What is a better way to end a long Saturday at work, than at a wedding? There is just something about a good southern wedding that fills the heart with joy. The rustic decorations, family gathering from all around, and the really fancy porta- potties with running water (those are so nice), just make a wedding so great! I really am going to sleep good tonight! Goodness, all this celebrating and excitement has me beat! Tonight was a great night to spend celebrating friends and unwinding for a bit. We danced and laughed, and I forgot my cares for a little bit there. Man I just love weddings. There is just one thing I noticed, I am SO growing up. Tonight I made sure my outfit followed the etiquette for a evening wedding and even made sure Luke had everything he needed to look sharp. I picked out a wedding gift, wrapped and brought it to the wedding. Made sure we were all good and prepared for the night. I know this doesn't seem like a big deal, but after some thinking, this was the first wedding where I did all the preparations. Previously, as a young girl, my mama always made sure we were dressed right and had the wedding gift covered. She kept us all organized. All we had to do was get in the car on time. Now that I am getting close to graduating college and my college friends are getting married, I am learning all the little tips and tricks. TJ Maxx is a girl's best friend. I sure do love weddings and learning the appropriate "rules" for celebrations, but I really am growing up. Little moments like this just kinda hit ya. Life really is great. I have the best date for weddings ever! Doesn't Luke look so handsome?! And he danced with me all night!
Y'all know I am always doing something crazy. Today was no different.
I got home later tonight from a long day of class and work. After finishing some homework up at about 8:45, I decided I was going to pick up something for dinner. I wanted some good ole greasy, fried Dairy Queen. (And us college kids always seem to eat later anyways) I had my pajamas on already, so I grabbed some shoes and got in the car. Thought to myself, "no big deal, I don't need regular pants, I'm not getting out anywhere, just the drive-threw." Keep in mind, my pajamas consist of an oversize, raggedy, old tee shirt and a large pair of boxers. Cool, never worn my pj's out like this before so I should be good. I get a mile down from my house, and what do I see ahead? Blue lights. As I creep forward more, I see local law enforcement is having a "road block." AND I'M IN MY PAJAMAS. Maybe I can flip around right quick and go the other way. Yeah right! They would be on my trail like a hound-dog and then put me up UNDER the jail. Shoot. Oh well, there isn't anything I could do about it now. I roll my window down and hand my licence to the very nice, but stiff officer. In my mind, I thought, quick, make a joke about your pj's and it will make it better. So I said, "Shucks, I didn't know there was a roadblock or I would have worn something other than my pajamas." He turns and looks at me with a stone-cold face and says, "You look like you are wearing normal clothes ma'am." HE DIDN'T EVEN CHUCKLE. No laugh, no nothing. He didn't find it funny at all. And he even said ma'am, meaning some business. Y'all should have seen my face! I was like, ummm, okay then. He wrapped it up quickly, reminding me some of the laws and told me to have a good night. Thankfully, I didn't have to stick around long or it might have been really awkward. So I took myself on down to the Dairy Queen, and then went another way home. Of course I called my mama and told her what happened and she just died. She thought it was hilarious, because the same thing has happened to her before! I guess it happens to all of us from time to time. So from now on, I am just going to start wearing my pj's everywhere. Seriously, I am thankful for opportunities to laugh at myself. Like I've said before, laughter is good for the soul! I am also thankful for our law enforcement. I am okay going through a roadblock in my pj's if that means the roads are a little safer. After the check, I slowed my speed down tonight. I think its good to have a reminder to be alittle safer on the roads. Distracted driving is so easy to do, especially when life gets so busy. I am just thankful for the little reminders and people who are dedicated to their job, keeping us all safe. Today was a good day. Just one of those days where things get done and I felt accomplished. Y'all can bet I took a big ole sigh of relief after all my classes today. In my mind, I was checking off the boxes as the day went one.
My last class of the day was probably my favorite. Not because my day was almost over, but because we had a guest speaker. Professors on occasion will invite career men and women to come speak and share insight to their world. Its like the college version of show-and-tell. To make things even sweeter, our guest speaker graduated from ABAC with the degree I am working on now. Let me tell y'all, she has an amazing career. She even has an entertainment budget to spend on her customers taking them fishing, on a quail hunt, or just a really fancy dinner. Umm, sign me up please! Today, it sort of hit me. That is (hopefully) going to be me after May. I am going to conquer the world and grab that awesome job, making a name for myself. There is just one little problem... I have no clue where I want to work. Granted, I do have a general idea of what I want to do for the rest of my life, but having that definite answer, not so much. After our guest speaker left, I got to thinking about it more. How in the world can I land that awesome job? The one that will be something I can wake up with joy to head to work everyday. That's pretty tough because the really great job opportunities aren't just laying around or unoccupied. After thinking about it that much more, I realized its all going to be okay. I don't have to have the perfect job right when I graduate. What's the fun in that? The real adventure will be traveling around, creating memories and connections with good people. Think of all the fun in moving into a small apartment in some strange town, staying up the night before my first day because of the jitters. I'll become friends with my neighbor, find the best place to eat in town, and enjoy getting up for work everyday. I think I am more excited to see the opportunities arise and just where my path will lead me. It reminds me of the old Dr. Seuss quote. "Oh the places you'll go." Oh the places I will go. I can't wait!! Test season is upon us. The late nights filled with cramming for tests, unhealthy snacks, and several cups of coffee is here. Midterm is tomorrow and I am still in shock. I cannot believe we are already in the half way point of the semester. So if I am having a hard time with this, does that mean I don't have to take my midterm? Seriously, where does the time go? Tonight I am geared with really great study music and good coffee. Sidenote: Y'all should check out Rend Collection for upbeat, positive music. They did a cover of Oceans (Where feet may fail) and its a masterpiece. This is my jam for the night. Before I start studying, I want to share some news with you all, some my already know. Chip and Joanna Gaines are ending their tv show, Fixer Upper, with the last season starting in November. Goodness it is sad to see them go. Their show was always full of family, style, and drama free. Now, I realize it is just a show, but there is so much to take away from this. Chip and Joanna are emphasizing the importance of family and growing of relationships. In our fast pace society, it seems those two values are unpopular. The need for fame and being the "trend" seems to take center stage, but it sure is refreshing to see this family try to be a "real family." Now, that is some serious priorities. If you didn't know, Joanna has an amazing blog and she unveils all the details about their plan. Y'all should check it out! Just click on her picture to see the news and the sweet farewell! All of this has me thinking... (no, it isn't because of the lack of sleep and coffee)
What could I eliminate from my life that can be high stress or strays me away from my priorities? This is such a hard question to answer because this means some tough self-evaluation. Just a few ideas to skim the surface: I should finish my book, The Best Yes, I started weeks ago, instead of watching re-runs of Friends during my breaks. Don't get me started about playing on my phone. Some days, that gets me SO sidetracked. I should also finish my list of to do instead of procrastinating. I have this goal of printing off pictures I took during my college career, so I can look back and remember all the adventures. I started uploading pictures last week and totally put it on the back burner, due. They aren't going to print off themselves! To keep some accountability, I will update you during this process of cleaning through my priorities. If you all decide to try the same thing, I would LOVE to hear about it. I am always up for inspiration. I have several other goals I would love to complete, but instead "busyness" gets in the way. The best time for my aspirations are NOW. Here is to completing the little things that actually matter in life! One of my all time favorite movies is The Wizard of Oz. Who ever directed that movie was brilliant. The transition from showing black and white picture to color was unforgettable! I can remember as a little girl watching that movie and visualizing how beautiful all the colors were in the munchkin town. Think about the beautiful green plants, the vibrant red and yellow bricks in the center of the town, and all the finely dressed munchkins! It was mesmerizing. Don't even get me started on those flawless, ruby slippers. OH. MY. GOODNESS. There is one scene in particular that I feel like I live out on occasion. Dorthy is in her house, flying through the twister as people, animals, and even the witch, spin past her. She has no grip on anything and when she lands, she just has to take her journey one step at a time, not knowing what will pop up next. I feel like I am Dorthy, spinning in a twister of busyness and time crunch. Rushing to do "this", late nights working on "that", and then waking up to do it all again. Its overwhelming but everyone experiences their own twister. I know when I graduate college in May, some of the twisters will grow bigger, and some I will be able to dodge, enjoying the sunshine. While I am in this season of growth, I am able to find my rest and grip in my storms. I am so incredibly thankful to find refuge, and Tuesday nights serve as my time of peace. Tonight I spent my evening with friends at the gym, then us all joining together for college bible study. Having my friends, classmates, and even acquaintances (who spin around in their own twisters) lift one another up through Christ is incredible. I cannot forget to mention how amazing my pastor is. He drives a message of grace and healing, just when we need it most. "His mercy is new every morning." In a world of rush and demand, I am learning how beautiful the "pause button" is. College really is a time of learning, but not always the content of textbooks. I am learning my heart, my purpose, and my passions. That is more than enough reason to shuck off the stress of the world. Pressing pause gives me the chance to appreciate the hearts around me and the beauty of every situation. I've also realized without the storms and twisters, I would take so much for granted, missing the vibrancy of life. Tonight, I am thankful for the struggle and thanking God for my yellow brick road. I just love days where I can reflect on a really good day and just smile. Today was a great Monday. I laughed harder than I have in a long time, thanks to my sweet roomie, Callie. On top of the happiness, I also had a good reminder of a lesson I still trying to apply daily.
Callie and I are always watching crazy videos or the really funny fail videos, like the ones where a kid runs over their older sibling with those battery powered kid jeep. Those just crack us up! Well today we sat and laughed for an solid hour showing each other those crazy videos that pop up on Facebook. Tonight we were all sitting around the dinner table, with our other roommates Charles and Gus, telling stories and watching those same videos again. Somehow we got on the subject of bad plastic surgery stories. We pulled up a video of the top 10 worst stories, and boy, it got grusome. One lady injected her face with cooking oil for weeks and someone else had over 100 different surgeries. It was really wild!! Callie made the comment, "They were all so beautiful before the surgeries! Why couldn't they have seen that beforehand?" After that comment, the light bulb in my head went off! How many times have we been quick to call someone else beautiful or question why they don't think they are beautiful, but we forget to show ourselves the same love? I struggle with the idea of self love, just like everyone else. I am not convinced that there is one person on this Earth that love themselves all the time, 24/7, 365. Self love is such a hard concept to grasp. Some of the people I follow on Instagram are previous Miss America or Miss USA. These ladies are drop-dead gorgeous with amazing personalities. Tonight as I got back from the gym, working my butt off for a solid hour, I was scrolling through my phone and saw a post from one of these queens. In my mind, I made the quick comment "Dang, why can't I have be slim and trim like that?" Then, I just kept going about my business. I didn't stop and condemn that comment or affirm myself with a confident thought, I just kept going. Of course we have media to thank for the overwhelming flood of unrealistic body images. More importantly, we forget to combat these negative thoughts with positive, joyful ones. It is so easy for me to be my worst critic. I have the frequent tendency to doubt my actions like, should I have said that? Do they think I am a horrible person because I did that? Its like when we post a picture on social media, we check to see how many likes we get. Tonight showed me how much I need to love myself that much more. Just because we are successful at work or school or have lots of friends, doesn't mean we have an overwhelming love for ourselves. Having love and confidence for ourselves is the best weapon against rejection and difficulty. I am not saying we should check ourselves and wink every time we pass a mirror, but we should be slow to criticize or question our unique actions. I know yesterday I said I was going to make a goal to laugh more, but I think I should make it a priority to celebrate my quirkiness and the beautiful features that make me unique. The next time you make a rash comment about something you see as a flaw, stop and appreciate that thorn because it is apart of a beautiful, vibrant flower. You grow that flower garden! This verse just sums it all up... Couldn't have said it better. "Laughter is the fireworks of the soul."
You all know it doesn't take much for me to laugh. Throw you're cheesiest jokes at me, and 9 times out of 10, I will bust out laughing or I will laugh at how lame the joke was. This semester, laughing has been my remedy. I am going to be completely honest, I've had days where I laughed to keep from crying, and that is completely okay with me! Laughing is magical. I am always doing something clumsy. Today was one of those days... This evening I decided to sweep and mop the whole house, to give my week a "clean" start. My roommates and I live in this rustic, older house with hardwood floors and its really quite beautiful. I swept the house and then got the mop bucket ready. (You know, trying to be all domestic.) I walk to the front of the house and begin mopping the floor with lavender Pinesol, and goodness it smells awesome. My nose and heart is happy. Well I begin moving to the second room, our hallway and my bedroom entry, and I push my 10 quart-sized bucket along to floor. Just gently gliding a mostly full bucket because I thought I was highly skilled in the bucket department. And what to do you think happens. BAM, WATER EVERYWHERE. I dumped my WHOLE bucket out on the floor, spilling into my bedroom from the hallway. Luke (my boo thang) and Callie (roomie/bestie) are sitting in the kitchen, doing homework, and immediately hear the bucket fall over and my loud sigh. They burst out laughing and peak around the corner to see me just standing there. You know when a kid spills their drink and they just hang their head and stare at it, well that was me. What was I supposed to? I was mopping anyways but not really how I intended. Luke grabs me some towels and comes to my rescue, still laughing. Goodness gracious I need a reality show. So I finish wiping up all the water, and take the towels to the laundry room. I was walking back through the kitchen and told Callie "Yall just need to call me Queen Clumsy, ruler of the clumsy people." As I got those words out of my mouth, I TRIPPED ON THE RUG AND JAMMED MY TOE. I cannot make this stuff up guys. At this point, I just start laughing, and the more I laughed the funnier everything seemed. Laughing at that point really saved me because I got to thinking... 1. I am able to mop because I have a house and I am thankful for my home. 2. I am thankful the house smells so incredible. Thank you Pinesol. A clean house is a happy house! 3. I am thankful for Luke who is always there, holding a towel and a smile, helping me clean up, emotionally or physically. 4. I am thankful for Callie. She always keeps me laughing and appreciates the little things I try to do. 5. I am thankful I stubbed my toe because its proof I am officially Queen Clumsy. Where is my crown? Seriously, these little moments in my life are just pure entertainment. If I can't laugh at myself, then why should I laugh at all? Senior year is stressful and I have a constant to-do list floating around in my mind, but finding the joy is keeping me sane and happy. I really have so much to be thankful for, and take so many things in my life and people that love me for granted. This week I am going to set a goal to laugh more and enjoy the little moments more. I challenge you all to do the same thing! You never know how much joy you can discover. So, laugh on my sweet people! I am going to sleep good tonight because a few of my favorite things. If I was Julie Andrews, these would be the things I sing about...
Sweet customers and even sweeter co-workers... I am so blessed to have a job that surrounds people. My passion is working with people, and retail is the perfect place to do that! Today at the store, a mom and her two daughters came in looking for a dress for the homecoming dance. Of course it was very last minute, but the mom was just trying her best to make sure her oldest daughter felt beautiful and could go to the dance. That was some real dedication. Also, shout-out to Madison, because this Saturday was awesome with you! She hasn't been working with us very long, but she is killing it! Quick road trips home with my sweetheart... Luke and I were able to head South after I got off work to go see the family for the evening. We spent time with the birthday girl, my dear Rah-Rah and ate the best home cooked meal from my mama, Jen-Jen. (we all have nicknames for each other) My favorite quote from the night was when I gave Rah her gift. I bought her a cheetah print top for her birthday, and as she pulled it out of the bag, she said, "Oh yes! I'm going to look sexy in this!" Now if that doesn't make you happy and laugh, I don't know what will! My night is totally made. I told y'all yesterday, my grandmother is awesome! Coming back with delicious goodies... My mama knows one of my love languages is food. That woman is just the best! She cooked casseroles and a roast just for me, so I wouldn't have to worry with dinner for a few days. Is she just the BEST or what? Oh, and if you don't know, her roast is better than anything you ever ate. I can drink the juice from it, ITS THAT GOOD. I will have to see if I can get my hands on that recipe! Goodness, I am just so thankful for my mama. (She keeps me going) These are just a few of my favorite things. I could write for hours listing how blessed I really am. I will sleep good tonight with a happy, full heart (and belly). TGIF!! WHOOP! We made it through another week! I am doing my happy dance right now! I am really thankful for weekends because I would dead as a Duracell battery if we never had time to recharge. Whoever created the idea of a "weekend" was a genius. This person probably loved BBQ's and football games.
Another thing I am thankful for is my grandmother, Rah-Rah. Today is her birthday and she turned 82! Don't think twice because that lady is thriving and couldn't be more beautiful. Ya'll, I could sit for hours and talk to Rah. She has seen so much during her life, but she has loved that much more! It is just amazing to sit back and see someone who has given so much of her heart to her family and friends. Rah and I have this tradition of shopping together and boy, it is an adventure. Every year, we get together and do our shopping, trying our best to get it all done. Buying for the family that time of year is a nightmare anyways, but she has made it some of the best memories I carry. Let me tell ya'll something else too, she will be dressed and together where ever she goes. (I have a pretty hot grandma) I am beyond blessed to have such a strong, selfless grandmother in my life, who I can all at any moment for anything. Another one of my absolute favorite memories is when I was about 6 or 7 and Rah took me to Build a Bear Workshop in Valdosta. The store just opened and I remember how excited she was to take me to build a bear together. That was the coolest thing ever and I still have my panda bear, we named Sally. She helped me pick out the cutest bear in the whole place and little purple dress for Sally to wear. As a young kid, I remember that was the best day ever with my beautiful Rah. Recently, when the hurricane came through, I went home to bunker down, but you best bet I went to hang with my Rah. We sat and watched the weather channel and some Hallmark love movies, laughing and talking for hours. My aunt and my mama came over that afternoon and was like, hello, there is a hurricane coming remember? Thankfully it still had a little longer before it hit, but we were just having a big ole time, not even worried about a thing. Now, that sure is the best friendship I could ask for. I sure am thankful for Rah. I have always heard people say how valuable our elderly is, but you never really see how much until they impact your life. Rah has taught me tons of lessons, but she has prayed for me so much more. I tell my mama that she has a direct line to God, and goodness, it is an incredible thing. So go love on your grandparent or even someone else's grandma because you never know how greatly they can actually touch you. Happy Birthday to my best friend and ray of sunshine!! YA'LL!! I am just a tad bit excited right now because I successfully applied for my passport today!! Now all I have to do is wait until that tiny book of pure excitement is in my hands! Earlier this week, I felt like I had to find Rumpelstiltskin and make a magic deal to get that passport. The internet sure does give out a lot of information, but the process really wasn't that awful once I had it all figured out.
Do yall know what was bad though? MY PASSPORT PICTURE! Oh my goodness, hide your babies because that will make them cry. I went to Walgreen's to get it taken and I walk up in there like I was there for a photo shoot with Tyra Banks. The guy working pulls down this random backdrop from the ceiling (I mean random), and I wanted to say, "umm no, this lighting isn't going to work." He probably wouldn't have found that very funny because he had that, I "love" my job, kind of look. I jump in front of the backdrop and flash the biggest, cheesest smile ever! Do yall know what he said? "Oh no. You need to stop that smiling right now." Whattt?? I wiped my smile off pretty fast because I wasn't sure if I was allowed to smile or if I just had something funky in my teeth. Goodness gracious I wasn't going to ask him either because what if his answer was, "you're gross. Go brush your teeth." He printed off the picture pretty quickly and I was out of there! Don't ya'll worry, I went to the trusty ole Google and learned you cannot smile in your passport picture. I wish I would have known that ahead of time because I would practiced my fierce model face. America's Next Top Model here I come! Little moments of accomplishment, like this victory of gathering up the correct documents, right form of payment, and correct application, really flashes some excitement in my life! It's one step closer to Rome, but after thinking about it, this specific document that will allow me to travel the world! I forget sometimes how diverse and beautiful Earth really is, but with my passport, I am one step closer to that joy. Now I may never see the 7 wonders of the world, but that just having the option to travel abroad is magnificent! Having a very small opportunity to accomplish something is the real blessing! |
AuthorFood fanatic. People Person. Trying to prepare for the "real world" and enjoying the blessings along the way. ArchivesCategories |