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Daily Hankes Mischief

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  September 12, 2013 my bunny became an official soldier of the United States Army!  Words cannot express how proud I am of this handsome man of mine!!
   
    I know It's been a while since updating, but obviously I have been spending as much time as possible with my husband being home. 
     You never know just how much you can miss someone until they are gone for a while, then getting to hold them and touch them for the first time in months is such a magical feeling.  I was so nervous to see Matt again (even if it was only 3 months).  I felt like a kid with a big crush on this guy and it was our first date or something.  I played it over and over again in my mind what it would be like, and how our reactions would be.  I didn't even care what any officer had to say, I was going to jump on him and not let go! Which I did but I was told to get down haha.
     As I've mentioned before, Matt did get split-ops so that we could purchase our first home together before going to AIT. He was granted up to 6 months, and in the first week Matt was home we looked at 9 houses!  The 9th one was the one and we put in an offer for it Friday evening and the offer was accepted the very next day! We will be closing on or before November 4th which means these next couple of weeks are going to be very busy. Not to mention in between dealing with home inspections and signing lots of homeowner papers, the months of October-December are always the busiest for my family. October 2nd is Matts birthday, our oldest has a bunch of field trips and fall school activities coming up, halloween, more birthdays, Thanksgiving, even more birthdays, and then Christmas. And with Christmas come lots and lots of winter events.
      The 3 months Matt was away helped me build my strength up as an independent woman, realize how lucky I am to have such an amazing man as my husband and the father to my kids, learn how to be a better mother and wife, and it also taught me that everyday we have here on earth is so crucial. Don't waste your time being upset about irrelevant and ridiculous things that won't matter by the next day. Love as much as you can and make sure you are showing that love in every way possible. Remember to show the ones you love how much you appreciate them, and take chances because time flies by so quick! You want to make sure that time wasn't wasted being unhappy, because we are never guaranteed  tomorrow.
      Needless to say, I am so extremely happy that my husband is home and back in my arms, even if only for a little while before Army duty calls again.  I am learning to be a better loving wife to him every single day, and I am loving him more and more with each passing second. I praise God every single day for blessing me with the life I have and the people in it. Life is full of ups and downs, but it is much better when you choose to be happy about it either way.


xoxo
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   Good evening lovely's!  I left at about 8 this morning from good old Florida, and I have arrived to South Carolina!  Tomorrow morning I get to join my husband hand and hand again for the first time in 86 long, long days!!!  I got about a 10 second phone call 2 hours before I made it here, saying he passed everything and to be at Hilton Field at 8am sharp.  I keep wondering what it's going to be like when I see him again.  I feel like a little teenager again about to have a first date or something! Within the next couple of weeks I will most likely be posting lots of pictures and maybe a video from all this weeks events.  I am SOOO proud to say that I have been army strong! I'm extremely proud to be an army wife and I can't wait to see my best friend again. All those lonely days and nights, all the frustration, all the sadness, no kisses, no hugs, no.... uh uh..., hardly any communication, and it was all so worth it in the end. xoxo
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    Hello lovelies :) I know it's been a little while but I'm here for a fantastic update.  I am so unbelievable happy to say that my Matthew graduates next week!! Not only does he graduate, but he is coming home with me as well!!! I cannot begin to explain how excited I am. He gets a 3-6 month break between BCT and AIT, just in time for all the holidays, his birthday, and for us to most definitely purchase our first home. Which makes me even more happy, because I'm starting to really get annoyed  staying at my parents. I mean, it has been a huge blessing having my family's support and we saved a load amount of money not paying rent and utility bills, but I can't help but feel like I'm in the way and stepping on everyones toes here with two kids and all our stuff.  My little sister and I hardly get along which makes things 10 times worse.
        I have never been so excited to pack for a trip in my life! Almost 3 months without my honey has been.... depressing to say the least. I saved all my errands and list of things to do for this last week specifically so that I can remain super busy and time goes super fast! I feel so incredibly lucky to have him coming home with me instead of having to say another "see you later".  God has been so good to us throughout this entire experience, we are so blessed! Also, I got an almost 40 minute phone call this past weekend, and he sounded so good! He left for Victory Forge yesterday, which is the soldiers final big training test. This will be the test to pass that makes them official soldiers of the USA. Tomorrow is their last day at Vic Forge, and Tuesday we will be on our way to being back in each others arms.

7 days and a wakeup! Hooah!
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     I officially have 3 weeks from today until I am wrapped in my soldiers arms!  What a journey this has been so far, and it isn't over yet.  I just can't wait to finally pack my bags and I am never one to like packing.  Had it not been for having two kids to keep a smile on my face, and keep my everyday life super busy, I would have probably been a wreck.  But I didn't let myself fall apart, and looking back I am so glad I kept my head up.

      So far, army life has been tough, and it's hardly begun!  However, it has been one of the best learning experiences.  If you are about to become part of the military family, I want to assure you that it is definitely worth it in the long run.  Maybe they disappoint half the time, and it's always "hurry up and wait", and they bring on a lot of stress and frustration, but the best thing I've learned throughout this whole thing is not only patience, but how to have an extremely better appreciation for my husband!  Boy, did I have it easy when he was here.  I didn't realize till after he was gone, how much I relied on him to take care of everything and always make it better, and thats partly because he did. He did and does everything he can to make everything easier on me to keep me happy.  I am a lucky woman, but it is my turn to start making it much easier on him.

      August 19th was the cut off date to send any mail, so I got a big envelope and filled it with pictures and letters.  I did the idea of "open when" 's so that he wouldn't open them all at once, and he could have a few to read each week since I can no longer send anything.  i.e. Open when: you need a pick me up, you want to see something pretty (insert picture of me haha), you want to reminisce, you start to miss me, you want to know why I love you, etc.  and tons of pictures with the boys.  I am so sad that I can't write any longer, but then I remember that means we are that much closer to being done!  Ahhhhhh I cannot wait to see that handsome mans face.  What a thrilling moment that will be and I can't wait to share it with all of you. 

       Any questions please comment down below :) 

Chow, dolls!
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   Hi guys!  I know it's been a little while, i've been a super busy bee and I feel exhausted. Yesterday, August 10th, my first love turned 4 years old!  I just can't believe how fast the time is flying.  I also registered him for his first year of school, VPK.  He starts this Wednesday and I've already cried once just thinking about having to drop him off and leave.  He's never been in daycare or anything like that so I'm super nervous, but he is so excited and I couldn't be happier for him.  Momma's gotta let her baby spread his wings and fly ;).  This weekend he was at his dads so I only got him for about 6 hours on his birthday, so we had a pool day and I let him open presents.  It may not seem like much, but he's 4.... As long as he's having fun, he doesn't care what he's doing.  

     

            It was also Silas' first time in the pool!  Silas is a very laid back, chillaxed, mellowed out kinda dude.... So he didn't complain.  He basically just sat there watching all the big kids play.  I couldn't have asked for better children, honestly!  Ryen also now knows how to swim.  It was an all of a sudden thing, he just started doing it and I was very impressed.  He used to be afraid to learn, but he stepped out of his comfort zone, and he's a little fish now.
    

       How many of you are Kiss fans out there?? I know my dad is!  My dad took me and my siblings out to House Of Blues, Orlando for a Kiss Tribute Band concert.  Now, I may have only known like 2 songs, but it freakin' rocked!  I had a blast with my family, and it was really nice to get away and get out of the house for a small break.  We got front row to watch Gene getting mean and got autographs and pictures afterwards. All and all it was a fantastic, rockin' night!



        Okay, so you may be wondering how Army wife life has been going?  After all, this is what I made this blog for.  I haven't gotten any letters in about 5 days which breaks my heart because that's what I most look forward to everyday.  Not to mention, I was getting about 1-2 letters at least every other day.  The last letter I received was a bit of a rant from Matt, because his platoon is awful.  He says it's a very hostile environment and all anyone wants to do is learn how to kill others.  That's wrong!  But, he mentioned he will be receiving a sharpshooter medal and he was made a team leader!  I can't begin to express how proud of him I am throughout this experience.  The military often hardens a person, makes them cruel and mean and uptight.  Although I do worry about that in the back of my mind, I trust in God that he will come back loving me and our life together more than ever!  Also, even though the army has been more disappointing and frustrating than good news lately, we are hoping that Matt will be able to come home for a few months after basic, before shipping for AIT.  I'm not getting my hopes up, but I'll keep my fingers crossed.


      

       Even though I have started adjusting to a newer routine without Matt, it doesn't mean I miss him any less.  In fact, I miss him more with each passing day.  But I've grown to have a better appreciation for him than I ever have had before.  Some days I just want to get in my car and drive away because of all the frustrations of being a "single" mom without my best friend and better half physically here to hold me and comfort me. However,  I feel like I've discovered an amazing strength about me I never knew I had.  I depended on Matt for everything, because he is my rock.  And he still is, but my husband needs a rock too, and I'm proud to say that when he returns home, he is coming back to a new and improved Army Wife!!  I guess it is true when they say you never know how strong you are till being strong is the only choice you have, and I am living proof! 


**30 days and a wake up, and I'll being all over that handsome soldier of mine! Hooah!










                                                                  






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  Hi dolls!  Excuse the environment of which this photo was taken, my little sisters room had a better mirror.  Any ways, it's been 5 months, actually almost 6 months now, since my littlest one was born!  Normally I wouldn't post pics like this, but I feel proud of myself for losing almost all my baby weight! I am 4-5lbs shy of my pre pregnancy weight, and I have lost 13lbs just since my husband left a little over a month ago.  That may or may not be from stress and not eating out as much as I did when he was here, but who cares, I'm losing weight either way ;).

    Silas is a growing boy!  I'm very, very sad to say that he went on a nursing strike, & a number of other reasons why he is no longer breast feeding.  I planned on feeding him exclusively from the breast for at least a year, and we were doing absolutely amazing with it (no bottles either), until all of a sudden he decided he didn't want to do it.  After a couple weeks of struggling to get him to feed I finally went and spoke to my lactation consultant, who confirmed Silas was beginning to become very dehydrated and I needed to start supplementing.  I did everything I could to keep my supply up, but mother nature decided it was a no go. Although I was pumping and mixing with formula, my milk eventually dried up.  As sad as it was, I noticed a much happier little boy at feeding times, and even though I feel breast is best, he is still 100% healthy and growing perfectly!
     
       Last time he was weighed was a couple weeks ago and he was nearing 15lbs!  Although he is pretty long and looks just like his daddy, I think he got my petiteness.  My husband was a big ole' baby, but Silas is a little guy, but growing by the minute.  We are still working on sitting up at almost 6 months old.  I feel like my oldest started doing that by now, but every time we try he leans as far forward as he can to get his feet and rolls over -__-.  He gets extremely excited playing in his jumperoo, I swear he will knock himself out one of these days. He's got a strong head on his shoulders, and rolling over is no problem for him.  Thats how he gets around these days.  He is my little sleeper too!  I have never seen a baby sleep so much in my life! My oldest still gives me a hard time about going to bed.  Silas loves being in his bed, I put him down and he will take an almost 3-4 hour nap a day (or two 2 hour naps) and doesn't make a peep when I put him down, or when he wakes up.  He goes to bed between 8 and 9pm, and sleeps all night till about 9:30am.  What the heck!  My almost 4 year old fights me going to bed at 9, and will still be up before 7am.  I guess it's true what they say about the 2nd child being the complete opposite from the first.

        Lets see,  he has about three 8oz bottles a day and has cereal 2-3 times a day.  He squeals instead of laughs, and he loves to baby talk!  He finds his big brother to be the most interesting thing on earth and loves to watch him day and night. Feel free to follow and ask anything thing you want. I truly was blessed with the most amazing kids, and I couldn't be any more happier with the life I was given! 
  
  xoxo, shanz


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Shannon. Wife. Mother. Photographer. Daydreamer.

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