Calling All MilSpouses!!!

Where are all of my amazing, incredible, beautiful, strong, CrAzY MilSpouses at!?!?

I was contacted a couple weeks ago by a production company in LA for a new reality show centered around military wives. In the UK, this show was insanely popular and was broadcast on the BBC network. It's called "The Choir" and aims to bring people in difficult situations together to grow as one.

We all know with the many various ranks, the enlisted vs. officer, and the "official" DOD dependent status, there are many segregations within the military community. Some experience it more so than others and in my personal experience I've blogged about before, the commander's wife of M's unit was more than fabulous to myself as an enlisted spouse. None the less, I know it exists for many of you out there and causes a little bit more stress than you already have.

Here's where you come in and have a time to shine!

They are actively seeking military spouses from any branch, stationed stateside, who would be willing to share their story for a potential taping of "The Choir."

I've personally spoken on the phone with the production company and a casting associate, so this is 1000% a legit television show and company you'd be working with.

Here are some details:

"Shed Media is bringing the UK's award-winning show to a major cable TV network here in the U.S. and they're looking for military wives!

It's an uplifting new television program that will focus on bringing military wives together to accomplish a unifying goal, whether you know each other or not and even across different military branches.

They are looking for women interested in sharing their experiences about being a military wife. We want to hear your stories!

If you're interested please contact Robyn Kiyomi via rkiyomi@shedmediaus.com for more details."

So, what are you waiting for!?!?

If you're still a little skeptical on how this show works, check out the full episode online below, broken into four separate parts.

P.S. These girls were invited to sing before Her Majesty, The Queen this year!!!

Time to Enjoy!

It's a wrap!!!

Yesterday was the last day of managing my local tour for the new Samsung Galaxy S III.

I could not be more enthusiastic.

It's been a long six weeks, crazy circumstances, ridiculous weather, "interesting" staffing situations, and just all around chaos.

I wanted to quit three times, but if there's one thing I'm not...it's a quitter.

I'm proud of myself for sticking it out and following through to the end.

Yay me!

When I first moved up here, I was thrust into another program, then another one, and this one. I've been working my butt off for a while now and finally the time has come to enjoy this beautiful city I now call home.

My hard work has many benefits and I plan on taking the entire month off to relax, pamper myself, and re-center.

Despite the difficulties I encountered, I'm blessed to be in such a position.

It hasn't always been that way.

It's times like that when you're on the downward, then to the upward swing that you can step back, realize all you've had, all you've lost, and how far you've come, and be enthusiastically grateful for it all.

Baby Love

There's something I adore about Josh Kelley's voice. It's a little bit country, a little bit soul, and a whole lotta love. I had heard about this song before, but never took the time to listen. When I went on his website, there it was front and center with images of his wife, Katherine Heigl, and Naleigh Moon, their adopted daughter. Naturally, I was intrigued and fell in love with this sweet song.

Doesn't our girl Katherine look PHENOM in that red dress? She fits the mommy role so well.

Adoption is AWESOME and I love that they took such a personal, private part of their lives and decided to share it with the world.

London 2012!

The countries have marched.

The torch has been lit.

The XXX Olympiad is in full swing!

It's so peaceful to watch all of these countries put aside their wars, their political issues & their religious beliefs in the name of sport.

I loved watching the Royals, naturally.

Of course was filled with pride watching Old Glory and our athletes make their grand entrance, despite our Chinese uniforms.

But, I really cried watching Great Britain come through to finalize it all and light the torch.

What were your favorite parts from the opening ceremony?

Any particular sports you are going to be glued to?

I'm rooting hardcore for Ryan Lochte.

I worked an event with him back home a few months ago, sat next to him, his family, and had no idea why everyone was making a huge fuss.

I got to watch him swim and now, I realize how awesome that really was.

He's also a Florida Gator!!! LOVE IT!!!

Words On My Heart

Narcissistic Love: The Discovery

It never occurred to me until recently that I loved someone incapable of loving.

I knew something was stopping him from opening up, but never did I think...

...I was en robed in narcissistic love.

On our first blog date, Chelsea and I sat describing our past relationships and our marriages. One thing that we shared was our dealings with narcissistic men. In this conversation though, I wasn't talking about J. Instead, about my dealings and revelations with his brother.

Upon my move back to Orlando and at the beginning of our relationship, I started therapy again. I've said 1000 times over, I'm a huge advocate of it throughout any stage in life, but especially when there's a big change, loss, or some other roller coaster to ride. In one of my sessions, my therapist asked me to talk about J's family, his relationships with them, and my relationships with them. Naturally, I spoke of the ridiculous, disaster of a situation between his older brother and I. The details of which I will not discuss on the blog because it's so heinous to repeat and I have too many low-life spies reading my every word. Anyway, through my description of him, my therapist hit it on the head.

He told me he sounded JUST like a narcissist.

I was taken a back that in my 10-15 minute description and conversation, he could pin point him just like that. He was so, freaking right and I couldn't believe I never thought of that before. Perhaps because I hardly thought about him at all.

I was somewhat familiar with the term and as he sat describing the behavior of a narcissistic person, I was in awe and ran home to do more research.

Never in a million years did it click in my head that I was in love with his reflection.

Not until this past week, when Chelsea and I had our wine date did I realize and since, it's hit me like a ton of bricks.

She shared with me a book and a website called "The Path Forward: Surviving a Narcissist" by Lisa E. Scott. I can hardly stare at the words on my computer screen because it all makes perfect sense and hits straight to my core. I've glanced through, finding it too painful to actually sit and read the stories of women in similar situations.

I remember being young and finding out I was co-dependent on my first high school/college boyfriend. That was an intense revelation of self and mortifying at the same time. I couldn't believe I had thought so little of myself to depend on someone else to make me happy and get me through my daily life. I'm proud to say I did the work and recovered from that indefinitely.

This is just different.

It's different because I feel like I've spent all my life loving this person. Even in recent days and weeks, trying still to come to terms with what happened, desperately trying to convince myself it really is over this time. Reading the signs like how they tell you anything and everything, just to keep you around, keep you holding on. It keeps their inflated egos going.

All those times he spoke of me being "the next Mrs. H," the promises of a ring when he came home from college when we were 19, that time he emailed me a picture of a ring he found at work while I was in Charlotte last year...all of those words that made me hold out hope...were for nothing but himself.

Do you know how much that hurts?

The connection I thought we had for the past 12 years...nothing.

It explains so much, yet leaves so many gaping holes and questions. I'm peaceful knowing I finally have an answer to this madness and the ache that was in my soul. I felt I could never truly get over him and would always love him for the rest of time. Now, I realize I loved a fake. I thought it before, but never really believed it. Knowing all of this will help me move forward, faster.

That kind of "love" is empty. It's giving, and giving, and giving of yourself to someone who is incapable of receiving it. It's exhausting. It's mind numbing. It's painful. It explains all of the emotions, feelings of emptiness, and confusion I felt during our relationship.

I'm grateful for this discovery.

Bare with me over the next few days, weeks, or maybe even months as I process all of this and work through it all. I know I'll be a much stronger, healthier Shannon when all is said and done.

I have answers.

I Did It

Yes.

I did it.

Again.

I joined Match.com

What the heck have I done?

More on this to come...

(I'm a poet and I didn't know it)

Wine Bar Love

One thing I love about being in DC vs FL is the blogging community here.

I couldn't find bloggers to connect with in FL to save my life.

Here, I've found Chelsea from Life is a Sunset.

She is the bomb!

We're both members of The First Wives Club, which we all know is hard to come across.

Our first meeting, we were too busy talking, chowing, and devouring cupcakes to snatch pictures.

This time, we had so much wine flowing, the pictures turned out crappy.

None the less, here's proof our night existed.

Notice our empty glasses ;)

One of my favorite places in NoVa is the Whole Foods in Fairfax.

It's MASSIVE and has all these little restaraunts inside that are fabs.

They have THE BEST pulled chicken BBQ ever.

We decided on some sushi to start, grabbed it to go, and bee lined it for the upstairs wine bar.

Yes, my Whole Foods has an upstairs wine bar.

It rocks.

I had never been before when I lived in Fairfax previously, but always wanted to go.

I was SO THRILLED when I walked in and it was reminiscent of Wine Room where I grew up in WP.

I had never found another wine bar that had wines on tap, but it's the most brillz idea ever.

During the week, they offer free appetizers and you can order things like cheese plates or just grab something from one of the mini restaurants below.

They give you a little swipe card for free that you load with however much money you want for the night.

At each machine, you slide your card in & select the pour amount, sip, and enjoy!

It's the best!

Anyway, I am so happy to have been able to connect with Chelsea and to have a new girlfriend who "gets me."

The roller coaster ride of divorce and heartbreak is not easily understood and we both can relate to one another's issues.

So much so, she pointed me in the direction of an incredibly eye opening website called "The Path Forward."

I have SO much to blog about regarding this now, so you have been warned.

The Marriage Barrier

Last week was my first week off in several weeks.

I decided to visit the Newseum in DC and saw parts of the Berlin Wall on display.

It's amazing how divided people can become, enough so to separate an entire country by two sides.

Can you imagine having America split in half?

Your family lives in California and you live in Georgia.

Attempting to cross into that side and see them would result in your death.

Unbelievable that this went on not too long ago.

None the less, it provided for some in depth reflection later on something that's bothered me for some time.

Sure, there are friends who come and go.

Paths cross, they change, and things happen.

Some friends you expect will be around for a while and then they aren't.

It bothers me to no end that something like marriage, career change, etc. can cause this division.

Being married or having a PhD does not make your ability to be a friend any less.

It's not an excuse.

Sure, maintaining a marriage and trying to balance friendships gets tough.

Wanting to spend time with other couples is understandable but that doesn't mean you disregard your single girlfriends who were by your side all along.

How quickly we can forget about those who supported us before the ring, the baby, or the fabulous career.

I've not been the greatest example of a friend during all of my times of trial.

There was a period in time where I distanced myself somewhat from my "mommy" friends because it was hard.

Regardless, I still was a friend, celebrating their victories and listening to their losses.

Perhaps when someones life changes and they distance themselves, their time in our lives is over.

Perhaps we were in their lives for that season, for a reason.

Perhaps they were in ours for the very same thing.

Just my thoughts today...

Video Blog Link Up - Bucket List!

So excited to bring you guys a long overdue video blog thanks to the link up hosted by all the wonderful ladies above.

Check out what's on my bucket list and let me know what's on yours!

{Link Up Here}

Q&A #2: Time Travel

Mackaboo @ "Here for the fun of it..." asked:

"If you could travel to any time in history, when would you go to and why?"

Great question girlfriend!

For me, I'm kinda torn.

Remember those American Girl dolls?

Well, I loved Felicity's story.

I literally had this outfit for her too.

Felicity's story took place during the American Revolution.

As someone who loves history, I don't think there would have been a more amazing time to live. So much was changing.

Her story was also based in Williamsburg, VA which is a fantastically historical place to visit.

Sure, there were many challenges back in that time period but I think it would have been great to be part of such historical change.

If I had to truly pick a time period though, it would be back during the time of true Hollywood legends.

Greta Garbo, Vivien Leigh, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Katherine Hepburn, Ava Gardner, Clark Gable, and the rest.

That was real talent.

That time period fascinates me.

The glitz, the glam, the style, the life.

I can only imagine attending the premiere of "Gone With the Wind" at Loew's Theatre in Atlanta in 1939. All the pomp and circumstance and Southern fare.

They sure don't make 'em like they used to.

What I'm Loving Wednesday

I love sharing this with you guys each Wednesday and also love to see what you guys are loving!

I'm loving that I got my hair done yesterday.

I'm LOVING that I found such a great place to get it done.

If you're in the DC Metro, make an appointment with Tony at Salon Antoine.

He'll make you feel gorge and you'll get 20% off if you say you heard it from me.

I'm loving that I snagged this cute dress from ModCloth for under $20 shipped!

I'm loving that I got this amazing necklace from Bauble Bar to go with my new dress!

{here} for $28, $18 for new customers.

I'm loving I now have a countdown on my Samsung Galaxy S III for my trip to Mexico.

If only I were going WITH Tim Tebow.

I'm loving Instagram. Follow me!

I'm also loving playing around with nail colors.

Seriously making that New Years Resolution happen.

This is OPI's Bubble Bath + Orly's Opal Hope

I'm loving that this is the first week since I moved here that I'm not working almost every single day of the week. Having some down time to relax and enjoy myself is great.

I'm loving that Emily ripped Kalon a new one on the "Men Tell All" the other night.

What a dirtbag.

I'm loving that Chelsea from Life is a Sunset & I have a wine date at the Whole Foods Wine Bar tomorrow. Loves! Last time we met up we were too busy yappin' to get pictures, but this time we'll be sure to.

What are you guys loving?

Q&A #1: The J-O-B

If you haven't asked yours truly a question yet, do it now!

Questions are open until the 22nd.

Angie over at "Life of a Mommy, Wife, and Teacher" asked:

"What is your exact job?"

Right now, I work in event marketing and management.

Ever been to a festival and there are guys and girls handing out free stuff from let's say, Geico Insurance? What about those samples of Red Bull, Rockstar, or 5 Hour Energy? Ever been to a club and a girl comes around with free samples of SKYY Vodka?

That's event marketing.

I've been in the industry for over 8 years now.

It's addicting, the pay is crazy, and it never gets boring.

I've worked for companies and brands like: Nike, Adidas, Disney, Ragu, Mattel, CNN, Buick, Pixar, SKYY Vodka, Sharpie, Choice Hotels, and so much more.

Currently, I am managing a tour for the brand new Samsung Galaxy S III here in DC. Prior to that, I was managing a series of Nike Lacrosse events as well as Gold Bond events at military installations in DC, MD, & VA.

So how this kinda works, is either by networking your butt off you get offers to accept contracts for various clients -or- you are in a database and get individual opportunities emailed to you when they are in your area. You have the option of responding or not, making your own schedule, and if the client likes you and your image for their campaign, you are booked! 

But trust me, it's not that easy.

It takes a lot of patience, flexibility, and people skills to be in this industry.

You encounter just about everything humanely possible from drunks to angry consumers to greedy people who can't seem to get the "one per person" rule.

I love it though and I find myself contemplating just when I'll give it up for the 9-5 life.

If you want to check out the blog of someone else in my industry, go visit

"Every Mile A Memory" by Kate.

A little known fact...she used to be my boss at one time doing this!

Identity Crisis

It's something I still struggle to understand.

I just can't wrap my head around it.

I don't know the girl in these pictures.

Like, I really don't.

I feel like she's someone who died. A twin I once had.

It's the oddest feeling in the entire world.

I don't recognize myself pre-marriage and pre-divorce.

It's not because my hair color changed.

It's not because I gained weight and lost it again.

I just don't know that girl anymore.

I'm not quite sure what to make of it.

I've talked about it several times on this blog, but I'm dying to know what a professional opinion would be.

Is it normal?

My world was rocked going through what I went through in my marriage and in my divorce.

There's no way I could have escaped that unscathed.

I'm happy. I am.

Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be truly, truly the same.

Question Time. Ask Away!

So I tried doing this a super long time ago to no avail. 


I'm hoping this time is different.


Anyway, I'm opening my blog to questions, so ask away.


Please.


Ask me anything and I'll probably answer it.


I'll leave this post open for questions until Sunday the 22nd.


Can't wait to see what you guys have up your sleeves.

Randomness About Yours Truly

Jack and Coke is my drink of choice.

Or just Jack.

I've always wanted to go to culinary school.

Just for fun.

I have an insane scrapbook supply collection.

It's been in storage for the past two years.

I was raised Lutheran and converted to Southern Baptist at 19.

My parents divorced around the time I was 12 or 13.

I only have one grandma left.

I am an only child.

My dad re-married.

My mom still hasn't and only recently started dating.

I love camping.

Like roughing it in a tent in the woods camping.

Dying to go again when the weather cools down.

I went to private school until 8th grade when my parents divorced.

I hope to be able to send my kids too.

Growing up I played basketball, did a little track, volleyball, and cheered.


We always had big dogs, mostly German Shepherds when I was young.


Our family vacation spot was Asheville, North Carolina.
I love it like crazy to this day.


I was a Brownie Girl Scout.


Got some randomness you can share?

Necklace Love, Etsy Style

I've found myself glued to Etsy lately, trying to fill my life with handmade goodness.

Here are some lovely accessories I've stumbled across that I've got my eye on.

If you have an Etsy shop, leave me a comment so I can give you a shout out!

I'm newly obsessed with recycled T-shirt necklaces.

Love that this has a little bling.

{here} for $20

Some of my favorite color combinations.

So Lilly Pulitzer-esque and very summer-y.

{Here} for $15

I'm envisioning this in Gator colors for football season.

{Here} for $21

I love these colors for fall.

I will be getting this.

{Here} for $15

How unique are these?

I love that you can layer them.

{Here} for $9.50

I love the creativity you find on Etsy.

I love the mixed materials in this necklace.

Perfect for Sunday brunch,

{here} for $12

I love all the Mum themed jewelry I see out there.

Love the color and the uniqueness of this one.

{here} for $10.50

Just gorgeous!

Love the use of the vintage flowers.

{here} for $58

I've seen a lot of this bird/branch combo lately.

So delicate and sweet.

{here} for $26

Why DC?

Undoubtedly the one question I'm asked over and over again, is "Why DC?"

I grew up in Florida.

I spent 22ish years of my life there before deciding I'd had enough.

A lot of that decision was due to my ex boyf.

I couldn't stand to be in that town anymore and deal with all of it.

I needed a change. Badly.

I had considered Phoenix where a good girl friend of mine was living.

I also had a good girl friend in DC, with a soon to be opening room.

DC won.

I had visited before and loved the history of it all.

Loved the city vibe.

Loved having public transportation.

Sounds crazy, but it's so nice.

So, I packed my car with whatever I could fit and left with hardly any money to my name.

I wanted to get out, I wanted a change, I wanted to start over.

So I did.

Little did I know it wouldn't last long since I'd find myself married 6 months later.

When my marriage went to hell, I knew I had to get back.

So, why?

I truly feel alive here.

I find myself overwhelmed with the notion of attempting to choose what to do with my time because there's always something going on.

I have always been a political girl, though I try to keep it out of my blogging life for obvious reasons.

I feel led to serve the military community.

This is the place to be for all of that.
DC is also an amazing place to raise a family.
If God ever blesses me with a child, I want to raise them here.

The best part about it, is God made it happen for me.

He opened doors for me to get back here, only re-affirming this is where I'm meant to be.

I feel this is truly where I'm meant to fulfill my life mission.

People look at me like I'm crazy when I say I left Florida for DC.

They think I'm insane when I say I'm seriously never leaving.

Never say never but...never.

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Is it seriously Wednesday already? 

Where in the world has time gone?

I'm loving that I'm blogging from my hotel in Richmond.

Well, technically Fort Lee.

I'm here wrapping up the Gold Bond military tour I've been doing off and on for the last month.

Every now and then it's nice to get away, even if it's just for a breather.

I'm loving this dress I got from 2b.

I intended to wear it for the 4th, but I ended up passing out in my bed from exhaustion.

Watch out for this party girl! ;)

It's so comfortable and super cute.

{here} for $35

I'm loving that I FINALLY booked my ticket to Mexico.

I can't believe I'm actually going on a relaxing vacation.

Last time I was in Maya, my boyfriend was screwing his ex girlfriend.

I'm looking forward to not having to deal with that this time around.

I'm excited to start planning our Bachelorette Season Finale party.

I'm however NOT excited with the two guys who are still standing.

Anyone think she ditches them both and realizes Sean's her guy?

I've got my fingers crossed.

Lastly, I'm loving that I'm happy.

Like legit, happy.

Everything isn't in it's proper place, but I'm darn freaking happy.

Doesn't get better than that!

What are you guys loving this Wednesday?

{link up}