Deployment To Do List

1. Get fit!  Hubs and I have a made a bet to see who will be the most fit after 9 months.  We have taken before photos and will compare at the end.  The winner get to make the first "post deployment large-ish purchase."  For me, that will be an iPhone or an iPad, for Hubs it will most definitely be a new gun.

2.  Repair our scrapbook album and add pages from the past year

3.  Sew curtains for various rooms in the house

4.  Reorganize the pantry and baking cabinet

5.  Have my favorite Georgia Peach come visit me...you know who you are Begins tonight!

6.  Attend the amazing wedding of two wonderful people in December

7.  Save lots of $$

8.  Reread the Harry Potter books

9.  Try one new recipe a week

10.  Improve my sewing skills

11.  Decorate the master bedroom...it's the most boring room in the house

12.  Visit the in laws in Florida

13.  Convince my favorite Michigan girlfriends to come and visit me

14.  See Les Miserables in Chicago over Thanksgiving weekend

15.  See Beauty & the Beast at McCain in December

16.  See Drumline at McCain in February

17.  See the Lion King in Witchita  Completed September 16

18.  Teach Othello to sleep on the bed Started September 17 (3 successful nights so far!)

19.  Secure a full time teaching job at FRMS for next school year

20.  Practice the piano at least 4 times a week

22.  Actually do some of my DIY projects I've pinned on Pinterest...let's say 2 projects per month

23.  Take photography lessons and dazzle Hubs with my newly acquired skills and knowledge

24.  Plan a vacation for when Hubs returns

25.  Go shopping with the writer of Something Clever, Cute and Classy

26.  Hang out with my Fort Riley battle buddies every opportunity I get    Started September 15

27.  Go home for Thanksgiving & Christmas

28.  Try to attend my sister's piano recital

29.  Make my mom/parents visit as many times as possible over the next 265 days.

Effects

At age 12, I had no real worries.  My biggest concern was whether my braces would be off in time for school pictures.  On September 11, 2001 at 7:45 am central time I was visiting Dr. R's orthodontist office, sitting in the red chair, waiting for one of his helpers to tighten my braces.  The lady came over and asked if I had heard about the plane crashing into one of the Twin Towers.  I didn't even know what the Twin Towers were.  After the appointment, my mom drove me back to LCS where I encountered many students and teachers who were talking about these Twin Towers that I had never heard of.  After much talk at school, I was finally able to come home and ask my parents about what was happening.  That evening I watched as former President Bush addressed the nation and declared a war on terror.  

At age 12, I had no idea how the events of 9/11 would affect my life.  I didn't know anyone in New York.  I didn't know anyone in the army.  I didn't fly very often.  I was sad that so many people were hurt or lost their lives, but that was it.  I didn't see how the events affected me.  

Now I do.  

I am 23 and it has been 11 years since the War on Terror began.  I am now 3 days away from saying goodbye to man I love so he can go fight the terrorists.  How would 9/11 affect my life?  How naive I once was...

Peace

The countdown has finally made its way into the single digits.  Hubs will be leaving sometime in the middle of the night on Friday.  Since we've been back from Michigan, the time has flown by.  I can't believe we have to be ready to say "see you soon" on Friday.  I don't have much to say about it other than they whole thing is kinda sucky.  I wish I could fast forward this next month.  I don't want to deal with the emotional turmoil of saying "goodbye."  I also don't want to deal with getting used to Hubs not being around.  I want to skip ahead a month.  In a month, I will have already said "goodbye" and I will have (hopefully) gotten used to not having Hubs around.  Someone press FFW on my life please.

That being said, I am surprised by how calm I have felt these past few days.  I know that I have tons of family, friends, and neighbors praying for Hubs and me during this time.  Believe me, those prayers are working.  God has been on our side this whole time.  I know that he is going to continue taking care of us.  Between finding a teaching job and making friends with our new next-door neighbors, I feel as though God has really set me up perfectly for coping with deployment.  I have many things to look forward to over the next 9 months.  (I post on my deployment coping strategies later).  Right now I want to thank each of you for lifting up our family in prayer.  I know that God is taking care of me and I am trusting that He will be with Hubs every moment of deployment.  It's so hard to let go and trust, but I am trying.

Please continue to pray for us as we prepare for this week.  Pray that Hubs and I will continue to experience peace as we prepare for deployment.  Pray that Hubs remains safe and that I will stay busy.  Most of all pray that God uses this time to help us grow.  (And that the time goes by super fast :) )

love
K

Countdowns

As I get closer to school starting, I've been thinking a lot about countdowns. Have you ever noticed that life is full of different kinds of countdows?  There are many wonderful countdowns--countdown to springbreak, graduation, weddding, baby due date.  There also some not-so-fun countdowns.  Sometimes doctors give people bad news and say you have x amount of time to live.  Sometimes you have countdowns to a scary exam or oral presentation in school.  My not-so-exciting countdown is to Hubs' deployment.  Hubs will be leaving in September to deploy to Afghanistan.  Right now we're about 4ish week out and I  never want September to arrive.  Even though I don't want the days to pass, they keep passing by, and I know that every day I get closer to the day he has to leave.  It's a strange countdown--it's one where I never want to reach "Day 0".  Luckily, once I reach "Day 0", I get to start counting down the days til Hubs returns home.  That is a countdown I can live with.

Fill Me Up

*Sigh*

It's been a difficult few months.  Between the stress of moving/getting settled in Kansas and Jon being away at NTC/preparing for deployment, I was starting to feel a bit drained.  Kansas started losing its initial "sparkle" and I began feeling more and more "Michigan Sick". (MS is like homesickness, but it's where you miss Michigan so much, you begin to tear up every time you see a Pure Michigan commercial.)

Just when I thought I couldn't take one more day of Kansas, we were able to go on leave from the army for about 10 days.  We first drove back to Chicago to see my family for a day and then made our way up to Michigan so Hubs could see his friends and family before he deploys.

This trip has already been extremely uplifting.  Spending time with friends and family has refreshed my tired soul.  I was able to spend some quality time with friends and realized that I am not alone in what I've been feeling lately.  I learned that a lot of people my age struggle with the transitions of moving and making new friends--even if they didn't have to move all the way to Kansas.  I also realized that I probably need to make a better effort in keeping up with those friends.

When I went to staff worship at SpringHill yesterday, I felt like God was trying to tell me to really trust in His plan.  I am realizing that there is a reason He sent us to Kansas.  There's even a reason why Hubs has to deploy in September.  God has a perfect plan and I need to trust that He knows what He's doing...easier said than done.  Lately I've been holding on so tight to things that I really have no control over.  I need to just hand them over to God and say, "Ok.  Here you go.  I trust you."

So even though it's going to be really hard, I am going to give this year to God.  I have to have faith that He will take care of both Hubs and me.  

One year

This post is also late.

One year ago, on July 2, 2011, I married the love of my life.

Now a year later I can say we've lived in four different states (MI, IL, MO, and KS, for those that are keeping track).  I can also say we've had our ups and downs.  The Army has taught us a lot about patience and compassion.  We've learned how to fight effectively.  We've learned how to be flexible and understanding.  We've learned that time is precious and we need to make the most of the time we have together.  We're no experts on marriage, that's for sure.  I do feel however, that we might be learning some lessons faster than most people do.  I mean seriously, can anyone else say they've lived in 4 different states in their first year of marriage??  Talk about testing your relationship...I'm still surprised we didn't kill each other after that last move.  But isn't that what marriage and love is all about?  We promised to stick by each other through the good times and the bad.  We said we'd put the each other's needs before our own.  We promised to love each other forever.  Even though we've faced a lot of challenges this year, I am so thankful to have Hubs on my team.  He's amazing.

Summary of June

Wow...I don't even want to look at the date of my previous post.  It's been so long since I've written an update.  For that, I apologize.

June in a nutshell:
1- Hubs left for NTC...saying goodbye sucked
2- Worked at the Buckle
3- Mom and Sister came to visit and it was wonderful
4- Started rewatching How I Met Your Mother on Netflix again
5- Missed Hubs a lot....a lot a lot a lot
6- Worked at the Buckle some more
7- Missed Hubs some more
8- Realized I needed a teaching job in order to keep me sane during Hubs' deployment
9- Hubs came home on the 28th!!!
10- Secured a teaching job at Fort Riley Middle School for next fall!!

Prime Your Eyes

I don't know about you, but I've been pretty frustrated with my eye shadow these days.  I feel like I put it on in the morning and it gradually comes off during my day to day activies.  I decided I needed to try Mary Kay's eye primer.  I've used it a few times and I am in love with this product.  Not only does it increase the staying power of your eye shadow, but it also creates a nice surface on your eyelid so your eye shadow doesn't smudge or crease.  I highly recommend trying this product.  If you don't like it, MK always has a 100% satisfaction guarantee!!

Until next time,
Kait

Brazil Butt Lift

It's Friday!  Let's talk Fitness. 

I am sure most of you have heard of Beachbody's Insanity or P90X.  Butt (ha!) have you heard of Leondro's Brazil Butt Lift?  Let me tell you, it's amazing.  I first learned about this system when I was living at FLW, attending Body Blast 3x a week.  The instructor, one of my dear friends, began introducing some of Leondro's signature moves during her class.  I never believed in spot reduction before I started this program.  But now I can honestly say that my booty is stronger and firmer because of Leondro's specialized booty program.  The key is his TRIANGLE training method, which works the three major muscle groups from different directions.  After I left FLW, I began this program on my own.  I love the different workouts and appreciate how sore my "bum bum" feels after the "High & Tight" DVD.  I highly recommend this system, especially if you want to lift that booty!    

Guest Bed & Bath

Let's continue the home tour:

This is the guest bedroom aka Othello's room.  This is where
Othello keeps watch over his kingdom--our neighborhood.
The bedspread is from my college days.  It was originally from
IKEA.  I made the pillows myself.  The trunk is one of my
favorite pieces of furniture.  It was from Hubs' step dad.  I still haven't
hung the curtains in this room.  I promise it will be done by the time my
Mom and sister visit!

Another picture of the trunk.  The "I heart Michigan"
picture is from The Wheatfield, an etsy shop.  The prints next to the
window are from NaptimeDiaries, another etsy shop.

This is our lovely guest bathroom.  2 days ago, we found out the shower is broken.
Hubs tried to give Othello a shower and the water sprayed up toward the ceiling
rather than down like most showers.   The curtains and towels are from Kohls (Thanks Mom!)

Reality Check

Hubs leaves early early tomorrow morning.  I have to drop him off.  I will probably cry.  I'm going to take our ever-dependable-always-happy puppy with me.  All I have to do is look at him and he makes me smile.  This month is not going to be fun and it's only a month!!  If I'm this bummed out about Hubs leaving for NTC, I can't even imagine all the emotions I will be experiencing over the next couple months as we prepare for his deployment.  

I'm trying to focus on the other things I have going on this weekend.  I have a Mary Kay marketing event on Sunday, I have to work at the Buckle on Saturday, and I have plans with friends on Friday.  I am hoping that I will keep myself busy enough that I won't feel the void of Hubs being away.  I thought I was facing the deployment head on.  Turns out, I'm just really good at distracting myself and not thinking about the reality of the situation.  

I recently started reading Nicole's Blog.  She is a gifted writer and beautiful Christian woman.  I've found comfort in the words she shares about the challenges of deployment.  Her blog has been both a source of information as well as encouragement as Hubs and I head into this crazy year.  Stop by her blog sometime.  You won't regret it.  

Love,

Kait     

NTC prep

I've officially worked my first week at the Buckle.  I love this job!  I've met lots of wonderful employees and have helped some pretty cool customers too.  I think this job will be this perfect thing to give me a routine and keep me busy while Hubs is away at the NTC.  Speaking of the National Training Center, Hubs leaves this week.  While he is away, he and the rest of his battalion will be simulating what it's like to be deployed.  They will receive lots of excellent training that will make them all the more ready and capable for when they leave for deployment.  They will be gone for about a month and they will not be able to communicate with their families during this time.  It will be hard not being able to talk to Hubs every day, but we've done this before.  I'm sure we will be able to do it again.  In the meantime, I plan on keeping myself busy training for my first 5k (see this post), working at the Buckle, building my Mary Kay business, hanging out with my new friends, reading some good books, and crafting my life away.  As long as I stay busy, I am sure the month will go by quickly!

Please keep Hubs and the rest of the 1st Engineers in your thoughts and prayers as they prepare for NTC and deployment.

Love,
Kait    

P.S.  I'm trying to come up with some cute/thoughtful ideas as a going away gift to give Jon before he leaves.  Any ideas?

Sunkissed

It's MK Monday again!  


With summer upon us, now is a great time to take a look at Mary Kay's amazing sun care line.  The sunscreen, offered in SPF 30, is a must-have product!  It's not your typical greasy, yucky sunscreen.  (I hate sunscreen.)  It feels like silk and doesn't have the normal "sunscreeny" smell. The After Sun Replenishing Gel makes your skin feel super soft. Put it on your legs right after you shave - you won't believe how soft your skin feels!  It's perfect for those days you forget to reapply your sunscreen and need some relief from the burn. My personal favorite is the Sunless Tanning Lotion. I get a beautiful, golden tan when I use it on my legs and it's safe to use on your face too!  You can glow all year long!

The Mary Kay Limited Edition Sun Care Collection

 

Order all 4 and receive $5 off, FREE shipping, and a FREE gift with purchase
Enter event code BLOG528 when you place your order at
www.marykay.com/kaitlin.chew

Art of Nature

Welcome to the first MK monday!  This is where I will share MK stories, thoughts, products, and inspiration from my business.

Since I started my business, I've made it my mission to slowly try all the Mary Kay products.  I am far from finished, but I love being able to share my thoughts about different products with my customers.  It's much better to say, "Well, I've tried this and I think this," rather than "Well, I've heard that this product is supposed to do this."

My favorite new products are from the Art of Nature collection.  These are from the limited edition spring line.  I love love love the new liquid eye shadow and dual lip glaze.  These are eyeshadows that work well together and can also be layered with our mineral eye color.  The lip glaze is perfect for the ultra glossy lip many of us crave.

I love layering these shadows.  I use pearl to cover the lid to brow bone,
then I use rainforest over the lid.  Finally, I highlight the inside corner
of my eye with Moonstone mineral eye shadow and I use either Emerald,
Sweet Plum, or Granite, to accent to outside corner of my eye.   

Here's a picture of the entire collection.
I absolutely love the bright colors! 

This beauty is wearing the Rich Rainforest look.
Click the link to see how you can achieve this for yourself!!

Feel free to check out my website at www.marykay.com/kaitlin.chew

I ship for FREE!  I also include a gift with a purchase of $40.  I hope you enjoyed the first MK Monday!

Love,

Kait

ColormeCHEW

Welcome to my first Fitness Friday post!  Today I just wanted to share some exciting news.  I will be running in the Kansas City Color Run on July 1st!  I'm not a huge runner, but I determined to make myself one.  I figured the Color Run will be a great way for me to get excited about running.  I've never run a 5k before, so I figured I should do a little training.  I can safely say 2 miles isn't a problem.  I'm a little nervous about that last mile.  Like I said, I am not a runner.  I think with adequate training, and the adrenaline that will surely be present the day of the race, I will be able to finish.

I know the Color Run is coming to many cities across the U.S.  You should definitely consider walking or running.  It's a for a great cause and it going to be a ton of fun.  And if anyone wants to join me in Kansas City, sign up to run on team ColormeCHEW.

Happy Running!!

Let's BUCKLE down

I have another job aside from MK.  I work at the Buckle.  Technically I haven't started yet, but I am already allowed to take advantage of my super awesome employee discount...40%!  Winning!  I officially start training on Tuesday.  I will be working 3 days per week about 20 hours total.  Once Hubs leaves for deployment, I will probably stack on the hours.  I will need to keep busy and the extra money is definitely needed.

Why do I need the extra money you ask?

Because...I am a proud owner of a beautiful, sparkling white Ford Escape.  I guess you could say some good came of the hit and run :)

love,
Kait

Pre-deployment Brief

I think today was the first time it hit me (and I mean hit me) that Hubs is deploying in September.  I don't think I've been in denial this whole time, but I know I've definitely been putting those thoughts out of my mind as much as possible.  I gloss over dates, times, and plans, saying things like "Well, Hubs will be deployed then, so...blah blah blah" or "When Hubs deploys, I will do a, b, and c."  Today I realized how sad I am going to be when he leaves first for the National Training Center and then for deployment.

I had my first pre-deployment brief today.  At the brief, the Lt Colonel and other important people shared lots of relevant, important information.  But to be honest, it was really difficult listening to them tell us about casualty and serious injury protocol for NTC and deployment.  Again, I know those things are a definitely possibility, but I have been choosing not to think about them for the past few months.  I found myself picturing different worst case scenarious.  I began to feel my throat tighten and I tried to stop thinking about what the men were saying.

 I have faith that Hubs will be ok, but that doesn't make deployment any easier.  He leaves for the NTC in two weeks.  Half of me wishes he were leaving tomorrow so that way we can get this thing over with.  I hate the anticipation of good byes or see you soons.   The anticipation is just as bad as the good bye in my opinion.

Hit & Run

Last night I had my first coffee group meeting with the wives of the 1st Engineer Battalion.  It was great!  I met lots of nice people and got excited about getting involved with the group.  Sadly, my enjoyable evening quickly took a turn for the worst when I walked out to my car.  As I approached I noticed something on the ground near my driver's side wheel.  I thought to myself, "Oh gosh, I hope I was allowed to park where I'm parked.  I hope they didn't lock my wheel up!"  When I reached my car, I saw that the "thing" on the ground was my mirror and my whole car had been side swiped.  I immediately went to my windshield hoping that whoever did this had left their information.  However, I wasn't all that surprised when I only found the information to contact the police department instead.  Frustrated and flustered, I called the police, filed a claim with USAA, and tried to maintain my composure.  

I am so thankful that I wasn't in the car when the person drove past my car.  I know it could have been a lot worse.  But right now I am angry.  I am angry because this person will probably get away with their crime.  I am angry because we have minimal coverage on my car (because it's older) therefore we won't be receiving any money for the repair costs.  I am angry because the damages will cost more to fix than the car is worth and we can't really afford to replace my car.   I am angry because I've only been living in Kansas for 3 weeks and something like this has already happened.  

I can't understand how things like this happen.  The person sideswiped me in broad daylight and ran away.  What a jerk...

I'm gonna keep praying the police find the person. 

love,

-k

The car was obviously quite a bit bigger than my car.  There's damage to the back bumper
all the way along the back quarter pannel.  There's a few dents, including one on the driver's
side door. That particular dent causes my car to make a nasty crunching sound when I open
and close the door.  

I found my mirror!  This makes changing lanes on the highway quite a bit of a challenge.  

You can't see it here, but there's even some damage to my wheel and hub cap.
 I really think the person drove through my car.  You gotta love Aggieville (college town) and K-State students celebrating the end of another semester!  It's sad, but many of the nearby restaurant owners said things like this happen all the time in Aggieville.

What's in a Name?

Lately I've been wondering if I should change the name of my blog.  On the one hand I feel that "Journeys" is quite fitting.  It encapsulates my life as one big journey, which it is.  As an army wife, I am constantly on a journey.  I'm constantly being stretched out of my comfort zone.  We always seem to be on the move, getting ready for the next big change or transition.  Those are the reasons why I think "Journeys" is a fitting name for my blog.

I really only have one thing against my blog's name.  I think it's it's boring.  I want something fun and clever.  I want a name that people read and say, "Wow.  That name is the pefect combination of fun and clever."  My friend Kate has a blog.  Its title is "Something Clever, Cute and Classy."  That's a perfect name.

I don't know, maybe my boredom will pass.  Or maybe I will name my blog "The Chew."  I mean there's already a TV show named after me, why shouldn't I name my blog after me as well? ;-)


-k

The Magical Mary Kay Office

Welcome to our home!  The first room I will show you is my office.  This is where the Mary Kay magic happens!

This is my office.  My beautiful desk was built by Hubs
and my step father in law.  

Prints from Naptime Diaries 

Mary Kay inventory

Getting artsy with some products

Check out the Ultimate Mascara and our Nourishine Lip Gloss

This is from our limited edition spring collection.
I love the bright colors!!

More to come!  Next up is the guest bedroom and bathroom.


Love,
Kait

Honest Home

Now that I've moved in and moved out of my house in Missouri, I thought it was about time I shared pictures.  This was our first semi-permanent home.  We lived on Honest Lane.

Living Room

Another view of our living room

My majestic green chair...I love this thing.
From Darvin Furniture Outlet
Orland, IL

Beautiful art from Hubs...he bought them in France!

Lovely Tiffany Lamp from the in-laws

Our "Chew Shrine"

Mini hallway into Master bedroom

Looking into 2nd bedroom.
(Not pictured: 2nd bath, laundry room)

Bedding from Macy's (Martha Stewart Collection)

Closet and door to master bath

Prints from thewheatfield and Naptime Diaries

I love this high top table from Darvin's Furniture outlet in Orland, IL
(Not pictured: Kitchen to the right and front entry way)

We really enjoyed this house and have lots of fond memories there.  Stay tuned for the tour of our bigger and better home on Brooke Bend in Kansas!

love,

Kaitlin

There's No Place Like Home? Part 1

I am officially Kait from Kansas.  On April 14, Hubs and I and my amazing parents packed up my car, his car, my parents' envoy and a 26' Penske truck and made our journey to Kansas.  The drive wasn't very long, but it was full of loud thunderstorms, large hills, and windey roads.  It didn't help that we were traveling at 11 o'clock at night.  Needless to say, it was less than ideal driving conditions for my mother.  I'm pretty sure she was singing "Jesus take the wheel" the whole 7 hour drive.

We rolled into Kansas around 1 in the morning.  Hubs and I decided to drive passed our new home so we knew where we were supposed to be going in the morning.  When we got to our street, our hearts sank.  Our house wasn't anything like we had expected.  We thought it was a duplex and it was a quadraplex.  We thought we were going to have a yard and we had a rectangle of grass the size of our mattress and we had to share that with one of our neighbors.  The place looked like an ant hill.  Hubs and I both felt sick to our stomachs because we knew we weren't going to be happy in a place as small and crowded as that one.  So the next morning Hubs got up and explained to the land lady our situation.  Unfortunately, she didn't have any properties that would suit our needs.  We were officially homeless.  So we began our house hunt.  We saw 13 properties on Saturday, 1 on Sunday, and 1 on Monday.  We quickly learned that if we wanted to live in a decent (non sketchy) home, we were going to have to raise our budget for monthly rent.

Saturday night was an adventure in it of itself.  Kansas decided to welcome us with a fleet of tornadoes passing through the plains.  I kept imagining our truck with all of our belongings being sucked up by a tornado.  Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows that tornadoes have been one of my biggest fears since I was a little girl. I find it kind of ironic that Army decided to send me to a place where I have to face my biggest fear on a regular basis.  Maybe God is trying to teach me not to be scared of tornadoes.

On Monday, Hubs and I were finally able to sign a lease.  On Tuesday we moved out of our hotel and into our new home!  We were so thankful to finally get into our house.  The change of housing cost us a lot of extra money and we needed to get out of the truck and hotel as soon as we could.  Thankfully, my loving parents decided to stay until we were able to move into our house.  They were able to help us unload the truck and unpack boxes before they left for home.  I don't know what we would have done without their help.  I don't think this move would have been possible to do ourselves without the help of my parents.  So Mom and Dad, THANK YOU!!!!  You guys are amazing!!!  We love you!

Stay tuned!  More to come!


Kait

More on Mary Kay

As I announced yesterday, I am officially an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay.  This month has been a whirlwind of surprises and successes.  I hosted my debut party at my house near Fort Leonard Wood, MO.  I had ten people there!  That may not sound like many, but try getting ten women, who all know and love each other, to pay attention to you.  It can be a challenge.  Luckily, I have a background in education.  Since then, I've had about 10 parties.  It's hard to believe that I'm already experiencing success in this business.

I am sure some of you are wondering why I decided to start my journey with Mary Kay.  It all started when one of my friends (an Independent Beauty Consultant) invited me over to her house for muffins and makeovers.  I tried the products and LOVED them and I spent a lot of time talking to my friend about Mary Kay and why she started.  I didn't even realize I was interested in the job until I began talking to her.    A few days later, I spoke with my friend and her director on the phone for about an hour discussing the Mary Kay opportunity.  When I finally hung up the phone, I felt like this would be something that could be really good for Hubs and me.  I could supplement our income and still be home to do my wifey duties that I've come to love.  I can be a good army wife and take my career with me wherever I go.  When I move to Kansas, I can be an Independent Beauty Consultant.  If I move to Michigan, I can be an IBC.  If I move to Hawaii, I can still be an IBC.  It's that portable!!  All you army wives out there know that portability and flexibility is key in the army.  An army wife's career probably can't survive without portability and flexibility.  

Another reason why I decided to join this company was because of its philosophy.  Mary Kay Ash founded her company on the principle of the Golden Rule and giving back to others.  As an IBC, I can not only help women feel beautiful and good about themselves.  I can also introduce them to the Mary Kay opportunity.  I can help them achieve things they did not believe were possible.  I can help them achieve financial security and I can help them experience personal fulfillment. Finally, I can show them a company that believes God needs to be first, family second, and career third.  What more could you want from a job?  

See what MK has to say about what's behind the lipstick:

Watch "When is a lipstick more than a lipstick?"

Love,

Kait

I heart my Mary Kay

So much has changed since the last time I published a post on my blog.

I am officially FINISHED with my online classes.  That means I am officially FINISHED with college.  It's about time, I know.

Two weeks from today, Hubs and I will be moving to Fort Riley, Kansas.  This will be our "permanent" duty station for the next 2-3 years.  I'm excited.  I promise.

On March 4, 2012, I made my debut as an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay.  I know, I rolled my eyes at myself when I started considering this in February.  However, I cannot believe how much fun I'm having, not to mention I'm actually earning money!  It's great!

Mary Kay is an amazing company.  I am so thankful that I get to be a part of such a company.  Not only is it founded on the principle of the Golden Rule, Mary Kay Ash also believed that our lives needed balance.  She believed that God needs to be first, family needs to be second, and work needs to be third.  I love that I work for a company that encourages me to keep my priorities in order.  For the next few days, I am going to be sharing my experiences at my first parties and the conference I attended this weekend.  I hope to share the reasons why I joined the company, my fears, my accomplishments and my goals.

I'd also like you to check out these videos:

Wish me luck!!

Kait

Friend

Post Starbucks life has been wonderful.  I have a unique situation here at Fort Leonard Wood and want to take advantage of it before we move in April.  I have found an amazing friend that I can't imagine moving away from.  We became fast friends because we have so much in common.  We both enjoy working out a couple times a day.  We love to shop.  We love to cook and we love to be healthy.  She's my partner in crime when it comes to life at Fort Leonard Wood.  I am so blessed to have her.

I wish this friend was coming with me to Fort Riley.  It would be easier if we were able to experience the move and our husbands' first deployment together.  However, we are heading in seperate directions, to different continents.  I keep hoping and praying that something changes and she and her husband are reassigned to Fort Riley.  However, I know that's unrealistic.  God will provide a friend for me.  I know there's a reason that she and I will not be together.  I know there's a reason God wants us in Kansas and her in Germany.  I am really excited to see what that reason is.  Army life is an adventure and I am definitely up for that adventure.

*Sigh of Relief*

Ok so I talked to my supervisor.  She wasn't as understanding as I had hoped.  I explained my situation with the hours and told her if we couldn't work together than it wouldn't work for me to be on staff.

Honestly, I am happy to be free.  Many of the other partners (or employees) were very kind and helpful.  Learning how to make delicious caramel macchiatos and frappaccinos was great.  But the environment wasn't the best.  I wasn't really challenged (except in the area of hours) and many of the partners spoke negatively about one another.  I am much happier now that I have time to spend with Hubs.  I no longer have to feel guilty about going to work and not grocery shopping, doing laundry, cooking, etc. etc.  I know Hubs missed me the few days I was working.  He was extremely supportive in these past days as I was deciding what to do.  I am so thankful I have such a wonderful husband.

Welp, I guess it's back to working out in the mornings and doing chores, preparing dinner, walking Othello, and doing homework in the evenings.  Life is good.


peace out.

Barista...yay! 30 hours...no!

That's right!  I am officially a Starbucks Barista.  I'm learning a lot.  I even made drinks for customers today!  Finally.  I am working at Starbucks.

I am truly happy about my job.  I love learning how to make good coffee.  I love making people's day with coffee.  It's definitely nice to have extra spending money.

The only thing I am struggling with is the amount of hours.  Now I realize most of you guys who read my blog have fulltime jobs.  That's amazing.  I applaud you for that.  I just can't do it.  It's just really a challenge for me to work 30 hours a week.  I am working 1-8pm shifts.  It works out great for my workout schedule.  It doesn't work out so great for seeing Hubs.  He usually leaves around 4:30 am and doesn't return until after 6:00pm.  Because he has to get up so early, he goes to bed around 8:30pm...the time I get home from work.  It would be fine if it was only 2 or 3 days a week, but it's every day.  I now struggle to find time to finish my final online class, do grocery shopping, and run errands.  The poor puppy has to be locked up for the majority of the day now.

I just started so I don't really want to complain either.  I'm just going to have get used to this whole working thing.  I'm hoping to talk with my supervisor next week about scheduling me for fewer hours.  I'm a total people pleaser and hate confrontation of any way shape or form, so this conversation is already making me nervous.  Please pray that I have the right words to say and that my supervisor is sympathetic and understanding.  When I agreed to the job, I was under the impression that part time meant 15-20 hours a week, not 30-35.  I just hope she understands.