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When writing a blog, the readers want a few things. The blogger to be funny, relatable, or crazy enough that everyone says “Thank goodness that’s not me” I won’t tell you which one I am; that way you can have fun guessing and judging.
My name is Shawna Dee Garrett. I am a 33 year old Southern gal with a Southern name. I am married to my best friend, Bryan. We went to the same high school in Arkansas, the same college in Arkansas and had the same group of friends.I figured since I couldn’t get rid of him I should marry him. We’ve been together for 14 years this year and for 10 of those years he has been a Soldier in the Army.We have a daughter, Courtney, that turned 12 this year. She is so fantastic and perfect. Also, I have a Morkie, named Socks. We just found out that we are pregnant with well…another baby….cause what else would it be? When I say just found out I mean I went to the doctor on July 17th and got the news. Excited, terrified, and nervous are only a few of the emotions I feel every 15 seconds.
I volunteer for way more then I should. I am on the PTO board, I help with public relations for the Armed Forces Spouses Club, I help lead my daughter’s Girl Scout troop and now I get to blog for AWN. I am of the mind that I have been blessed so much in my life that I want to help out other people as much as possible. In my life as a military spouse I have ran into such amazing people that have inspired me to give of myself what I can. There is so many people that helped me when my husband was deployed, in school or just TDY that anytime someone needs help I’m the first one to say let me help!! Paying it forward is so cliche sounding but thats what you do in the military life.
I have been living in Korea for a year and a half and I am loving it. There are times when I really miss the states but being with my husband is better then Target any day. This is our fourth duty station, our first being Fort Bliss(hated), second Fort Hood(LOVED), third Fort Meade(eh) and now Camp Red Cloud. Our camp here is so small that I can walk across the whole base in about 15 minutes. Good for knowing people bad for shopping. At the commissary I get the option of this white bread or that white bread. We are at the halfway point on our tour here and hopefully we will be heading back to Texas when we leave. Close enough to family that we can visit but far enough away that they can’t drop by without telling us first. Let me dispel a few myths about South Korea.
Its a 3rd world country. False. They have the fastest internet in the world here, the shopping is never ending, and they have more channels on their free cable then Americans do.
We are constantly under attack. False. The only attacks I face on a daily basis are the older women wanting to touch my hair and them wanting to touch my daughters face and big eyes. Oh also if you have big boobs you get stared at and talked about. That’s always awkward.
They eat dogs here. Okay that one’s true.
Korea and Japan are the same place. False Maybe my mother in law is the only one that thinks that.
Since I am blogging for AWN and this is an intro blog, let me tell you what AWN has meant to me. I joined AWN before I came to Korea looking for answers to make the transition easier. Somehow through all the posts and questions I met my battle buddy Emily. You know her and love her already so I don’t have to tell you how great she is. Because of AWN I have met this wonderful family that has become more then friends to us they have become our family. I joke all the time that Emily is my wife but if we could go everywhere together from now on I would be thrilled. I have got to meet other amazing people, learn about parts of the Army that I had no idea existed, and got questions answered by other spouses that people my husband works with don’t even have the answers to. AWN is the support group I always needed and I wish I had them when my husband first joined. It would have kept me from being so grouchy in the beginning.
Thats pretty much it.I look forward to writing and you reading. Hopefully you will find me as entertaining as I find myself. If not…just reread my blog again.
Well done, wife. I expected nothing less.
Watermelon.
welcome Shawna! We have heard so much about ya already!
AH! hahah I didn’t know it was up. I’m glad you liked it <3
Thank you sooo soo much!
WHOOO HOOO I loved it
Awesome!
Great first blog Shawna!
That was beautiful, my friend! I look forward to more.
Thank you guys for the sweet words
Thanks Shawna! I’m super excited to see what your next blog has and reading this makes me want to find out more about AWN. Oh, and I’m slightly jealous (ok, REALLY jealous), that you get to have Emily as a battle buddy!
Oh, Kristine, I love you! You are the original battle buddy!