'Tis the Season

Hi Readers!

I hope everyone had an awesome and fulfilling Turkey Day! If you're like me, you spent allll day yesterday shopping and today working out. 'Tis the season, right?

Well, as I have been home for a few days now, I am feeling rejuvenated and loving life. Spending time with my family always has a way of doing that for me. Just seeing smiles and hearing laughs from my family is such a heart warming time for me (because it hasn't always been that way with my family). Spending time away from college put a lot of things in perspective for me and really showed me how incredibly blessed my life is. Through the heartbreaks and obstacles that have been ever so prevalent since I started my sophomore year, this trip home was exactly what I needed :)

On an even more exciting note, it's Christmas season!! I am currently blasting Christmas music and singing along. What can I say, this time of year always puts me in the best of moods. Seriously, I'm like a little kid in a candy store. I have already been searching through pinterest and other websites to find new recipes that I would like to make for Christmas. To say the least, I am all about going all out for Christmas. What's your favorite recipe? Any recommendations? Feel free to email me :)

While Christmas trees, Santa, stockings, warm fires, hot cocoa, and Christmas lights are all a good time and should be enjoyed by all, it's always ingrained in my mind the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus has done so much for me throughout my life and continues to work in me today. This season is a time to give thanks to the man upstairs and glorify Him in all that we do. So while we're busy making plans and decorating our trees, it's always a good idea to set aside time to value the true meaning behind all of it.

Hohoho!
Embrace the holiday spirit :)

Funny How My Life Resembles My Closet

Do you ever feel like everything in your life is working against you? That you're drowning in your own life and no one can save you but yourself? Well, welcome to my life. Today is just one of those days where the issues and heartbreaks are very prevalent and on the surface.

My mom is one of the most important people in my life and I hate when we don't get along. Over the last two weeks, we've talked very little and when we do talk, we normally end up arguing. For sake of personal details, I won't tell you what the issue is, but nevertheless, I hate fighting with her. She isn't only a mother to me, but also one of my best friends. I'm sure a lot of you can relate. Our fights don't normally last this long but this morning we definitely got into it and I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm supposed to be going home for Thanksgiving but I'm not so sure that is in the plan anymore. How do I fix this?

Scott was always the one person that could cheer me up and I could count on always being there. The one person that could make everything okay is no longer in my life. It sucks when all I want to do is talk to him and have him hold me.

Two of the single most important people in my life are no where to be found. One of them has no interest in talking to me at the moment, and the other, well who knows what Scott is up to these days. Awesome, right? Definitely feeling like I hit the jackpot this morning. Sarcasm in full swing today.

It's times like these that I can't seem to understand why God is putting me in these situations. I end up pointing the finger at myself. If I could go back and do things differently, I would. But life doesn't work that way. And today, I feel like life is throwing lemons at me fasting than I can make lemonade.

On top of everything, I feel like death. Gymnastics is definitely taking a toll on my body. To put it mildly, I feel like I got hit by a train. To be honest though, this is the least of my problems. I'm just praying for some kind of miracle in this department.

In an effort to make the day a little better, I stop by Starbucks to pick up my favorite, a fat free chai tea latte. It's literally like Christmas in a cup. Unfortunately, the line was a mile long and as you can imagine, I have no patience for that on a day like today. I guess I should just go back to cleaning out my closet at this point. Maybe my life will follow.

Hopefully you all are having a better day than I am!
Cheers (coffee-less) to this terrible Tuesday.

Relationships 101

Wow! Look's like I got a lot of hits yesterday... Thanks to everyone for reading my blog! Today I feel like I just need to spill some things that have been weighing very heavy on my heart lately. Ladies, you're going to love this one :) 

As I mentioned in my previous post, I dated a guy for a year. We began dating in October 2011 of my freshman year of college. He is 2 years older than me and an absolute gem. Just recently (about a month ago) he ended things. As you can imagine, it's been a roller coaster type month full of emotions. 

When we began dating, we had the relationship that everyone around us wanted. We were the typical "love birds" and he was the perfect boyfriend. I genuinely felt like God has placed this man in my life for a reason. I had waited out for the most part in the dating scene and I felt that Scott was my reward. In May 2012, I flew out to Cali to visit Scott's family. It was during that trip that I knew I could spend a lifetime and more with him. I have never felt stronger for a person than I did about Scott. We spent a night just outside San Francisco and it was one of the best nights of my life, which is ironic because the night ended as such a disaster!! 

Let me just take you through that evening. We went out to dinner with his Aunt at an Italian restaurant in Saucalito. It was my first time meeting his Aunt and I was overwhelmed with joy when meeting her. She is the kind of person that lights up a room when you talk to her and you can't help but smile :) She is truly an amazing person. After spending time with her that night, Scott and I were to spend the night at his Grandma's condo. His grandma was out of town and we were told there would be a spare key outside on her porch. Well, after an hour or so of searching every square inch possible, we concluded that we should just stay with his Aunt. On the way back to his aunt's house, I cried in the car as he was driving... Pure tears of happiness. I had never felt so happy in my life, so in tune with another person, so in love, so sure that what Scott and I shared was a once in a lifetime kind of love. After a night of ups and downs, laughter through every part of it, and wearing his sweatshirt as a dress (mind you he is 6'7 and I am 5'4), I knew I wanted to marry this man. 

Yes, I am 19 years old. Yes, I understand that people probably think I'm crazy. But when you know, you know... right? I had never been so sure of anything in my life. 

Well, here we are in November 2012 and Scott and I are no longer together. Tell me ladies, how do I get over this boy? The past few months were full of ups and downs for the both of us and Scott just wasn't happy being with me anymore. It was heartbreaking to hear that he no longer felt the same way about me as he once did. I have tried to fight for him over this past month and show him that we can truly be happy together, but in the end, it just isn't what he wants. And because I truly do love him and want what's in his best interest, I have to respect that. 

Today, all I can think about is this man. I am choosing to look at our relationship as a blessing and a lesson learned, because in the end, I feel that I am responsible for his unhappiness. I stopped doing the little things for him and almost got too comfortable in our relationship. Well, guess what, lesson learned! I have obviously been experiencing the single life this last month and I have to say, it's an interesting time being single in college!! It has really made me realize that Scott raised my standards for my future relationships. I am not willing to date any guy that comes along, and I am more than willing to wait for the guy that exceeds my standards. For the time being, I am going to do what makes me happy and just do me for awhile... Enjoy being by myself, ya know? 

So ladies, if you're going through a heartbreak, you are most definitely not alone! I am right there with you and I think it's a kind of empowering thing to know that girls everywhere can stand alone and don't need to find their identity in a guy. Embrace being yourself and a guy will come along that will love everything about you and you'll understand why it never worked out with anyone else. Until that time, go for GNOs, treat yourself to a mani/pedi, get fit, DO YOU! 

For all you single ladies out there, God is looking down on you right now, smiling because He is saving you for someone special :) 

Getting Started!

Helllllllo readers! I'm warning you right now, this first post is going to be a pretty boring one. I just have to get the intro out there and then I'm sure there will be more interesting things to talk about in the days to come. But first, I'd just like to say that I am sooo very excited to start blogging! For a few months now I have been wanting to start a blog, mainly because I have so many thoughts I'd love to get out in the open... So for you girls out there, and even the guys, I am hoping you'll relate to the posts to come and continue to visit back to my blog! 

For starters, I am a sophomore in college and I attend Bowling Green State University. I am studying to become a marine biologist. Yes, I love fish! I am a member of the BGSU gymnastics team and have been doing gymnastics for almost 17 years. It has always been my passion and I have been blessed to have the opportunity to compete as an NCAA gymnast. 

My top priority in my life is my family. Although small, we are mighty. I would be no where without my mom, aunt and grandma. They have been my everything, my rock, and my role models.

 My team has made college such an amazing experience

and I cannot imagine having a closer knit group of friends.

My mom, my best friend, my rock. Through thick 

and thin, we have been through 

everything together and always come out

stronger because of it.

My "sister" and best friend, Alexis. This girl knows 

everything about me and still manages to love me!

A true blessing in my life.

Oh, this man. Scott was my 

boyfriend of a year. We began 

dating in October of 2011. He 

has shown me what it truly means to 

love. Scott has impacted my life 

more than he will ever know and I 

am so excited to see where 

life takes him. 

If you kept reading to this point, I am thoroughly impressed and I can promise a much more interesting post for next time! 

Stay tuned and enjoy the nice weather this weekend if you live in the midwest!