New Title, New URL

Many of you may have noticed that the URL and name have changed.  I really hope this move hasn’t screwed up any followers, it still shows everyone as there.  Let me know if there are any issues with this move! It was pointed out to me recently that my URL said military girlfriend, of which I am not anymore.  Instead, I feel the change to Aud Army Life hits on my education and career aspirations and that some times Army life can be rather “odd/aud”.  Ear humor, just let it happen :)

In short, I’m back.  It’s bee quite a busy few months since August.  I spent much of August on the road; going to Colorado for a conference for a week, then to TN to spend time wedding planning with fiancé and attend a wedding, then STL to visit the BFFs all before school was set to start up yet again.  My poor car has hit 110k miles, I’m just hoping she holds up until I finish school and have a big girl salary. 

Once school began, I’ve been hitting the ground running.  While this semester has been not as full course wise, this is certainly busier than I anticipated. My research project is kind of stagnant, and my advisor who’s wife just had a baby, is now going to be out with foot surgery for 2 weeks.  While he is off his feet for awhile, at least he will have time to read papers and make changes.  I’m still really hoping I can get my paper and everything together to get to do my prelim next month.  This is going to be a CRAZY weekend of parking it in the library, but I’m feeling the pressure to get this done. 

Wedding stuff has been going fantastically! I’m pretty good with where we are time wise.  I’m still behind on finding ceremony musicians, but I have some contacts that I need to get in touch with.  Save the dates are sent out and engagement photos are done, so I’ve started to look at ordering prints to actually hang things on walls!  I’ll be sure to share a few at the bottom of this post.  The dress I'm wearing in the uniform photos is actually one I won from Shabby Apple! I won a $75 gift card from Stetsons, Spurs, and Stilettos'  giveaway, and I'm obsessed with that dress.  I can wear it professionally, or I can glam it up for a night on the town.  Now I just need to find another occasion to wear it.

In the internship arena, I’ve had 2 interviews and still waiting on a few more to be scheduled.  I’m really hopeful for one near the fiance even though he won’t be in the TN area again.  We’re in the awkward SFAS limbo, along with Captain’s Course.  Yes, fiance made the Captain’s promotion list!!! We’re excited, and interested to see where Army life is taking us next.  He hasn’t officially promoted yet, but we think next month may be it.  I get to put on his new bars this time, so I’m beyond excited! I was present at his commissioning  but this might be the only promotion I'm a part of unless he decides to stay until Major, but that's a looooooooong ways away. 

So- now for the wedding related photo bomb:

Save the Dates, all 125 of them!

Outside our HS we attended.

By the old lockers we used to slip notes into

Of couse, uniform photos!

One of my favorites, we were at a castle here.

Such a fun moment

And a little saucy ;)

Blogger 411

1.How long have you been blogging? And what got you started on blogging? Has your blog changed?
I've been blogging for just over a year now. It started as a way to connect to the military community while boyfriend deployed and I was starting grad school. Now my little corner has turned into wedding planning and life planning along with the army!

2. Did you go to college? If so where, and what did you study?
Oh boy, I've been in school far too long! I did my undergrad degree in a small school in MO where I studied Communication Disorders, minored in Psychology and an emphasis in Disability Studies. Now I'm working on my Doctorate in Audiology at Illinois. I CANNOT wait to be finished, hurry up May 17, 2014!

3. Where have you traveled?
All over the US minus the southwest and the northeast states. Internationally, I've only been to the Bahamas, but should Captain's Course not start until next June, fiance and I may be fixing that with a week long honeymoon in Europe.

4. If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you would buy?
I wouldn't buy much of anything to start with, I'd pay off my loans, and save the rest to finish up school and live off of during my internship year. Anything left over would go to setting up a retirement/investment portfolio and financial cushion to recover from grad school. Maybe a splurge on my fiance as a wicked wedding present and a 'new to me' car once mine needs to be replaced. Not fun stuff, but totally necessary. Anyone want to give me a winning ticket??

5. What are your 3 biggest pet peeves?
Intolerance of others, people chewing gum loudly, and scuffing shoes while walking (seriously how hard is it to pick up your feet!?!)

6. What is your favorite movie?
Young Frankenstein (pronounced Frank-en-schtein)

7. What is your drink of choice; wine, beer, or liquor. Or Water, Soda, Tea?
Favorite wine: Francis Ford Coppola Shiraz, Beer: Spotted Cow by New Glarus Brewery, Liquor: Vodka, any and all kinds.

8. What is something you enjoy to do when you have me time?
I like to cook a fancy new meal, maybe a recipe from pinterest, do my nails, and enjoy a movie with a glass of wine.

9. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be?
Tough choice, but probably Target. They have everything there!

10. Share with us an embarrassing moment of your past? Or present.
One of my more embarrassing stories, this happened while I was in HS. I was on a girl scout trip with my troop, and we were driving to Chicago. I should also mention at this point, I didn't drive on highways/tollways due to parental restrictions. We were going through the automatic toll booths, when I asked, "Do I have to go through the manual lane because I drive a manual transmission?". Needless to say, I've yet to live that one down.

11. What day would you love to relive again?
It's a tie, homecoming and engagement day. Both days I never though I could ever be happier.

12. If your life was turned into a movie... what actor would play you?
I've been told I kind of look like Julia Stiles, so I'd go with her, I also love her sassy character in 10 things I hate about you.

13. What are the jobs you had in high school/college/the early years?
My first job was working as a summer custodial assistant at my high school. We went through and deep cleaned all the classrooms, painted, and did other odd and end jobs to get the school ready for fall. It was far from glamorous, but 40 hours a week minimum and no evening or weekends for a 16 year old was a pretty sweet deal! After that I worked at a summer camp for 4 years during college. I loved my co workers and getting to spend my days with some awesome kids outdoors.

14. Show us a picture from high school or college.

My senior prom together, scandalous dancing of course.

15. If you could travel anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, where would you go?
I would LOVE to go on an African Safari, going on jeep rides through the savannah and seeing tons of wild animals.  I also heard of a few resorts that have luxury tree houses to stay in, how freaking cool would that be!?!

16. Show us the most current picture of you or you, or your family, or anything of meaning to you.

Photo from the wedding reception this past weekend with the man that means everything to me

17. Where do you see your life 5 years from now?
I hope to be a fully licensed and board certified Audiologist, maybe working in a hospital or VA center. I will still be madly in love with my husband, and maybe we'll have some furry paws running around our house :) Who knows where we'll be with the Army, but I might still be an army wife.

Wedding Update and Test Info

So, some of you may remember the big nasty test I took in early June that had me panicked... well results came in today- I PASSED on the first try :) I'm beyond excited!!!  Next step, national exam, finishing classes/project, and year long internship- then I'll finally be an audiologist.  May 2014 better hurry up!

Wedding update: dress and veil- check! venue- check! photographer- check! officiant- check! bridal party-check!

I'm making a lot of wedding progress.  It really helps having the fiance around to do things together.  Our vision for the day is really starting to come together.  I just wish I could share a photo of my dress, I'm so very much in love with it and cannot wait to wear it.  It'll kill me to have to wait 6 months for it to even come in.  I'm keeping the dress under wraps until the wedding day, only close friends and family have seen it thus far. 

My to-do list is ever growing, but this weekend the fiance and I have a wedding to attend for my good friend.  It'll be our first one together, and I'm a bridesmaid so that'll make a fun but busy weekend.  We also have 2 cake tastings scheduled on Friday- yay for cake.  I'll be sure to post pics from my b-maid adventures.  I'm slowly trying to ease back into blogging at my usual rate.  I think once block leave is over, and I'm done driving to Chicago every week I'll finally have more me time yet again. 

I'm still reading and commenting away, but don't worry, I am still around this little corner of the internet.  I'll post pics once I get my camera again, I left it in Chicago like an idiot last time I was at clinical rotations.  Well, my thesis is a calling me again, back to work for me.

Finding My Voice Again

I could apologize for the lapse in blogging, but I'll just leave things where they lie.  I've been struggling lately, I'm so over the moon about wedding planning and where things are at in school, but I can't silence this feeling that I'm losing my 'voice' of my blog.  I don't want this blog to turn into a wedding planning or grad school bitching only kind of blog.  I think I'm just trying to figure out where this is going, and how it all fits together. 

Things are also so all over the place with fiance's career.  He was selected for some really special training, and I'm nervous where this path will take us.  At the same time, we're waiting on news of a promotion and the accompanying course.  There are so many good things in our lives right now, and I just need to keep on recognizing how blessed we are, and let the limbo continue. 

I don't know if it's still adjusting to this new phase in my life, one where I am actually mostly excited about the Army and where things are going, or if I am still waiting on the other shoe to drop with wedding planning.  I'm TERRIFIED that we will go through all these steps and have the Army change our plans last minute.  A military clause has been added to all contracts and thankfully everyone has been really understanding.  We were really trying for a memorial day weekend wedding, but everywhere was all booked up.  We officially set the date of May 18th, 2013, at the venue we both loved (335 days to go!).  So far, I'm just chugging ahead trying to navigate family wants and what we want our day to be like as a couple. 

On the wedding front: venue- check! Bridal party- check! and that's about it, ha! I've been doing lots of research, so once fiance comes out of the field and goes on 2 week block leave we'll be hitting the ground running together.  Photographer, DJ, registry, cake, finalized guest list, and save the dates are on our to-do list.  Here is to hoping things come together. 

Maybe some 'me time' to get back into the swing of things will help with finding my voice again.  I'm just getting started on my LAST summer semester with classes so hopefully I can get into a routine and find myself again. 

Off the Grid

Sorry for being a ghost, I've been trekking all around the Midwest and attempting to study for my comps.  The remainder of this week and weekend will be a whirlwind trip to spend time with fiance's family and back just in the knick of time to start up another semester.  I'll be back to more regular blogging next week.  I have lots of wedding updates to add, giveaways I won to thank everyone for, and some school news as well.

New followers- feel free to introduce yourself, I love getting to know you and finding other blogs as well, but make sure your reply email is set, I reply to all my comments :)

Off to cram at the library with my classmates, here is to hoping tomorrow goes well!

And just because I hate posting without photos:  some adventures when visiting fiance for 2.5 weeks.

Castle at the TN renaissance fair

Touring the castle in 90+ degree weather

Mil Spouse Blog Link Up

Happy Military Spouse Appreciation Day!

Well hello! I hope it’s not presumptive that I’m participating in the spouse blog hop, seeing as how I am about 12-15 months from being a spouse.  

Homecoming, August 2011

I’m Dani, and I’ve been with my solider for 7 years.  We are high school sweethearts that have been together long before the Army was a possibility.  We are also newly engaged, I said yes just over a month ago while vacationing in the Bahamas. So right now we are in the thick of wedding planning along with the Army and their constantly changing schedules.  

Military Ball, November 2011

I am a full time graduate student currently pursuing my doctorate in Audiology.  I love ears! I just finished up my 2nd year, so officially halfway there, and 2014 will be here before I know it.  So right now we are still distance, but hopefully that will change in the next 12 months.  

I said yes, March 2012

I started this blog to connect with other milie girls while fiance (then boyfriend) was deployed to Afghanistan.  He came home in August and it’s been quite an eventful several months.

Almost there!

I'm checking back in after a long week of finals, clinicals, a field trip, and lots of relaxing time.  I'm still not 100% done with my take home test, but I still have until 6pm tomorrow to turn it in.  Procrastination at its finest ;)

I rocked my clinicals this semester, and so far grade wise, I think I'm sitting really good.  I know I have a B in one class, but in my others, I have A's or A-'s, which I am more than happy with in grad school.  I just may get my cumulative GPA above that 3.5 level again.  We'll see how this take home goes, but I'm pretty sure I can pull off an A no problems. 

In other news, fiance is acting as the company commander this week and next week- so he's getting a taste for Captain life.  We'll see how he likes it.  At least I'll be down there in a week or so, so that'll be good for the two of us. 

We were talking tonight about wedding stuff and we may kinda sorta have a tentative time frame in mind!!! I'm so beyond excited to start looking at venues and hopefully nail one down by June.  Then comes the dress and all the other fun stuff :) things are moving along quickly in the future department, which is a nice change. I'm still not holding my breath, the Army may change things suddenly on us, which is why every place I look at I ask about their reschedule policy.  Most have seemed pretty nice, but a few said that we'd have to pay 2x the deposit if we had to cancel then reschedule.  Ugh, annoying but I understand where they are coming from. 

Anyways, I just wanted to check in for a bit, I'll be back to my normal bloggy self next weekend.  And hopefully fiance and I will have some fun trips and activities planned while I'm on post visiting for 2.5 weeks! Including another race and some small weekend getaways :)