Military Spouse Appreciation Day Link-Up

Today is Military Spouse Appreciation Day, and I'm linking up with Amanda at Somewhere Over the Camo and Jen at Marathons and Dogtags for a fun get-to-know-you post! 

//Tell us about yourself and your blog. Hi, I'm Janelle! I'm a wife to Lieutenant Lovemuffin, also known as Dan. We have an eight month old daughter, Annabelle, and we recently moved to Wichita Falls, TX so he can go to pilot training. I used to teach 8th grade reading and writing before getting married and being whisked across the country. I love reading, writing, running (when I'm not injured), blogging, crafting, my cats, game shows, and all things Kansas City sports related. I also run an Etsy shop, named after my little girl: AnnaKate Paperie.

//What branch of military are you affiliated with? Air Force! But Lieutenant Lovemuffin originally enlisted in the Army nearly 10 years ago in June of 2006! He then transferred to the Air Guard and was training to become a B-2 Crew Chief when he received his acceptance to the US Air Force Academy in 2009. He graduated and commissioned from there in 2014, got his Master's degree in Applied Physics at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and is now ready to begin pilot training (ENJJPT) at Sheppard Air Force Base. 

//What is one thing you enjoy about the military lifestyle? I am not a big fan of the unknown, so a lot of aspects of military life aren't for me... but all the adventures we've been able to go on and will be able to go on in the future are pretty awesome and have definitely helped to break me out of my comfort zone. We've traveled via Space A twice now (and are planning a third trip VERY soon, so hopefully that works out!). I'd say Space A is a huge benefit. I've also made a few really great friends through this military lifestyle... not many, but hey - quality over quantity any day!

//What advice would you give other spouses who are new? Learn how to be alone comfortably. It took me a while to get the hang of being my own company, but I'm an expert at it now and sometimes crave it. It's a great skill that I'm happy to have acquired. Sometimes (okay, often times), you'll be alone as a military spouse, and it's no fun at all dwelling on the fact that you're missing your man. Also, go with the flow. It's easier said than done, I know. But it really will make you less crazy... and you know what they say: flexibility is the key to air power. ;-)

It's been fun linking up today, and I look forward to meeting some fellow military spouse bloggers who I haven't connected with before! 

Who I Am (52 Weeks of Blogging With a Purpose)

I recently came across a blog with a link-up for "52 Weeks of Blogging With a Purpose". While I won't be able to participate in the prompts every week (as some of them pertain to being a wife or mother, and I am neither of those), I still want to answer some of the prompts for fun. The link-up is found at From Mrs. to Mama, and she has provided 20 weeks of prompts already. Like I said, I'll do the ones I can, and hopefully this will be fun!

So, who am I?  Yes, I am Janelle, but who am I REALLY? Read on to find out!

I am a military fiancée.

I am lucky enough to be engaged to the love of my life, who just happens to be a cadet at the United States Air Force Academy. We've been together for almost four and a half years, and he proposed to me in a hot air balloon in the summer of 2011. Our wedding is next May, and planning is stressful but fun. Since Dan is in the military, we don't get to spend all of our time together like many couples. We have dealt with long distance. We have dealt with being close, yet unable to see each other. We have written love letter after love letter, and we have never spent more than a few weeks (consecutively) together. Being in a military relationship is tough work, but the rewards are great.

Dan proposed in a hot air balloon on July 7, 2011

this is my handsome fiancé, and I am so lucky to call him mine

we take way too many pictures together

I am a daughter.

I was born on July 22, 1987. I grew up in Raytown, Missouri, a suburb of greater Kansas City. My family was pretty close. We went out to dinner, watched movies, played games at home, and swam a lot. I hope my future family is as close as mine was growing up.

at Cave of the Winds on a trip to Colorado Springs in 1996. It was on this trip that I knew I wanted to live there, and now my dream is a reality.

my mom and brother visited me in the summer of 2012 for my 25th birthday, and this was taken at Seven Falls in Colorado Springs

I am a sister.

On July 16, 1991, almost four years exactly after I was born, my brother entered the world. Derek and I haven't always gotten along. We were siblings, after all. We fought and argued ALL THE TIME. We have a pretty decent relationship now, though, and it is getting better all the time. We've outgrown the days of chasing each other around the backyard with plastic baseball bats, and now we enjoy going to baseball games together instead. :)

we may look nothing alike, but we share the Vannice temper for sure ;)

I am a kitty mama. 

I have had cats my entire life. No, seriously. My parents had one when I was born, and I don't think a day passed without at least one furry feline in the house with me. When I moved away to college (less than an hour away but in my own place nonetheless), it was empty without a furry friend. After living in the dorms for one year, I moved into an apartment and promptly adopted my little black and white guy, Gilligan. I brought him home from the animal hospital I was working at on July 31, 2007, and he was a tiny little thing. I thought he needed a friend, so I adopted Stormy in November of 2011. They are the best of friends and the worst of enemies. The fight like real siblings, but they always cuddle together afterward to make up. These two always make me smile.

my big butted boy and tiny little girl

love them to pieces

I am a teacher.

When I graduated from high school, I thought I wanted to be either a news anchor or a veterinarian. Both of those fell to the wayside, and I pursued my real dream of reading and writing and changed my major to English. When I realized how impractical it was to get a degree with no uses, I tacked on education and decided I could be a teacher. I'm so glad that I did. Working with teenagers is something that will never get old because each day is vastly different from the last. Building relationships and guiding teenagers to a better future is something that I definitely enjoy.

the amazing school I teach at :)

part of my classroom -- well, old classroom. We have moved a couple times. 

writing stuff :)

I love all the quotes I keep up everywhere

I always enjoy making things for my students, like these pencil tags I made for Valentine's Day

I am a Christian.

Growing up, I didn't go to church. I wasn't religious. I didn't even believe in God. But now I do, and I enjoy going to an amazing Methodist church in Colorado Springs with Dan. We also recently did a Bible study with Dan's sponsor parents, Mike and Ellen, which was really great. Over the past semester, we also attended a marriage class through our church, and we learned a lot.

the Community Bible Experience is AMAZING and well worth your time

this is the book Dan and I used for our marriage class at church

these are on canvases; I made them to hang on the wall

I am a runner. 

I started running early in life, but I didn't do it competitively until middle school when I joined the cross country team. Just because I raced on a team does not mean I was good. I wasn't. I'm still not. I'm slower than a turtle, but running is fun for me. It's something I dread doing until I'm actually doing it. It's something the takes my stress levels way down. Without running, I don't know what  would do.

Aaron and I before and after the Color Run in August of 2012

Dan and I before and after the Dirty Dash in September of 2012

Dan and I after the Glow run in April of 2013

I am a reader.

I always have been a bookworm. I don't even remember learning to read I was so young. I remember volunteering to read aloud in Kindergarten, and I LOVED talking, so it was great. I was always the girl with her nose in a book. Although I loved playing outside as a child, some of my best memories are curled up on the couch with a good book. My mom bought me books ALL THE TIME. She never said no to reading. I was a regular at the library, and I always participated in the summer reading contests for free books. I'm glad that I still enjoy reading just as much. My goal for the year is to read 36 books by December 31st. I am currently at 23 for the year, so I am well on track to reach that goal!

I rarely by hard copies of books anymore because my Nook is so easy to order books on, but when Jodi Picoult books come out, I always buy them hardcover and read them right away. Gilligan is the best reading buddy out there.

My Nook goes EVERYWHERE with me. No, really... it does. 

This picture may be my favorite one of myself EVER. It sums me up so well. It was taken on the way to senior prom in 2006. For some reason, we all stopped at Barnes & Noble to kill time, and hey, I'm glad we did! 

I am a writer.

Writing is what makes me feel my very best. I have always been proficient at it. I learned before Kindergarten, and I haven't stopped since. Sometimes I write for fun; sometimes I write for work. I ALWAYS enjoy it, though. One of my biggest accomplishments is writing an entire novel. I wrote it in 2010 as part of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and I am so happy with it. I have been editing is slowly but surely (editing is not nearly as enjoyable as writing), and I hope to try to publish it in the future. Instead of just writing fiction, though, I also enjoy blogging about events that have happened in my life and just jotting down random notes. It's a passion for me.

My favorite place to work on my writing is at La Baguette in downtown Colorado Springs. They have the best cheese and fruit plate, and their café lattés are exceptional. 

My Macbook Pro is amazing. I couldn't be as efficient without it, and I am thankful that I have it. 

I am a crafter.

Now, this isn't something I'm amazing at. I just enjoy creating things in my spare time (wait -- spare time? I don't have any of that. I make time for relaxing activities to chill out in the evenings during the school year). My work isn't great, but I enjoy it. I am eventually going to open up an Etsy shop (maybe sooner rather than later -- I'm working on it). In the meantime, I will just decorate my own house with fun projects, and that's good enough for me.

I love painting on canvases. I wish my handwriting was a little better, but it will do!

I have several of these canvases with motivational quotes, and I keep them in my basement where I work on my writing. I love the colorful inspiration! 

I am a super-fan. 

You know those girls who don't want anything to do with football, mud, dirt, running around, etc? Yeah, I'm NOT one of them. Football is in my blood. I bleed red and yellow for the Kansas City Chiefs. When I was growing up, my parents had season tickets to Chiefs games. I often went along, and I had a BLAST tailgating in the parking lot and watching some good fun football. As with football, I also grew up with baseball. The Royals have never been fantastic, but their games are so much fun. Now that I live in Colorado, I REFUSE to be a Broncos fan. I mean, let's get real. They are one of the biggest rivals to my beloved Chiefs. However, Rockies games are fun, and so are Sky Sox games, the minor league team based in Colorado Springs. I also can't leave out the Air Force Falcons. Those games are always a good time!

Dan's first Chiefs game in December of 2012 -- it was a lot of fun showing him around Arrowhead Stadium!

Royals game with some of my best friends in June of 2012

Sky Sox game with my mom and brother in July of 2012 -- Sox the Fox looks pretty great! ;)

Rockies game in July of 2012 with Dan; we had a blast! Oh, and I think that dark green tank top was my "baseball shirt" last year because I am wearing it in all three game photos... oops.

Air Force football -- I don't go for good college ball (I'll leave that to Mizzou), but the games are always a blast, even when it's freezing cold. 

I am a vegetarian.

As soon as I found out where meat comes from, I was disgusted. I had pet cats at home and was told to treat them nicely but then also told it was okay to eat a cow. That is completely backwards to me, as they are both animals. Psychologically, I just can't do it. As a child, I tried several times to be a vegetarian. It wasn't easy in a house full of meat-eaters who BBQed ALL THE TIME. When I went to college, however, I realized I wasn't eating meat anyway (because I would NEVER tough raw meat to cook it, so I only had it when I ate at restaurants), so I gave it up cold turkey (not funny? okay). It's now been over five years since I've eaten meat, and I feel great about that choice!

This is my normal loot from the grocery store each week. No, I don't eat all of that produce on my own; I make juice with a lot of it, which is delicious and nutritious! 

Vegetarian chili is so good. Seriously. I hated chili when I ate meat, but beans and veggies are a winning combo! 

Who says being a vegetarian is boring? Upper left: veggie/fruit sushi and edamame; upper right: grilled squash filled with  creamy garlic/herb cheese; bottom left: vegan black bean soup (so good!) and a French baguette; bottom right: homemade macaroni and cheese with sautéed onions and garlic

... and now all of my faithful readers know a little bit more about me. I know that was a LOT of information to take in. Hopefully next week's prompt won't be QUITE as long. I hope you weren't too terribly bored. ;)