7 Days Time

Deployment Log: How We #America (Week #8)

December 3, 2018 by Sharita

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Today’s simple Monday truths brought to you by Flat Daddy, our car and Kansas mud.

(Now that I’m back in “the city,” I suppose I should add “Wash car” to my to-do list…)

PS: Before you gasp and clutch your pearls that I wrote in the dirt on the car causing potential paint scratching, note that about a year ago my then-preschool drew (scratched) a picture of a person on the car with a piece of gold (shiny rock). And THIS is why we can’t have nice things.

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Flat Daddy just gave a whole new meaning to the phrase “Chow Time.”

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“Thursday is the new Friday,” they said.
“Stay busy and deployment will fly by,” they said…

#KeepingItReal #KeepCalmAndSoldierOn #NotAStagedPic

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Flat Daddy wanted to give me some fresh insight into why non-flat-husband finds such joy in brewing stuff. Now, after my first homemade batch of Kombucha, I finally get it!!

Merry Kombuchmas and a Happy Brewed Cheer!#FinalFermentationAndGo#INamedMySCOBYScooby

PS: “Make kombucha” was on my deployment bucket list ✅

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You’ve heard of Elf on the Shelf? How ‘bout Milspouse in the Party House… Or Army Wife Christmas Life… Or Finding Enjoyment during Deployment… Or Daddy (comma) Flat is where the party’s at…

I can go on all day, folks. So grateful to host our Battalion Senior Spouse Coffee last night at our humble hacienda. Such a joy to love on our ladies!

***

Deployment Log, Day 54:

1. According to my calculations, *if* Beloved Husband returns from deployment *exactly* on the number of days stated on his orders (ha ha haa!), we are about 20% done!

2. The ONLY time I do math is when running many miles (only 2 miles to go… Which means I’m 3/4’s done!) or during deployment count down (or ups…)

3. As you probably gathered, we had a wonderful trip to KS to see our friends/family. But it has been nice to be back in our own space, with our own routine, with our own beds.

4. Plus, Malick only has one girl to harass (see also: pull hair) instead of 4.

5. I had a few wonky days this week… Just funky emotional and cranky, not for any real reason. The blessing box was, well, a blessing to me in those moments!

6. I saw a meme that sums up deployment life…

A mom: “Gosh. I’m tired.”

Everyone everywhere else: “ENJOY YOUR KIDS! THE TIME IS SHORT! THEY WILL BE GROWN BEFORE YOU KNOW IT.”

A mom: “Geez, I didn’t say I hate my kids, Karen. I just said I was tired.”

It’s truth. I love my children. They are wonderful creatures. But yes, we mamas (of deployed spouses or not) get tired.

7. Why I am tired, you ask? Mainly because I have to ask say things like this to my children (sometimes all in one day!)
“Did you just paint the dog with peanut butter?”
“DO NOT HIT YOUR SISTER WITH THE STICK OF FIREWOOD?”
“Yes, you have to wear pants to school.”
“Get the ticky-tac out of your mouth!”
“Please stop crying and just get in the car.”
“Do not spit milk on the dog/floor/in your shoes.”
“Do not tip over the Christmas tree!”
“Get your naked man-parts OFF MY KITCHEN TABLE, son!”

8. This West Texas-Korea time zone difference is (still) sucky. Hubs and I keep thinking that some rhythm is going to surface with his battle tasks, but nope– random. And 16 hours apart puts us literally on completely opposite schedules, especially when he is working weekends. Blurg.

9. On the way home from Kansas, Charis was tapping out a tun on the mini lap desk in the back seat. She asked if at the next pit stop, we could buy her some drumsticks.

10. I said no. #SorryNotSorry

11. If anyone sends Charis drum sticks for Christmas/Blessing Box/Birthday, we are gonna have words.

12. So traveling at the end of last week with two small kids (and a dog) by myself reminded me of PigPen off of Peanuts. Only instead of a cloud of dust following us everywhere we went (as in, major truck stops on Highway 54) , it was a cloud of chaos.

13. I’m trying to be intentional about protecting my December schedule, mainly because I know how fast it can spin out of control. I seriously need more time to lay on the couch and just zone out… But when the kiddos are around (i.e., Malick) the kid is jumping all over me (and he is like a huge roast with legs these days, so that hurts!) and Charis is almost constantly asking for something (or also upset because Mr. Roast with Legs gave her the People’s Elbow while SHE was trying to relax).

14. But when the children are elsewhere, I feel like I need to be doing ALL the things. ISO: Parenting balance.

15. Only two more weeks of this group statistics project. Praise God. Get me there Jesus.

16. This week’s biggest adventure: Switching Malick from the crib to the toddler bed. It’s going okish so far– but the going to sleep routine takes a hot minute since he is no longer “penned” in.

17. Prayer requests: That Brandon (Leroy Chuck) and I will be able to connect more frequently (and with greater quality!) and that I find some creative methods to rest when the children are present (is it possible?)

18. Parting thought:
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” ~1 Thessalonians 5:11

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Filed Under: Deployment Log Tagged With: army wife, deployment, faith

Deployment Log: How We #America (Week #7)

November 26, 2018 by Sharita

Image may contain: 5 people, including Sharita Knobloch, people smiling, child and indoor Flat Daddy got to meet Pastor Steve last night… and It was so good for the soul to catch up with him ❤️

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Oh, my dearest Cheesy Mollusk Kayla Taylor. It was so wonderful to hang out, catch up and let our children play/destroy all the things.

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From being down-the-road neighbors, to FFA officer teammates, to Clovia housemates and collegiate cohorts, now to Mama pals and business women… Seeing Nicole T (and Kyle Wainwright) made Flat Daddy and I smile!

PS: Two extra Tiny Humans are pictured… sister Kathleen was out doing farm chores.

***

We are making some Thanksgiving memories on the farm tonight! We ate two hours late because the men were hauling hay (racing against the sunset). Then they realized the fence was broken so the bull got out. Kathleen was running to herd the bovine and had an asthma attack. Charis was spinning around in a circle and split her chin open (not stitches worthy, thankfully) then Malick gagged himself and projectile vomited across the kitchen three helpings of mashed potatoes, three servings of cranberry sauce and two helpings of chocolate pie. Finally, Cousin Jessa slammed her fingers in the door.

And a partridge in a pear tree.

PS: I wouldn’t trade this chaos for the world.

PSS: Ok, maybe less puke…

***

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Thanksgiving at the Lacey household might have been a *little* chaotic, but Flat Daddy and I are perpetually grateful for wonderful people who drive down to spend a few precious hours with us! So great to see you, Deb!! ❤️

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The distance created by being a military family often keeps us from celebrating some of our extended family/friend’s greatest life moments, like weddings, birthdays and graduations.

But it often prevents us from experiencing another inevitability of life… like death.

Today, I visited Susie. And it was different than any visit I’ve had with her. Instead of petting her pup as she laughed out loud at my life catch-up stories in her living room, I sat silently on the ground, mopping up tears as the cold north wind blew around me and gray clouds filled the skies.

When God called her home earlier this year, I checked plane tickets no less than a dozen times. I racked my brain trying to think who I could get to watch my kids for a few days. But I just couldn’t make it back to say goodbye.

I feel like I’m a relatively intelligent human being, but how to grieve long distance is still well beyond me. I do know that our tiny town, loving community and entire world will never ever be the same.

On her humble resting place, I left a tiny bottle of Tajin seasoning I carried from El Paso. Like Tajin, Susie made EVERYTHING better. The perfect combination of sweet and spicy, which every person I know adores.

My dearest “Susie-boo…” I will take me a long to time process your permanent departure from this earth. Your impact is everlasting and I simply cannot wait to hear your laughter as you scoop me up on a hug when I some day cross that magnificent heavenly threshold.

Oh. Be sure to tell Jesus hey for me.

See you on the other side.

***

Deployment Log, Day 43:

1. Alas, ’tis departure eve from Kansas to Texas.

2. Using fancy language is fun.

3. We have had a wonderful time with family/friends in the Midwest.

4. So glad I’ve stocked back up on K-State gear (that fits!!)

5. Not sure what I was thinking when I got Charis a legit/new KSU dress… Mostly white. UG. #AllTheKansasMud

6. Is Cat Wrangling a viable career option? If so, I know two Tiny Humans who would be excellent candidates for an apprenticeship.

7. I purchased a new wallet/billfold thingy from Orscheln’s… YAY. But after I got home and started to unpack to repack for tomorrow’s trip, I realized they forgot to take the ink-exploding anti-theft device off. BOO. (Anyone have any insight how to resolve this without driving the 34 miles roundtrip back to town?)

8. I would legitimately pay someone like real dollar bills to come gather up and pack up all of our junk, er, I mean priceless belongings after this two-week trip.

9. I am so grateful that I’ve gotten to see so many folks in the last 12 days (and hoping I don’t forget to tag anyone!) Brandi Buzzard Frobose Debbie Johnston Wools Connie Johnston Harold Marilyn Thexton Billy BrownJordan Pieschl Robin Blume Erin Kerbs Ann Novinger Badders Willie Wildcat Kayla Taylor Nicole T Deb Ferguson Dereck Lindsay Caudell Susan Bubna Heath Tieben Lori Harlan Jane Kersley

10. Statistics is more than half over. Three more silly weeks of this class and group project hoopla. WE. CAN. DO. THIS.

11. Holidays apart from my Beloved Husband can be kind of lame… But being with extended family made the time pass quickly and less yuckily.

12. I’ve tried to use this trip to stock up on grown-up people hugs.

13. Prayer requests: Safe and efficient travels back to Texas, no Tiny Human puking (because they like to do that for fun I guess), to once again be fully caffeinated and abundantly patient, to avoid all bad weather (Kansas blizzard rumors?!?), for the kids to stay healthy with the transition back to TX because I love them greatly but I AM SO EXCITED FOR THEM TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL.

14. Today’s parting thought:
“I thank my God every time I remember you.” ~Philippians 1:3

***

Hypothetical question: Lets say there’s a mother of 2 children (neither of whom napped today) that will be stuck in the car for the next two days with both children (by herself because her hypothetical spouse is deployed) driving from Kansas to Texas. What is the appropriate amount of time for aforementioned mother to hide downstairs in the bathtub drinking wine while letting Grandma be in charge upstairs?

Asking for a friend.

***

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Flat Daddy wanted to wrap up our time in Kansas with a minor dose of chaos, aka mandatory family pictures with 5 Tiny Humans ages 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1. ????

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Charis: “Mama! Mama! Malick is stuck!”

Me: “Stuck where?”

Charis: “C’mon, follow me!”

(I think she’s been watching too many movies)

*As we arrive on the “scene”*

Malick: (Calmly a matter-of-factly stating) “Mama. I’m stuck! Mama. I’m stuck!”

#FarmProbs #ParentingIsNeverBoring

***

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You can’t stage this level of cuteness. (I think she is a farm girl at heart).

***

*Walking in the door upon our arrival back HOME in Texas*

Charis: “WOW, Mama!! The house is so clean!! How did that happen? Who did that?!”

“Me, Charis. ME.” ?

*Update: House is no longer even remotely clean. It’s a wreck. But hey, at least we aren’t driving in the car anymore!!

***

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Just a little over 8 years ago, this gal stood by my side as my maid of honor when I said “I do” to non-flat-Husband. Now, we have a passel (herd? Flock? Gaggle? Posse?) of Tiny Humans between us!

Those Tiny Humans didn’t let much grown-up conversation happen in our brief on-the-road-homeward-bound hang out sesh (ahem, I’m looking at YOU, Malick!) but we wouldn’t trade it for the world. Love you, Kally!

***

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? “Alpha… Alpha… Alpha of Clovia!” ?
This lady was my one of first ever big(ish) kid roommates my first year of college (See also: 14 years ago! Gah!) A love of ag, FFA and, well, each other, have kept us “ita sisters” for nearly the last decade and a half. Thanks for opening your home to us for a cozy pit stop, Carmelita! Cannot wait to see you in West Texas soon!

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I know, boys, I know… with one hour left in the epic two-day solo-adult with two Tiny Humans roadtrip, I wanted to hide from the chaos too…#MadeIt #ThankYouJesus #AllTheSonicDrinks

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Filed Under: Deployment Log Tagged With: army wife, deployment, faith

The Holy Spirit’s Gift to Us: Enlighten, Encourage, Engage (Part 3)

November 23, 2018 by Sharita

A lot of the following information was adapted from G.I.F.T.E.D to Serve Curriculum that Kelli Wommack and I co-wrote when I was stationed at Fort Benning. I recently delivered this info via a sermon at Paseo, so buckle up for Part 3 of 3! (Catch up on Part 1 and Part 2 if you are just joining our little Jesus party.

***

The next step to encourage our spiritual gifts within the church for God’s glory is to ENGAGE. Friends, hear me when I say: There is no one else who can do what God has called you to do like you do it. That’s why He called YOU!!

Before we get too far into this, there are a couple of things to note. In the book “Experiencing God,” Henry and Richard Blackaby share that spiritual gifts are not things in and of themselves, but an expression of God working through us. The exercise of a spiritual gift is the manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

They also state that God’s assignment to us comes first, and gifting follows. So engaging our gifts is not just about putting gifts to use; it’s also about getting involved in what God has called us to do and trusting that He will equip us. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: serving Tagged With: series, sermon, spiritual gifts

The Enemy Doesn’t take a Holiday

November 21, 2018 by Sharita

Happy (almost) Thanksgiving, friends! I pray your day is filled with gratitude and Jesus… Today, I wanted to share with you something God revealed to me a few years ago and wanted to re-share it with you today.

***

The Enemy doesn’t take a holiday. And that is also true for me. He has been attacking me from all angles lately and today, even on this Holy Day of thanks, he showed up.

So I retreated to my prayer closet and this is what happened: [Read more…]

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Filed Under: gratitude Tagged With: battle, enemy, gratitude, lord, thankful

Deployment Log: How We #America (Week #6)

November 19, 2018 by Sharita

Deployment Log, Day 34:

1. There’s really no place like home. I love our Texas hacienda, but Kansas is making my heart happy.

2. We’ve gotten soft. It’s cold here!

3. The trip up was really good. The kids were (mostly) troopers, minus the first hour of the trip when Malick was like, “Uh, no thanks.” Then he realized we were committed and stopped fighting it.

4. The great thing about a deployment is that it gives opportunities to do things that you would probably never do otherwise. Like drive 900 miles in 2 days by yourself with two Tiny Humans and a dog. Every 15 minutes or so I noticed my hands got tighter on the wheel, so I had to pretend I was some kind of awesome athlete on a mission and told myself, “Stay loose, stay loose…”

5. Nobody puked in the car! (And if you have met my kids, you know this is a big deal).

6. Charis did yak in the middle of the night on Saturday in the hotel. So that was fun. (It had me all wound up creating road trip contingency plans in case it wasn’t just a one-time thing).

7. Charis also apparently has trust issues with how I navigate: In Western Kansas, she mentioned a couple times that I was GOING THE WRONG WAY. Because we already saw “those cows” and “those windmills” the day before.

8. My sister and I are headed to Manhattan this weekend to celebrate my birthday like adults (as in, sleep till we wake up and eat with two hands). So any of my MHK or Fort Riley peeps want to break bread together, hit me up.

9. Charis: “Mama, let’s talk about cantaloupe.”
Me: “Um. Ok? Like the fruit?”
Charis: “No, the animal.”
Me: …
Me: “Oh, you mean ANTELOPE!”

10. Still missing mi esposo, but spending time with family and friends here in the midwest really helps.

11. This statistics class = seriously?!?! I have finally resolved to give it to Jesus, do the best I can (with the less-than-engaged group members to which I have been assigned) and praise the Lord that the option for resubmits in the class is a thing.

12: *Upon arriving to our hotel in Dodge City on Saturday night*
Charis: “Praise the Lord! We have two TVs AND air conditioning!”
(It was like 12 degrees outside…)

12. Prayer requests: Balance of fun and rest, being present and staying faithful to choices that positively impact my physical/spiritual health.

13. Parting thought for today:
“The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him.” ~Psalm 28:7

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Well, Flat Daddy agrees that this deployment just got a whole lot “cooler.” #KansasProbs #BrrItsColdOutHere

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This is easily one of Flat Daddy’s most epic photos yet! Why? Because my oldest (as in, known/kept in touch the longest, not age) friend Brandi and I were able to hang out last night with all of our minions. Even more so, everyone was looking AND smiling at the camera! Talk about a happy heart moment, even during deployment. PS: Yes, my face looks a bit pained… Mainly because I am hoisting 60lbs of Tiny Human on my hips. PSS: If my math skills serve correctly, I think we’ve been friends for about 22.5 years.

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Career Day: Visiting Paw-Paw at work to see the BIG TRUCKS!!!

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Flat Daddy Career Day: Taking Donuts to Grandma CJ and team at H & R Block

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Nostalgia, Birthday Party of Two: Flat Daddy visits non-Flat-hubs and non-Flat-wife’s first-married apartment complex.

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Nostalgia, Birthday Party of Three: Next stop is Radina’s Coffeehouse for a peppermint tea for Kathleen and a famous grasshopper mocha for non-flat-mama.

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Nostalgia, Birthday Party of Two: The next stop hit me right in alllll the feels… we posed in front of the church where we said “I do” 8+ years ago. I miss you my Beloved! PS: Flat Daddy needs to work on his hugging and cuddling skills…

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Nostalgia, Birthday Party of Two: Oh, Weber arena… I spent SO many hours here during undergrad learning about all things Animal Science. It is also a special place for not-so-Flat hubs since it part of our first date, at Ag for a Cure Concert. I will never forget how my phone was blowing up with text messages that night because everyone was like “Whhhaaaatt is going on, Sharita?!! We just saw you holding hands with a boy!!” Mama always said when I met “The One” I would face plant, falling head over heels. Welp. She was right.

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Nostalgia, Birthday Party of Two: We couldn’t hang out in Wildcat Land without getting Flat Daddy properly attired. I personally think K-State purple is a good compliment to army green. PS: Non-Flat-Mama also stocked up on new KSU gear… mainly because I have “under-grown” a majority of my previous garb! #GreatProbToHave

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Nostalgia, Birthday Party of Three: One of the best parts about being back “Home” is running into friends from seasons gone by. So awesome to see Lori Harlan! (I remember when she spoke at Crest FFA banquet as a State FFA officer and how she and her hubs did all things tech for our State FFA officer team a few years later. Also, thanks to Lori for making me laugh out loud. “Oh my gosh, I get to take a pic with THE Flat Daddy?” (As I whip him out of my purse….) ?

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Nostalgia, Birthday Party of Three: Sister Kathleen requested HuHot for lunch and Flat Daddy readily agreed, mainly because it’s delicious AND it was the restaurant non-Flat hubs took me on our first date for supper.

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Nostalgia, Birthday Party of Three: We popped by the KSU Student Union and I was able to get a pic with two of my three most favorite men ever: Flat Daddy and Willie the Wildcat. PS: The third most fave dude is Jesus, just FYI. And not in that order. PSS: I’m still reeling from the Stuni’s recent makeover! It looks incredible… so much so that it *almost* makes me want to find a reason to re-enroll and come back to school in MHK. (Never mind the fact that I have two Tiny Humans and a Husband overseas and the army/Jesus says we are to live in Texas for the time being.)

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Nostalgia, Party of Two: Flat Daddy is extremely smart and has a very solid life philosophy… it’s NEVER too cold for Call Hall Ice Cream. And yes, I got a dish of Purple Pride.

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Nostalgia, Birthday Party of Two: Before heading to supper, we had to stop by the place where it all started… Tubby’s in Aggieville. I just couldn’t resist the mad skills of non-flat-hubs Cha-Cha slide moves on the dance floor.

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Nostalgia, Birthday Party of Eight: The best part of the day was celebrating with the good people God has placed in my life. Delicious Kansas beef at Little Apple Brewery fed our bellies, and time together as friends filled our souls.

Nostalgia, Birthday Party of One: Flat Daddy convinced us to be total rebel rousers and we didn’t make it back to the hotel till 10pm! ? We rounded out the night with one final birthday treat: Carrot cake and wine in a can, because we are classy like that. PS: They’ve done wine in a bottle, bag, box and now a can… what a time to be alive! PSS: Canned wine is not delicious. I think it’s supposed to be in a bottle for a reason…

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Nostalgia, Birthday Party of One: All of today’s birthday adventures seem to have worn Flat Daddy out! But I have to hand it to him… he’s a great sport. Even as he drifts off to sleep after a full day of celebrating, eating and walking miles down Memory Lane, he still has that same smile on his face. ?

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Well, we found Flat Daddy’s kryptonite: Allllll the deliciousness from Varsity Donuts. I sure hope he saves some for the Tiny Humans back home!

Good morning, Flat Daddy! I mustache you a question: how was your hotel coffee?

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Flat Daddy insisted we stop by “The Bill” to celebrate yesterday’s Wildcat Victory. It was good for a WILDCAT TOUCHDOWN!!!

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I wasn’t in too much of a hurry to wrap up our Manhappiness adventures and moooove on down to SEK. Flat Daddy told me to stop “horsing” around and “hamming” it up. But I really wanted to continue “cownting” memories with a visit to the Animal Science farm units.

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Giving thanks on MANHattan Hill for my MAN who selflessly serves our country… also thankful for a great photographer sister Kathleen and Flat Daddy to keep me company in my Beloved’s absence.

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Pre-departure post-birthday lunch was sushi and hibachi. Flat Daddy was super proud of me as I exercised great restraint, resisting the temptation to “adopt” the two “baby” soldiers that we were seated beside. I do, however, think I scared them with my barrage of motherly questioning: “How long have you been in? Where are you originally from? What’s your MOS? Officer or enlisted? TELL ME ALL THE THINGS!”

This weekend wasn’t just fun, it was also productive. Before we left town, Flat Daddy reminded us to stop at one of our favorite grocery stores to purchase (wait for it…) “Aldi” supplies for our Thanksgiving dinner. ? #SundayPunDay

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Last stop before leaving THE greatest town in the Midwest: Pillsbury Crossing. Needless to say, this birthday weekend away as sisters (with Flat Daddy) really made us “jump” for joy. We hope you got a “kick” out of it too!! ❤️??✌?

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Filed Under: Deployment Log Tagged With: army wife, deployment, faith

My Fitness Journey: From Defeated & Discouraged to Hopeful & Healthy

November 15, 2018 by Sharita

Well, my friends. Tomorrow is my birthday. And I turn 33. #YayYikes

I don’t mind birthdays. And I don’t think there is really anything extra significant about turning 33.

Except this year, God has been on the move. A lot.

Actually, He has been at work hardcore for the last 11 years. Actually, most of my life.

But I digress.

This year was a year of freedom. Of breakthrough. And so I want to share my story and celebrate it. (This is probably going to be a long-ish post. So get comfortable). #YouveBeenWarned

I do not write this post as “WOW, look at me! I’ve arrived!” Because I haven’t. Not hardly. I absolutely celebrate the victories large and small that I have conquered through the years, but even more so, I rejoice that God was behind every mile ran, every pound/inch lost, every reset moment, every positive food choice.

I also do not compose this blog as a weight-loss how to. This is about my spiritual journey more than anything. Yes, I know (in my head) that God loves me no matter my pant size or that pesky number on my scale. (He loves you too, BTW). I know (in my head) that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, I am beautiful, etc. This is my journey of getting my heart to really believe those truths and LIVE them out. To live as a Jesus girl capable of victory in this area of my life. To be able to go to the doctor’s office and not be completely terrified of what the scale is going to say. To turn to God instead of the fridge when things in life get stressful.

I’m still learning more and more about WHO I am and WHOSE I am. I have Jesus-gut feeling that this will probably be a lifetime process.

And so, here’s my fitness story and how God has transformed me from feeling defeated and discouraged to hopeful and healthy. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: fitness Tagged With: fitness, freedom, health, victory

The Holy Spirit’s Gift to Us: Enlighten, Encourage, Engage (Part 2)

November 14, 2018 by Sharita

***

After we have been enlightened about what gifts the Holy Spirit has so generously bestowed upon us, we must encourage them to grow.

Matthew 25:14-28 shares the Parable of the Talents. Do you remember what the first two servants do with their talents? That’s right! They invested them and doubled it for the master. Remember the response from the master to those servants?

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’’ ~Matthew 25:21

But what did that third servant do? Yep, he buried his talent. He stored it away because he was afraid. Remember the response of the master to that servant? [Read more…]

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Filed Under: serving Tagged With: series, sermon, spiritual gifts

Deployment Log: How We #America (Week #5)

November 12, 2018 by Sharita

Image may contain: 6 people, including Sharita Knobloch and Heath Tieben, people smiling, people sitting, table and indoor

Flat Daddy is a pretty great navigator! We departed West Texas yesterday and knocked out 610 miles (in one day! By myself with two Tiny Humans and a dog). We stayed the night in Dodge City so we got to have breakfast with my dear friend Heath and his lovely wife Sheri. We also ate at IHOP to celebrate the one-month of deployment down mark. Right as we were getting ready to depart for the final 5 hour stretch of driving to my parents, it started to snow. I’m pretty sure I heard Flat Daddy urgently whisper say, “We gotta go! Let’s get the heck outta Dodge!” PS: We have safely arrived in SE KS! PSS: All my Kansas peeps, hit me up if you want to hang out (and meet Flat Daddy).

Image may contain: 4 people, including Sharita Knobloch, people smiling, people sitting, child, closeup and indoor

Flat Daddy and I had quite a Flashback Friday… we got to eat Thanksgiving Dinner with Charis in the cafeteria. It was absolutely carb-a-licious. (And people were quite curious about the uniformed floating head on a stick I pulled out of my purse…)

Deployment Diary, Day 30: Brought to you by the one-month-down mark!

1. Hooray! One month done. Eight (ish) more to go. And it’s weird– it really flew by. #NotComplaining #AskMeAgainAtMonth5

2. The kids are, well… kids. Some days rock, other days they completely lose their minds over super trivial things, like wearing socks or the intro song to a Netflix show being over.

3. Malick’s fave show right now is “Tayo the Little Bus…” And I identify WAY too much with the show. The other day, he was watching an episode about the little bus wanting to be a “grown up.” Tayo gets his wish then soon realizes that being an adult isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. My favorite line from that episode: “Being a grown up is so hard. I was so busy today and there is STILL more work to be done! I just want to go to sleep.” #SolidaryBus

4. Communication with my Beloved is still kind of meh, but we are sending pre-recorded videos back and forth– which is awesome and makes my heart sing!

5. Thank you, thank you to everyone who continues(!?!) to send items for our blessing box! I wish I could send you all thank you notes, but I have only written my husband two cards/letters (our first deployment together pre-kids I was cranking out a multi-page typed letter at least 1X per week… Sometimes more) if that gives you any idea of the “spare time” I currently have.

6. God is doing some SERIOUSLY awesome work in my fitness heart… Revving the Word (Revelation Wellness) Podcast. Check it out. And prepare for it to rock your world. I wasn’t really even a podcast listener before discovering it! Other than Army Wife Talk Radio. Monday nights. 8pm EST. #ShamelessPlug

7. Everyone is all “Hey, what do you want for your birthday?” And I’m all like, “I want to sleep till I wake up. And a lower back massage, because hauling around my chuck roast with legs (Malick) wears me out.”

8. I am trying to care less about my statistics class (good theory, not working). It’s a hot mess express, folks. The other person in the group who I thought was like legit/hardcore for doing the best we can said via email the other day that “it was ok if we submit late– we will just lose some points” or we could “skip” the required web conference since it’s “only” 25 points…

9. You should be proud of me. I did not respond in YELLING CAPS LOCK TYPE with “NO WAY AM I GIVING UP EASY POINTS. I AM GOING TO SAVE MISSED POINTS FOR NOT UNDERSTANDING THIS STATISTICS HOOPLA.”

10. Kids and I are prepping for our trip back to Kansas. God beckoned me to change my trip dates a bit (extend them) so I can be sure to see as many people as possible and not be rushed. Plus, it’s important that the juice is worth the squeeze if I’m making a 28 hour round trip with two tiny humans and a dog by myself. GAH. #ItsFINE

11. Prayer requests: Traveling mercies, safety, to feel God’s presence, rest and joy with mi familia, and for me to be fully caffeinated and abundantly patient. #MyNewSlogan

11. Parting thought for tonight:
“For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.“ Psalm 32:7-8

Image may contain: 4 people, including Sharita Knobloch, people smiling, child and indoor

This picture about sums up our deployment life: Always some level of chaos, me smiling because it’s either that or start getting twitchy battling the temptation to devour the large, fancy cupcake in a single emotional gulp, one sibling thoroughly enjoying pestering the other, the other sibling thoroughly annoyed by the pesterer, Flat Daddy the only one focusing on the camera as we celebrate my birthday (early) with an improvised candle of a chem lite since I’m the first one with a birthday post-PCS and we haven’t purchased any candles as moving companies won’t ship wax because rumor has it Texas is hot. PS: I know that was a very long run-on sentence. Because really, isn’t that what a deployment is? PSS: Thank you to my dear friend Melania for surprising me with the early birthday celebration before our departure to Kansas.

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Filed Under: Deployment Log Tagged With: army wife, deployment, faith

The Holy Spirit’s Gift to Us: Enlighten, Encourage, Engage (Part 1)

November 9, 2018 by Sharita

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Happy November! Halloween is gone, and Thanksgiving is fast approaching which means it’s practically Christmas, right? Anyone else listening to Christmas music yet? The bible says not to judge so it’s fine…

Speaking of Christmas… (or birthdays, anniversaries, other special occasions) Have you ever received a gift that is just awkward? Perhaps it was given with good intention but you open it and you are like…Oh yay. An orange wool sweater with fuzzy pom pom things all over them. Thanks, Aunt Trudy.

You whisper the silent prayer that God will grant you the one desire that the gift receipt is included.

That’s happened to me on more than one occasion. I try to be a gracious recipient. But… [Read more…]

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Filed Under: serving Tagged With: series, sermon, spiritual gifts

AWN: Forward, March! Growing up is hard to do

November 7, 2018 by Sharita

Welcome to this month’s installment of our “Forward, March!” blog series. “Forward, March!” is meant to empower, encourage, and equip us as military spouses, so that we may support our service members with ever-deepening levels of strength and perseverance. Our hope is that the topics discussed in “Forward, March!” will be not only informative, but also challenging (in a good way, of course) to ensure that our “talk” as military spouses manifests through our “walk” as military spouses. Now, let’s fall in and get to it!

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Growing up is hard to do.

I’m not just talking about the awkward seasons of puberty (UGH!) or those painful moments of high school. It’s not all about those puff paint shirts or the bird-nest bangs in every school picture.

Growing up as a military spouse is no easy task.

Maybe that’s why they call it growing pains instead of growing parties?

One of my close friends is a newlywed to her beloved soldier. Both of our husbands are in the same company, so they are deployed together. They’ve been married one year. My Beloved Infantryman and I just celebrated eight years married, almost 10 years together.

And I have to tell you what, my friends: I do not miss the newlywed stage.

Now, if you are a newlywed reading this, hear me out. It WAS a very exciting time in my life, head-over-heels absolutely cuh-razy for my man in uniform. But gosh, I sure felt stressed out.

Want to read the rest of my growing party– I mean, growing pains? Swing by Army Wife Network.

So, dear readers, leave a comment with your answers to the following: What are you doing this month to intentionally grow? Is there something you need to do? Or something perhaps you are being called to let go or give up? Think about what continuing to “grow up” looks like to you as we march forward.

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Filed Under: Army Wife Network Tagged With: forward march, military wife, personal growth