A little about me and us

By Jen Hall on July 24, 2012

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As you know I am Jennifer- but the only person that ever calls me that is my mother, when I'm in trouble, everyone in the world calls me Jen. I am 23 years old and as many say "married to the military". I am married to one of the "few and the proud" my husband Shane has been in the Marines for over 4 years and has been deployed twice. Once on a Navy ship to countries like Guam, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and a few others and the Second time to Afghanistan. ( great story about that deployment later)

I grew up hunting fishing and shooting guns a lot! I love to shoot its a great stress relief when done safely. I am a FIRM believer in the 2nd amendment!

I have one daughter. Her name is Audrey Christine and is the light of my life. She is a 4.5 month old ball of energy that keeps me going. I am also the mommy of a great running partner, a 2 year old black lab Gunner. 

Shane and I started dating when I was 18 and he was 17 in August 2007. Shane left for USMC boot camp in June 2008 and we got married on December 26,2008 at the Delaware County court house in Delaware OH then had a real wedding On May 2, 2009.

Shane was officially stationed after his job training at Camp Pendleton California. For those of you that do not know where that is. Its right on the pacific ocean ( only beaches in the state of California where you can crack open a cold one) right between San Diego and LA. I moved to our house on base right after our wedding in May and we have lived in a few cities around base in the past 3 years.

About a month to the day before my husband deployed to Afghanistan I found out I was pregnant, I had had miscarriages in the past so I was a little reserved but excited. That day I sent my best friend, Lexi a Marine girlfriend of a guy in my husbands unit, "the text that will live in infamy 'shut up I'm pregnant'"- At the time my husband was in the desert area of California training so he didn't find out for a few more days. Lexi reminds Shane to this day that She knew I was pregnant before he did; She new the sex of Audrey before he did too but that was only because she was in Ohio visiting me at the time and Shane was in Afghanistan.

If you are following along correctly- I moved back to my hometown in Ohio while Shane was deployed because my due date was so close to when he was supposed to be home we weren't sure if he was going to be there. He did end up making it home in time, Just barely.

Shane returned to the United States on March 6, 2012 in California. I was in Ohio, I wasn't there to welcome him home. A few days later my Dr scheduled a Csection for March 16( my moms 50th birthday) So Shane was allowed to fly back to Ohio for the birth. He flew in at 1130pm on March 14th by 2am March 15th I was having contractions 3 mins apart and my water had broken. By 630am march 15th it was time to push and all I could think was I haven't seen my husband in 7.5 months and now I'm about to give birth. Hell of a way to say "welcome home honey!" Audrey was born at 653am on March 15 2012

Since then I have rejoined my husband in California learned a lot of fun and not so fun things about motherhood and attempted to take up yoga and running, and become ADDICTED to pinterest!

In time this life grows on you and you learn to roll with the punches ( maybe after trowing a few yourself at a punching bag) or it eats you alive. I'm just learning as you go there is no manual to mother hood and being a military wife, and honestly if there was- it wouldn't work