#AskDar: My First Q & A + Starbucks Gift Card Giveaway!

I wanted to shake things up a bit this week so I hopped on social media and decided to do a rather impromptu Q & A! I love reading (and watching) Q & A's so I figured it was damn near about time I did one on the blog. If you missed your chance to ask me a question make sure you're following me on Instagram and Twitter so you don't miss your chance next time around!

Did I mention one of these amazing ladies is going to win a $15 Starbucks gift card? That's a lot of PSL. Now, on to the questions! 

Danielle @danieb2 on Instagram asks:

“Have you ever thought about moving? If so, where and why?”

I have actually moved A LOT in my life. My father became a Pastor when I was going into third grade and that required us to do our first move. While it was just a few minutes away from where we lived originally, it was still a huge change. Every since then, moving has kind of been in my blood. I moved again going into middle school and then multiple apartments in college. After college, I moved from my college town and to Washington, D.C. then I ended up moving to New York a few months later! I’ve actually lived in  New York state for three years now and the moving itch is definitely getting to me. Thankfully for me, I’m marrying the Army right? Justin and I will be moving to twice in the next year and a half, first to a training location and then to our first duty station! As far as where we want to move, our short list is: Alaska, Washington, and Germany. We’ll know in February where we’re going but Alaska and Washington are close to his family and I’ve always loved the Pacific Northwest. I’ve never been except for layovers in airports on my way to Alaska and the hipster/explorer vibe totally has me all heart eye emoji. Germany is on the list because I think it would be a great experience to have before we truly settle down and start a family. I don’t even have my passport yet so maybe I should work on that first.

Hayle Olson @hayleolson on Twitter asks:

“Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What would you have liked to achieve in that time?”

This question is always one that I’ve honestly NEVER been able to answer. Last year, my answer would have been totally different than this one which is married for almost nine years with a kid or two. Shocking, I know. It’s crazy to me how different life looks from year to year and I think that’s always been why I’ve never been able to really say where I want to be in any given amount of time. I will say that there are a few things that I would love to accomplish in the next ten years, including writing a novel or book of some kind (finally) and potentially having my own business of some sort. Maybe even growing this blog to something sustainable. (Maybe I should add “get better to writing long term goals” to this list). Honestly, as long as I am happy and thriving I think that will be enough for me.

Klara @xoklaraak on Twitter asks:

“How are you able to manage working everyday, taking care of two dogs, planning a wedding, AND dating a cadet all at once?”

It’s funny that I don’t even realize how  much I actually have going on until someone else puts it all into words like this. Planning a wedding is a full time job in itself which is why I’m so glad we have such a long engagement because it’s really taken a lot of pressure off of me in that regard. I’m lucky that my job is pretty chill which allows me to do a lot of writing and researching during the day because I am stuck at a computer all day. My dogs are also both lazy AF so they don’t mind that I’m gone during the day, as long as they get a long walk in the evening and lots of pets. Dating a cadet is definitely tricky even though I work at West Point and live close. Some people might be shocked to know that Justin and I rarely see each other during the week. Because of this, most of my weekends are dedicated to spending time with him. I think that doing an online master’s program really helped me with time management skills but it really all comes down to prioritizing what’s important and hustling hard when you have the chance.

Lucy @mrswear on Instagram asks:

“What is your top post preference? And your last choice!”

If you had asked me this question last month, my answer would have been Fort Lewis in Washington was my top choice but after talking with my cousin whose husband is retired Army, right now I’m thinking that I would love to start our Army journey in Germany. I would love the ability to travel out of the country and to explore even more countries before we really get settled down with a family. Honestly though, and I apologize for how totally sappy this sounds but, my top preference is just anywhere that’s with my future husband. (I know, I know… I can feel all of your eye rolls through the screen). As for last choice, I would have to say Fort Polk just because I think I would be absolutely miserable. Even the 4 hour drive to New Orleans wouldn’t make up for that. But again, as long as I get to be with Justin I think we’re going to be able to make the most out of any place we’re in!

Laura @laura_turns on Instagram asks:

“How did you get started blogging? What’s the first step?”

I started my first blog when I was in college and it was pretty much just me rambling about whatever I felt like talking about on any given day. I think it was called something ridiculous like Bum Notes. No idea where that came from. Blogging has been a passion of mine for a very long time needless to say but I didn’t have the drive to stick with it. Oddly enough, starting a YouTube channel is actually what inspired me to get back into blogging and to start what you’re reading today and I honestly couldn’t have anticipated it would turn out like this. As far as getting started, I’m not going to focus on the technical things like creating a website, buying a domain name, or anything like that because you can find hundreds of posts and YouTube videos to answer that. I believe the honest first step to starting a blog is finding your WHY. Why do you want to start a blog? Once you have that answer it should lead you to things you want to write about and what you can share with the world. Successful blogs need to come from a place of heart and I think starting with why is the perfect place to start.

Thank you so so so much to everyone who asked me a question! I'll be sending a personal message to the winner of the Starbucks gift card! If you want to ask a question to be used in a future Q & A, leave it in the comments or you can DM on social media. Email is always an option too, if you're into that.