recent lessons

Things i've learned in the past few months and in no order of significance...


1) if signing up for a new financial responsibility such as a a car or apartment, make sure you still have A LOT of wiggle room for the unexpected
2) finally understand the importance of living beneath your means
3) don't spend a lot of money on faded jeans, their filled with bleach and won't last that long
4) dont waste time with people who don't make you happy, time is too precious
5) make alone time a priority to regain focus and perspective
6) attitude is everything, even if you don't feel like it, if you tell yourself enough you will believe it
7) growing up in a bubble/sheltered environment was a good thing
8) maybe if prayers aren't answered, we should ask God what He wants
9) mom is wonderful
10) call dad if you need to be cheered up
11) sleep with a noise machine if you have a creative mind and live alone
12) when wearing light colors do not eat anything tomato based or that can stain
13) mom is right, always make the bed-gives a fresh start
14) dont eat out so much, its a lot of money and also makes eating out no longer a special occasion and hello LBS.
15) if you have a porch, make sure you have chairs
16) if the temperature is 65-75, turn off the ac/heat and open the windows

a time to laugh

If you were to tell me where I would be today, a year ago, I wouldn't want to believe you. In fact, I would cringe. And at the same time, today I'm so happy and have realized strengths I didn't know were within me. A year ago, I was head over heels in love with the same of my dreams and afraid to be alone. Now I'm single, living in a studio apartment by myself, at peace and happy. To say that the past 6 months have been the hardest time period of my life is true. To say that I have grown and become a better person through it by facing fears and rejection is very true.

It's so true how if you tell God your plans, you will hear Him laugh. It's taken me awhile to hear his laughter but I am now. At first it was cruel but now I'm discovering peace in His plan for my life. I have a key chain on my set of keys that has Jeremiah 29:11 on it, my favorite verse. Someone gave it to me at my high school graduation, 6 years ago. I would stare at it every now and then reminding myself when things were going good or astray. More times when things were going astray. The other day I was running out the door off to work and it broke off my key chain. I was in a rush so I grabbed it and threw it in my cup holder as I dashed off to work. This was God tapping me on the shoulder so I could hear his laugh. Majority of the time we ask for hope when things are going bad. I know I begged for hope this past year, whether it be for my job, finances or my heart. It's so easy to get caught up in the begging that when we have it we don't recognize it. I was given hope and a future just like He promised me. In that moment when the keychain broke I knew He was trying to tell me something. It was to stop, look around my life, look back to the past and see that girl then look at myself now and hear His joyful laughter. "There is a time for everything...a time to weep and a time to laugh" (Ecclesiastes 3) I went through the time of weep so I can now walk through this time to laugh.

day 13: trivia nights. day 14: backroads.

day 13

It's really easy for days to blend together. With the new daylight savings change, which should be reworded, it's easy for work to seem like that's all you do because you get off and it feels like bedtime. This is why I'm thankful for weekly trivia nights with friends to drink beer, eat pizza and ruffle up the useless facts in our minds. It's a great way to feel like I social life and not just work.

day 14

Biden is in Atlanta tonight and literally every road is crazy. I got off work at 7 and cars were not even moving around my building. Luckily I like to think and drive so I've learned random back roads and was able to cut some corners and get home in 30 minutes...to do laundry. But I'm thankful for those dark back roads no one is fully aware of because I was able to keep my sanity tonight as well as feel like I outsmarted the traffic which is always a victory.

day 11: vets. day 12: shelter.

Day 11

"Everybody gave something. Some gave everything" Words from my father when thanking him for his service for veterans day. I'm so thankful for all the men and women who serve our country everyday and sacrifice their lives for complete strangers.

Day 12

On this cold night I am also thankful that I have shelter and warm place to go at night. It's something that is definitely taken for granted and greatly missed once it is taken away.

day 10: getaways.

 A change of scenery always helps for a refresh. Last night a group of friends drove up to North Georgia to do some corn mazes and hay rides. We stayed the night and ended up playing cards late into the evening. We woke up late then went for a hike, enjoying the beautiful the fall weather and scenery. Afterwards we ventured to a knock-off Germany town for our own version of "Novemberfest" which was a beer when we got distracted by a stray dog walking in the middle of the street. The rest of the evening was spent walking the dog to his what seemed abandoned and slightly creepy Victorian mansion. Since no one was answering and there was a light on upstairs we figured we did our duty, left the dog and literally ran back to the town. We settled down over some warm funnel cakes and hot cocoa before heading back home.

It was the perfect refresher before starting the new week. Getting away helps change your pace of life, especially living in the city and then going to enjoy the quietness of the mountains. It was a great reminder of simple joys in life, even if it was just taking the time to look up and admire the blue sky.

day 9: saturday mornings.

Today I am thankful for Saturday mornings. Especially the very lazy ones. After an exhausting week, waking up without an alarm bundled up under layers of blankets and surround by pillows...pure happiness. What makes it even better is just laying in bed with coffee brewing and eating chocolate cookies made last night...it's going to be a great day.

Happy Saturday!

Day 8: movies.

Do you ever get out of a movie and your heart is soaring? I went to go see "About Time" tonight and it was incredible. If you haven't seen it, you need to. You'll laugh out loud and then you will cry....I cried to the point where I realized I probably should have waited for this to come out on DVD where I could watch it at my apartment. Regardless, it was incredible. Movies are incredible. It's the one thing that can take us away for a moment and be a fly on the wall of someone else's story. It's also a great way to relax. But, yay for movies!!! Especially "About Time!"



It was "about time" someone made a good movie...and pun! (HA, couldn't resist, cheesiness done. over and out.)