Love

PERFECT 

The Help

I know I mentioned this a little bit in my last blog, but I am going into more detail. So last weekend at the beach, I starting reading "The Help." I knew that I wanted to read it because I wanted to see the movie. If I don't read the book first, then I will never read it after the movie. Mainly, because I am not a big reader. I say that I am not a big reader, but once I get into a book I cannot put it down. I started this book on Friday and I was halfway through by Saturday-that is huge for me! Anyway, back to this book. The book is set in the 1960's in Jackson, Mississippi. This is a time where the blacks and whites did not get along. The book is about this white girl Skeeter who wants to be a writer. She decides that she wants to write a book from the point of view of the help. Back then most colored women worked as maids for white families. They did all their cooking, cleaning, raising their babies, and so on. By the way I could never imagine having someone else raise my child-that is nuts. Anyway, Aibileen is the main character in this story and she is the first maid to say that she will help Ms. Skeeter. Now, I don't want to give anything away, but I will just say that this is a must read. I finished the book on Wednesday and went to see the movie last night. I will say that I was very impressed with the movie as well. I thought they did a great job of trying to stick to as close to the book as possible. The one thing I was sad about was that the love story was not really  prominent in the movie. I am sucker for the love story-always have been. But other than that I thought it was great. Of course they were a few tears shed durning the movie! The book and movie are truly inspiring. It is crazy to think that although this story is fiction, things like this really did happen during the 1960's in the United States and I think that is horrible. I cannot imagine making a colored women use a different bathroom from me. We are all the same in that we are all people, and have feelings regardless of color. So if you haven't read this book I would say GET TO READING!! You will not regret it, I promise. 

LAST semester

Well the time has come again. School has started. I really can't believe that this is my LAST semester of college! I am so ready. I know that everyone says once you get out you wish you could go back, but for those of you who know me know how long it has taken me to get done so to say that I am ready is an under statement. That's not to say that I have not loved every single minute I have spent in Boone (expect for the wondrous blizzards, of course), but I am just ready to be done with school. I honestly would love to live in Boone again at some point because I do love this town. Why in the world I decided to take 17 hours my last semester, I have no idea. I can already tell this semester is probably going to be the death of me. One of my teachers emailed the other day and said that they were changing one of my classes that was supposed to be Tues/Thurs during the day to only be on Thurs nights. Which means I have class on Tuesday nights, Wednesday night, and Thursday night. In cause I haven't mentioned it already I HATE night classes. They last so long, and by the time they come around I am drained from the day and just want to go home. Also, I am starting my days much later than normal. My earliest class is at noon and I am so not used to that. I have been waking up at 8 and not knowing what in the world to do without myself until time to go to class. Thankfully, I start my job tomorrow and will have that to keep my busy. Oh, and the new education building is FINALLY ready. The FCS department where I work and all my classes are, are in that building and I love it. It is so nice! I am still not really in school mode yet, but I guess I need to be because I already have a million things due next week. Oh well, maybe it will hit me this weekend. I am just still trying to get adjusted to my classes, my house, etc. 

In other news, I finished reading The Help today. What an amazing book! The second book ever that I have cried when reading it. I would definitely recommend it for all. You really start to feel for the characters and get a real taste of what life was like back with blacks and whites didn't get along. I am going to see the movie Friday with some of my roommates and my friend Jessie! I am so excited. I am glad I finished this book before I really got into the swing of things at school because I would have no time to finish it, but I did...yay!

Here's to my last semester at ASU praying and hoping that I will make it through. Can't wait to walk across that stage December 18th.

End of Summer

I cannot believe summer is almost over, it has gone by entirely too fast! I wanted to update you on what has been going on. This past weekend we celebrated my friend Meredith's bachelorette party. She is getting married on September 24th and I am so excited for her. We spent the day at the lake, went to dinner, and back to her grandparents place for a night of fun and laughter. We played some fun games and watched Mer open her presents. She got a lot of cute stuff. Funny story though my friend Erica and I bought her the same thing. Guess great minds think alike! I used to work with almost all the girls in attendance and one of them I have known since high school. We all used to be so close, and this weekend made me realize how much I miss spending time with them on a regular basis. We used to do something together every single weekend, and now we hardly ever see each other. I guess that is all a part of growing up considering most of them are married, have kids, or engaged. It's funny because it seems like yesterday we were all having fun, enjoying life, and didn't have a care in the world. Boy, have times changed. I am so glad I got to spend some quality time with the girls!
Sunday, I went to a Vi shake party at my friend Jessie's house. Afterwards we laid out at the pool and went to dinner. I enjoyed this time with her as well. Jessie worked at South Mountain Baptist Camp all summer so I have not seen her at all. We got to catch up on things that had happened this summer and things that were currently going on in our lives! We also talked about how excited we are that this semester our houses are in walking distance of one another in Boone. It is going to be so great, being so close to one another, almost like old times when we used to live together! 
Thursday I am going to the beach for a much needed vacay with the girls. I am so stoked. I have not been to the beach all summer. I think this is just what I need before school starts and I have to get focused. I am going to the beach until Sunday and then back to school on Monday. It will be a busy time, but I am excited to just relax at the beach. I can't wait to smell that ocean breeze...ahh!
So as summer draws to a close I am preparing for one last beach trip with the girls and then getting ready for my LAST semester in Boone. Life is good.

Moving Day!

So this past Sunday, my parents and I packed up my furniture to move all my stuff into the house that I am living in this semester. We have been so lucky that this is the only year that we have to had to move furniture. The other years my apartment has always been furnished, so it has never been an issue. I felt so bad for my parents because the weekend before they had to go to Columbia to move my sister into her new place. Then they had to turn around the very next weekend and move me in. Let's just be honest, my parents aren't as young as they used to be and I.B.'s health isn't as good as it used to be. So I was really worried about him doing all this moving. We loaded up the truck Saturday night with the box springs, mattress, and my dresser (that was my granny's and isn't the lightest thing in the world). I put a lot of things in my car including my desk chair, tv & vcr. I wanted to take everything I could this weekend because I am not going back to stay until August 22, and school starts on the 23. Lucky for me I am going to the beach the 18-21 so there will not be a lot of time for packing and all that. The only thing I left to take is my clothes! Anyway, we head off Sunday morning and of course we have to pull over several times because the tarp keeps coming undone...are you kidding me? We tied that rope as tight as it could go and it still came loose when we started driving. I.B. finally got it tied down and we were on our way. Mom and I prayed the whole way there that I.B.'s truck would make it because last time they came to get me in the blizzard his transmission went out! Thank goodness we made it this time!! About the time we hit blowing rock it started raining..of course! I checked the weather the night before and it said afternoon showers it was 11 am. Anyway, most of the furniture was covered except for some few open spots in the front. We arrived at the house, and hurried and got all the furniture out in the rain with my roommates help. We actually got everything done in a good amount of time! The only thing we didn't get to do was put my sheets and stuff on because my mattress was still a little damp from the rain. I wasn't sure how I would feel about my room, but once we got it complete I loved it. I am so excited about it. All in all it was a good day besides the tarp not cooperating and the rain. Thanks so much to parents for all their help. I don't know what I would do without them! 

It is hard to believe that this is my last semester of college!! I am excited to see what God has in store for me during this last semester and for my future!

Making Life Simpler

So I found this great article whenever I was STUMBLING...yes Anna Sipe I said stumbling! This article really hit home for me, so I wanted to share it with you guys. The words highlighted in this blue color are my takes on this advice! So here you go...Enjoy!

When we were young life was easier, right?  I know sometimes it seems that way.  But the truth is life still is easy.  It always will be.  The only difference is we’re older, and the older we get, the more we complicate things for ourselves.

You see, when we were young we saw the world through simple, hopeful eyes.  We knew what we wanted and we had no biases or concealed agendas.  We liked people who smiled.  We avoided people who frowned.  We ate when we were hungry, drank when we were thirsty, and slept when we were tired.

As we grew older our minds became gradually disillusioned by negative external influences.  At some point we began to hesitate and question our instincts.  When a new obstacle or growing pain arose, we stumbled and a fell down.  This happened several times.  Eventually we decided we didn’t want to fall again, but rather than solving the problem that caused us to fall, we avoided it all together.

As a result, we ate comfort food and drank alcohol to numb our wounds and fill our voids.  We worked late nights on purpose to avoid unresolved conflicts at home.  We started holding grudges, playing mind games, and subtly deceiving others and ourselves to get ahead.  And when it didn’t work out, we lived above our means, bought things we didn’t need, and ate and drank some more just to make ourselves feel better again.

Over the course of time, we made our lives more and more difficult, and we started losing touch with who we really are and what we really need.

So let’s get back to the basics, shall we?  Let’s make things simple again.  It’s easy.  Here are 60 ways to do just that:

Life is not complex.  We are complex.  Life is simple,
and the simple thing is the right thing.
- Oscar Wilde

1. Don’t try to read other people’s minds.  Don’t make other people try to read yours.  Communicate.
2. Be polite, but don’t try to be friends with everyone around you.  Instead, spend time nurturing your relationships with the people who matter most to you.
3. Your health is your life, keep up with it.  Get an annual physical check-up.
4. Live below your means.  Don’t buy stuff you don’t need.  Always sleep on big purchases.  Create a budget and savings plan and stick to both of them.
5. Get enough sleep every night.  An exhausted mind is rarely productive.
6.  Get up 30 minutes earlier so you don’t have to rush around like a mad man.  That 30 minutes will help you avoid speeding tickets, tardiness, and other unnecessary headaches. I struggle with this one. I always want to sleep until the last possible second.
7. Get off your high horse, talk it out, shake hands or hug, and move on.
8. Don’t waste your time on jealously.  The only person you’re competing against is yourself. So true.
9. Surround yourself with people who fill your gaps.  Let them do the stuff they’re better at so you can do the stuff you’re better at.
10. Organize your living space and working space.  Read David Allen’s bookGetting Things Done for some practical organizational guidance.
11. Get rid of stuff you don’t use.
12. Ask someone if you aren’t sure.
13. Spend a little time now learning a time-saving trick or shortcut that you can use over and over again in the future.
14. Don’t try to please everyone.  Just do what you know is right.
15. Don’t drink alcohol or consume recreational drugs when you’re mad or sad.  Take a jog instead.
16. Be sure to pay your bills on time.
17. Fill up your gas tank on the way home, not in the morning when you’re in a hurry.
18. Use technology to automate tasks.
19. Handle important two-minute tasks immediately.
20. Relocate closer to your place of employment.
21. Don’t steal.
22. Always be honest with yourself and others.
23. Say “I love you” to your loved ones as often as possible. One of my favorites! 
24. Single-task.  Do one thing at a time and give it all you got.
25. Finish one project before you start another.
26. Be yourself.
27. When traveling, pack light.  Don’t bring it unless you absolutely must. This is so hard for me.
28. Clean up after yourself.  Don’t put it off until later. Amen.
29. Learn to cook, and cook.
30. Make a weekly (healthy) menu, and shop for only the items you need.
31. Consider buying and cooking food in bulk.  If you make a large portion of something on Sunday, you can eat leftovers several times during the week without spending more time cooking.
32. Stay out of other people’s drama.  And don’t needlessly create your own.
33. Buy things with cash.
34. Maintain your car, home, and other personal belongings you rely on.
35. Smile often, even to complete strangers.
36. If you hate doing it, stop it.
37. Treat everyone with the same level of respect you would give to your grandfather and the same level of patience you would have with your baby brother.
38. Apologize when you should.
39. Write things down.
40. Be curious.  Don’t be scared to learn something new.
41. Explore new ideas and opportunities often.
42. Don’t be shy.  Network with people.  Meet new people.
43. Don’t worry too much about what other people think about you. Love it.
44. Spend time with nice people who are smart, driven, and likeminded.
45. Don’t text and drive.  Don’t drink and drive. Amen
46. Drink water when you’re thirsty.
47. Don’t eat when you’re bored.  Eat when you’re hungry.
48. Exercise every day.  Simply take a long, relaxing walk or commit 30 minutes to an at-home exercise program like the P90X workout.
49. Let go of things you can’t change.  Concentrate on things you can.
50. Find hard work you actually enjoy doing.
51. Realize that the harder you work, the luckier you will become.
52. Follow your heart.  Don’t waste your life fulfilling someone else’s dreams and desires. yes, yes, yes!
53. Set priorities for yourself and act accordingly.
54. Take it slow and add up all your small victories.
55. However good or bad a situation is now, it will change.  Accept this simple fact.
56. Excel at what you do.  Otherwise you’ll just frustrate yourself.
57. Mature, but don’t grow up too fast.
58. Realize that you’re never quite as right as you think you are.
59. Build something or do something that makes you proud.
60. Make mistakes, learn from them, laugh about them, and move along.

Missing the Good Ol' Days

This weekend has been insane, but it has really opened by eyes to certain things that I miss in my life. This weekend a friend that I used to go to church with Lee, his dad died. I also used to teach sunday school with Lee's mom Wendy and she is one of the sweetest people I know. This tragic time brought us all back together. The bonds that I formed with the people at Antioch are ones that I will treasure forever and last night after seeing everyone at the funeral home I realized how much I missed every single one of them. There was a time where the one person I could count on the most was a part of my every day life. Antioch brought us together, and I am so thankful for that. But as the years past, we have grown apart and that makes me sad. Last night was the first time I have seen him in years and much to my surprise we picked up right where we left off. It was like there was no time had elapsed in that moment. Those types of friendships are hard to find, and I am so grateful to have this in my life. We were such a close knit group at one time, and now we don't hardly ever see each other and that breaks my heart. These were the people that I shared my life with for so many years, the people that I spent every Sunday night with, the people who made me laugh constantly, the people I spent every summer with at Caswell writing those encouragement letters that we complained about, but looking back now that was the best idea ever (thanks rodney). These people have forever impacted my life and I will forever be grateful for the time I spent with them.  I just wish that things could go back to the way they used to be. I wish that I still saw these people on a regular basis. I was so excited when Jess called me the other day, and said let's plan a beach trip! I immediately said yes because I need some quality time with my long lost friends. This weekend has made me miss the good ol' days when life seemed much simpler. I know that times have changed, and we are all growing up and going our separate ways, but I will forever be thankful for these people who have changed my life forever. 
So to all of you (you know who you are)- I miss you. I love you. I will always love you. You guys are the best. Thanks for being the greatest friends!