, I am enjoying my job more and seeking enjoyment in all the little things throughout the day. And of course Shane's letters give me encouragement constantly. I'm so proud of how well he is doing and with all the crazy things he is having to deal with eight more, I don't have much to complain about. I am continuing to  seek enjoyment I'm the place that God has put me in. <3

sending our love

So I got a call from Shane last night and he was finally able to give me his address!  But there is a very particular way in which you have to send it. So here is your own personal instruction manual complete with pictures :)

First off, this is his address;:

Shane Wiseman RN:453

Fox Company 1-19

9075 Holcomb Drive

Fort Benning GA 31905

However,  in an effort to sort the mail,  you need to highlight the entire perimeter with green highlighter and on the back,  in big writing,  RN:453. This is what it should look like before you mail it:

Also, to give Shane more free time,  please send him some extra sheets of paper to respond on as well as an envelope with the address filled out and a stamp.  It will make it easier on him. 

I know he can't wait to hear from everybody,  so on your mark,  get set,  GO!

Letters of Contentment

So I guess this would be sort of a continuation from my last post... recently I have been praying alot that God would help me find pleasure in work and of course to bring me comfort in Shanes absence.  I don't know why I'm always surprised when my prayers are answered because they are always answered,  but this time it was an overwhelming blessing.  God came through when I needed him the most like he always does.  It has been so good to feel my relationship with the Lord grow during this time because I have fully relied on Him. I have started enjoying work a lot more! Although it still is not what I really want to do,  God has helped me find contentment in my work.

Today I got my first phone call from Shane :) yet another blessing from God.  And we have decided that once we get to our first station,  I'm going to pursue my masters in elementary education. I am so excited and I think the timing will be good for us.  It will allow us to pay some bills and I still want to give my current job a chance.  But my true passion is children. Thank you to Nora and Azalee for helping me realize this. Although i know that not all the children i work with will be as wonderful as these two,  i hope they are.  These two little girls have made one of the biggest impacts on my life.  They are so wonderful. I want to make an impact in other children's lives in the same way that these girls have made in mine <3 I want to inspire.

Well anyways,  the teaching adventure will be coming a little later but I will keep you updated on it! 

Along with my first phone call from Shane,  I also got his second letter today :) I thought I would share a  little of what he said so that everyone knows how he is doing.  He also told me during his phone call that he can't even count the amount of Times he had been able to share Christ!  I'm so proud of him and am so glad that he is giving his everything to God so that He can use Shane for His purpose <3 what a man.

"Read Romans 12:1 today,  loved that verse. I am going to a bible study at 10:45, and I think we should have an easy rest of the day (It's Sunday). Oh and I was made bay leader,  which is kinda cool they all respect me and listen to what the sergeants tell me to tell them."

He has been doing really well and is a natural leader :) I always knew that though.

A Change of Heart?

So I have officially been working as a manager in training for a week now! It's weird that it has already been a year week.. haha. This week has been probably one of the longest but towards the end it started getting faster.  As I was working this week,  I was surprised at how long work seemed to be lasting and how much I wasn't really enjoying it :( last time I worked there I remembered loving it. Maybe it is because I sad that Shane is away so it is hard to enjoy much at the moment,  our maybe I have had a change of heart?  I have been thinking about getting a master's in education. . Just a thought. . I have decided to stick with my current job because I really do remember loving it and maybe I just need to give it a bit more time. I'm sure it will be better soon. At the end of this week though I'm ready for a good nap.

In other news, Maple has been adjusting to this move fairly well and keeps me company :)

More than anything, God has been so comforting to me and is easing this transition.  GOD IS SO GOOD :)

Distance Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

"Distance makes the heat grow fonder" is a phrase I have been hearing a lot lately as you can imagine. Today is the day that starts the beginning of my and Shanes seven months apart while he is training to become an Airborne Ranger. Although this phrase is definitely true, it doesn't make me miss him any less.

As much as I will miss him however, I couldn't be more proud of him; not because he is serving our country, but because he is serving our Lord. Shane's mission in the Army is to spread the word of God to the men on the front line and anyone he comes into contact with really. It fills my heart with joy to see him serving our God with all he has. In this past year together I have witnessed Shane grow into a stronger and stronger man of God. He has led me and pointed me to the Lord in times of darkness and light. More than anything Shane had shown me glimpses of Christ's love through the way he loves me and glimpses of Christ's grace through the way he forgives me, even when I least deserve it. He has become a man I look up to. I am so thankful for God's presence in Shane and my life. I know God is going to do wonderful things through Shane and wonderful things through our marriage.

So as I say goodbye to my bestfriend, I look forward to the time God and I get to spend together; strengthening the most important relationship I have.

James 1:2 -" count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of our faith products steadfastness."

P.S. this is an example of how handsome shame is going to look in his uniform :)

The boys together for the last time

So here I am, car packed to the top, ready to begin my first journey.

Our Farewell

Being newly graduated,  we have had the pleasant experience of packing up our apartment and getting ready to leave the place we called home for four years,  Blacksburg.  So many memories have been created here, like meeting Shane, getting engaged, and getting married. As good as it feels to be done with school, it's a scary thought that now I have to enter the real world. And even more scary is the fact that I will have to start it alone because Shane will be joining the Army, officially making me an Army wife.

With this blog, I hope to take all my friends and family in this wonderful, exciting scary, and sometimes sad journey with me; to give you an insiders view to the trsvels of an army wife. My first location will be Virginia beach, where I wait for shane to get done with his seven months of training and where I begin training as an assistant manager at kohls. This week has been filled with farewells and I'll see you laters. Although we are leaving Blacksburg thousands of dollars in debt, I feel like one of the wealthiest women in the world. During my four years in Blacksburg I have been blessed by the people I have come to know and the friends I have come to love. The saddest thing about leaving is leaving those who have become family to me; the ones who have inspired me to become a better woman; the ones who have encouraged me to grow closer to God.

I love you all so much.