FORT RUCKER, AL | PERSONAL UPDATE

This afternoon I realized a week has already passed since being in Alabama with Cain and then realized I had yet to blog any of the trip there, so I am doing it now! Like.. right now!

Welcome November and change

November was welcomed with warm open arms. I am happy to say my head is above water with work and I am finally taking it "easy" . For me that still means some running around here and there, but it's great to say "I had a relaxing day" for the first time in a long time!

Poor Cain though is still very busy and he doesn't have a end in sight until Christmas break from school. Even then he works long days and is always doing something with the Army. There is really no holding him back when it comes to achieving his goals.

While we are talking about Cain and Army things I'd like to yet again give praise to my man for getting SGT in October. I was so very proud of his leadership and willingness to be a good Soldier and to not just "Show up" but to do work. Cain was selected as the #1 Medic in Indiana who went to boards this past July.

When I got the phone call about him getting SGT back in October he sounded a little down, and not so thrilled as I was. I asked "What's the matter? That's so awesome Cain, I'm so proud... Aren't you happy too?" He was, but there was a little "Set back" to getting SGT. There were no open slots for him at the 1st 293rd as a SGT.

So Cain has been moved to the Marion Unit and has his first drill weekend there in December.

For the first time ever I was really upset with the Army, this was new to me. As a wife I was upset because I had made friends with a lot of spouses and didn't want to him to leave the unit!

 I also was upset that he would now be 1 hour away instead of 5 minutes! We have been so blessed with the 1st 293rd I felt like this was the PERFECT place for him until he could go active Army after school.

My number 1 disappointment from this all is that I trusted the Soldier's Cain had gotten to know and become good friends with. I have met them personally and like them all! They have been so good to Cain and I hated to see him have to leave.

I did a little foot stomp when the news was final and said "It's just not fair!" No really I did. Haha

Hahaha so unlike me but I was upset. Now, since then I have started to come to grips with things and have started to look at the "Bright side"

Starting with: The friends I have made from Cain being in the 1st 293rd are STILL my friends no matter where Cain drills or when Cain goes active. I can still be friends with them!  And this will give me a chance to maybe meet new friends from his new unit.

And although he will drill 1 hour away from home he is now just 5-15 minutes away from his family who lives near Marion. This gives him and I more chances to see them and that's a great plus.

Cain took the news a little better then I did because I think he prepared himself for these things. The moving around part, he is ready for all that. I have come to find out...I am not! But this was my first test and I might have failed at first but I am back with my big girl pants and I'm sucking it up.

I have to be on my toes when it comes to Cain's dreams, goals, wants and desirers. At any time he will change things up and dream for something bigger, something better for his career  and I'm over here like "Fasten your seat belt everyone, gonna be a bumpy ride" Haha

I'm here to cheer for and encourage him through it all, that's the easy part! The hard part is knowing that we won't be around "Home" (where our family is) forever. Every step Cain makes puts him closer to moving and seeing the world and bettering his personal and Army career. It's so great, so honoring to be a part of Cain's dreams. But I am finding myself needing to put those "Big girl pants" on more and more. Not the kind of pants you put on after downing a bowl of cookie dough, the kind where you realize you can't be scared or afraid of the what if's or the unknown and wonder if you can do it. Those fears.

Being a good wife is easy. Being a supportive & brave wife ... that's hard. Trusting in your husband to lead you, provide for you ....... and too follow him or have to wait for him... that's where the true love and commitment start showing.

I do pray to be the wife God desirers me to me for Cain. I know I stomped my foot over something silly and I know I am afraid of moving away one day, but I trust my husband with everything in me. He will not lead me astray because I know who is leading him.

God will lead us in the path that we could go. He has already shown Himself in so many ways I do feel foolish to have pouted over one little move. Now I see what I should have before! God is in control and is moving us to where HE wants us. Not where Lanette wants, not where Cain wants but where He wants. ... Oh to have faith in God is a powerful thing.

Making it through Basic

I can't believe it, a year ago today Cain was about to graduate from Basic Training. He was officially a Soldier. And I was beyond proud of all that he had done to get where he was.

Those 10 weeks did fly by, surprising enough. I had Graci and my mom keeping me busy and cheerful. 

I look back now and know I couldn't have done it without their love. The night before Family day

 (Which was the day before Graduation) was without a doubt the hardest night. You'd think the first night he was gone would have been the hardest. Nope that was the easiest! Because at that point it hadn't sunken in yet that he was gone, and would be for 10 weeks.

Lying in that hotel room with my mom and lane with me I could not have been anymore uneasy! You see he had told me the last time we were able to talk that the day before Family day they told him he would get his phone for a little bit. So I waited, and waited. But no call, which was normal to not hear from him the last 10 weeks but now I was getting nervous and just wanted to hear from him! I had hours to go until that hug... I wanted it to come faster!

I didn't sleep that night. I was trying to keep my cool the whole morning of the Family day 

but all I wanted to do was jump up and down like a kid on Christmas morning. It felt better then any Christmas morning I could remember.

We went to the building where they would be giving a small greeting to the Families and then

 let the Soldier loose. Going in to the building I for some reason decided I didn't want to go to

the front. So I stopped half way and sat down in the middle seating. To the left of us where the Soldiers. 

All of about 300 of them. So to sit and stare down each to find Cain would have be a long ordeal. 

But to my surprise my mom leaned over to me and whispered, "Is that Cain? Look back at the 

second guy in the row behind us" I did... and there he was. Cain. Looking about the same, just in uniform!

I was at peace from there on out. He was there, right there where I had sat! What are the odds right?

Once they were let go I ran to him giving him the "I've missed you hug" It was like he was never gone once we were together again. 

That day I couldn't stop staring into those brown eyes. I missed everything about him. His smile, his kind words, the way he made me laugh, his kiss. All those things just started to fall back into place. But it wasn't going to last for long. He would be leaving for AIT the day after graduation and would be there in Texas 16 more weeks!

Our families gave us that afternoon to spend alone together. We sat in the seats of my parents car and Cain told me all the stories he could remember off top his head. We laughed together, which sounds so normal but once you're away from your best friend for so long the little things like having a good laugh together is so nice. And so needed!

Graduation day was even better then Family day because he got to go off post with us and stay at the hotel for a couple hours. Before the time came for him to go back to post he had fallen asleep on my shoulder. Something he did (Still does) all the time. I didn't mind at all, I love being his shoulder to lean on at times.

That night we were all smiles again, we had a lot to be grateful for... no more letters! Even though, I loved those letters... phone calls and txts are much better way to stay in touch! So we had that to be thankful for. And the fact that he only had one more thing to finish before coming home. So just like when he left for Basic, no tears. Just smiles and a big hug saying "See you soon!" 

I am so proud of the man I am marrying. He is a great Soldier. He never quits, never gives up. He always shows his best effort. He will go far, I know he will. And his family does too. They knew it from the time he was really little that he was smart and wouldn't settle for anything. 

So next up was his AIT! Which I will share more about when that time comes! 

To Cain: You are my hero no matter your uniform or rank. You are my role model and the pack leader of our little family. I trust you with my heart and know you will guide us through life with your wisdom, love, grace and strong beliefs. I will always be your Army Strong girl :) 

Lanette

Thank you Photo Booth for memories

Just now Cain and me were watching some old episodes of The Big Bang Theory on Cain's laptop. Well Cain was laying his head on my shoulder and I thought it was sweet so I opened up the "photo booth" on the laptop. Right away I saw these pictures of our bus drive home from Texas last July! 

I was so happy to see them! Brought back a lot happy memories. Cain was so tried and worn out from the long 7 months of training. I was so excited to be with him again! We were going home, it was such a great feeling. 

Happy I took these that day. Nice to look back on that day and the memories of him coming home!

 

Hippie in me

Something I forgot to write in the post about our goals for the new year is going completely natural with everything else in our life besides food. Hair care, skin care and cleaning products! I have a whole year so I'm not going to dive into everything at once, but slowly turn over to the other side... the natural pure side of living! Aka, a hippie.

I swear I won't go without a bra, but if I could I probably would!

So I already switched my shampoo, but haven't found something I love yet. I've used the baking soda for almost 5 months now. And am trying honey right now, but am not liking it as much. So that's something I will be working on the next couple of weeks.

The next thing is deodorant! I wasn't aware of the dangers in deodorant. They are linking it to breast cancer and prostate cancer in men! Why risk it when you can easily make your own, or buy a natural kind in either a health store or online.

I'm a cheapo so I'm going to make my own for Cain and I both! I haven't told Cain this yet, but he will find out soon lol he is normally always on board when it comes to being healthier and safer. So I think he will be game. And it will save us money in the long run also which I'm excited about!

Here is a video explaining some of the dangers and also a way of making your own!

VIDEO  <<<<

I am going to do this deodorant  from the Wellness Mama!

Here is the list of all the other things I will be going natural on this year.


Foundation
Blush
Lip balm
Eye linger
Eye shadow

Lotion
Makeup remover
Soap
Nail polish

All kitchen products
Bathroom products
Laundry detergent

Phew! That's a lot of stuff, but think that's a lot of toxins and chemicals that we are using on a daily basis! Here is a list of things you can do for a more natural home with cleaning and organizing, also from the Wellness Mama :)

Once Cain and I find a house we have some goals that we would like to try and stick with.

In our love nest there will be ...

No plastic
No smoking
No wheat (or very limited)

I want to live in a clean area and know what I'm breathing in and what's going into my body as much as I can while at home. Also for the future I want to know that when we have kids it's a clean environment! I hope to stick with these things or even add to it every new house we get. Which could be many due to the Army!

A goal of mine would be to leave a garden at every home we lived in. In hopes that the next family can have nice area for them to keep up the garden for there own use.

That's future talk about hey, I can dream can't I?!

Do you have any goals like these? Do some research on the chemicals we are intaking and the affects,  might want to change things up too!!

Lanette