Meet and Greet

“Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, 

maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to escape from.”

Seth Goden

If any statement could summarize what I created this blog for, the above quote would be just that. I have spent years waiting for the next big move, waiting for certain situations to pick themselves up, or hoping the next vacation will rejuvenate me. I watched my life slipping by every day without taking action to make it a life I want to sustain. A couple weeks ago, I woke up and decided I didn’t want to live that way anymore. I no longer want to rely on outside influences to decide my direction or my stability. Since then, I’ve been taking initial baby steps to find my way against the norm. Instead of following anywhere the wind blows, I’m determined to guide my own compass while listening to my Father. Instead of waiting for the elements of life to bring sunshine, I’ve decided to create a life that is purposeful and fulfilling even during the harshest conditions.

I’m writing in hopes that brave souls will join me in a conquest to find inner peace that overflows into every corner of our lives.  This is a blog for wives, for mothers, for sisters, for daughters, for believers, for searchers, and for all of the kindred spirits who refuse to give up. Let’s connect, and help one another grow into who dream of becoming.

In order to begin a journey with someone, it’s important to know whom you will be spending time with. I will begin my introduction here, and I sincerely hope that I will have the honor of hearing my readers’ stories as well when the time comes. I am a daughter, a sister of two brothers, and a believer of the one who saves us all. Just over a year ago, I became the wife of my incredible, charming, one-of-a-kind husband, Jason Hallett. He served in the United States Marine Corps and was injured in Afghanistan five years ago. On October 23, 2010, Jason was clearing a building on foot when he was hit by an IED that caused the loss of both of his legs above the knee and his right arm above the elbow. He lost two fingers on his remaining hand, and also has other extensive injuries to his three fingers, his wrist, and arm.

            I feel honored that I got to know him very well even before his injury, because we were first loves in middle school. Jason and I went to 8^th grade here in Colorado together, where we used to get in trouble for passing notes every day. We were head-over-heels! When our parents split us up, we were devastated. He made a promise to come back in five years to find me. My dad, in return, promised to take Jason to dinner if he came back as an honorable military man. If you know my husband, you know he is a man of his word. As fate would have it, he was injured five years later; but once he had recovered, he found me on Facebook. We hit it off instantly. The moment I saw his smiling face in his profile picture, I knew that life as I knew it was over. I knew with every ounce of my soul that everything was about to change forever. Sure enough, after growing close with Jason, my entire being was transformed for the better from the inside, out. I moved out to San Diego from Colorado and we stayed there for six months until he finished rehab and retired from the Marines. Just in time for Christmas almost two years ago, we moved back to our beautiful, mountainous home state. We were engaged on Thanksgiving of 2013, and we eloped on July 23, 2014. Since we got married, we have received a handicap-accessible home from Homes for Our Troops. Jason has begun a job as a financial advisor (retiring at 22 is absurd!), and I have been his full-time caregiver for two years now on top of juggling school. We have two sweet fur-babies, Cash and Beau who keep our hearts warm and our hands full! Jason and I are also hoping to begin our family through IVF, which is an adventure I will be sharing about here (and nowhere else).

Beau & Cash

            Jason and I are dealing with a few complicated situations currently, but I will save all of that for another day. I also have a different blog, Wings and Warriors, which goes into more depth about the specific military/amputee/veteran-related things we face together. As you may be able to gather, while my satisfaction level is high, my life is stressful. My schedule is tight, and I’ve learned that in order to have enough energy to do everything required of me, I need to have a creative outlet that fills my tank. So, here we are! I am studying English, so it makes sense that I love writing. I have a fascination with words that flow together. It amazes me that simple letters crafted in perfect order on a page can draw out our deepest emotions. I’m thrilled to be on this journey and exchange stories with all of my readers.

            Here’s to a refreshing week!