Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all!!!

I love Christmas! I love our family time together and I love remembering that Jesus was born in a manger to know that he would grow up and die for ALL PEOPLE'S sins. For that I am certainly thankful!

These past couple of days I have been feeling SOOO much better! Thank God for answering prayers! Christmas Eve Eve me and my sister went to a friends house for their Christmas Eve Eve Party. It was so much fun to just hang out with them again! I have missed them! Then I went to my cousin's house because my cousins from TEXAS are HERE!!!!! I love them so much and wish I saw them more! IT was such a fun night we talked til 11:00pm ish and thats late for me ;) Last night was Christmas Eve when we as an immeadiate family have always done our Christmas. My sister and husband and nephew came over for a fabulous dinner my parents made. We had Red Lobster clam chowder for appetizer along with shrimp cocktail and garlic bread. Dad made fabulous steak for us and Mom made the fried potatoes! It was delish! We also had birthday cake for dessert! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS! We also played games of dominoes. IT was so fun! IT is one of my most favorite nights of the year! Today we go to my aunt and uncle's for Christmas with that side of the family! I love love love this DAY!!!!!

I want to wish all a very Merry Christmas and I hope all have a blessed day!!!!

laughter really is the best medicine...

After a rough weekend and a rough couple of days I had a really fun night. I hung out with an amazing 8th grader and 5th grader. Kids (especially teens and pre teens) can be something crazy but there is just something about them that can make the child in you come out and play :)

I got to sit and hang out with them not babysit just hang out :) They made me laugh and laugh and laugh. I love this family. I used to be closer to them when I was younger but goodness it felt soo good to be back and just laugh with them.

Past couple days have just been rough....I have talked, and cried and cried some more. I have prayed for peace and a change of heart for situations that are present. I believe my prayer was starting to be answered just by the peace and laughter I felt tonight that I have not felt in a minute.

I am excited for this week!! MY cousins come tomorrow!!! They are so fun! I love family time!!!! Then Christmas Eve and Christmas!!!! I cannot believe it is so so soon. I love Christmas becasue we remember of Christ being born with the intention of saving us all from sin. I also love it becasue it does bring the family together and I really do love my family!

I love to cry it out....just my nature....but I love laughing more :)

Sometimes...

Somethings in life just are not fair. Things happen...I believe for a reason. I have had to learn that lately...even if I do not know the reason quite yet I have to trust in knowing it was for a reason. For me this week it has been school and work. I really need to pass this test in January so I can finally get started in the Teacher Education program. The test is January 7th and a  big deal. I have missed passing by 1 point! I just come so close and then it just doesn't happen for me...but it will...it has to.


I was also passed up for a job that I believed was for me. I had worked hard and trained and had been there for 5 years. It was given to someone else...someone who I know can do the job fine, but that did not make me feel any better about not getting it. My feelings were hurt and it just was no fun all around. I know there is a reason that I didn't get the job and hopefully I'll know why sometime soon.

 Even though these things have not worked out I am very thankful to God that he has helped provided for my education and provided me with a job in general. I am thankful for school and work so really I have nothing to complain about.

 5 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!

Christmas is SOON!

I am no fan of snow..suure if I got to sit inside all day with blankets and see it outside and not have to b cold it is great and beautiful! But driving in it?? no thank you!

One more class and then my first semester home will be finish! Since this is the first semester in 3 years that I have not been in Tennessee it has been really fast, but really sad sometimes when I miss my friends. I really do miss the people but I love being home! I love seeing my family more and friends at home! I think school is going a lot better since I have been home. All around I just think that staying home was a great decision.

I cannot believe Christmas is in 11 days and my cousins come in 9! It is the best time when my cousins are home and it's Christmas time! I love it! Then in January it is VACAY TIME!!!! I love vacation! Not going anywhere warm or tropical but a nice get away with the fam is fabulous!

Also had an interview for a promotion at work yesterday. It was a surprise interview but I felt like it went well. Please pray for this job. I love what I do and would really love getting this job.

Hope everyone enjoys this Tuesday!!!

blah blah blah

yes yes it HAS been a while and I have kindly been reminded by a friend that she needs something to do with procrastinating :) love you!

unfortunately not a lot is going on...school and work...
lucky for me I only have two class days left and 1 test final and 1 performance final!!! piece of cake!

ready for Christmas and vacation time!
This is so boring and I apoligize...wish more exciting news wat happening in my life...One good thing is that my cousins will be here in like 17 days and I love them and miss them so I am super excited for that!!! Eww and it snowed...I hate snow. I try and make it go away...then it snows and I look out my window from inside my warm house and think aww it IS pretty...then I bundle up and go to my car and have to brush all the snow off then scrape the ice off the window and then sit in my car forever  to warm up...then drively....slowly to wherever it is I need to be...this time it was work..awesome! Blah so yeah Im over it already :)

Ok well 17 days til I see my cousins which means 19 days until Christmas :)

Let my countdown begin!!!

SO let the journey begin!!!

Ok first I start off with a disclaimer!!!
            I am not a workout person, this is not bragging, this is not thinking I did something unbelievable

What this IS about is my journey and sharing it with others in the hope it is inspiration or the hope that I will be encouraged. I am a people person and I do thrive off of other people and their encouragement or their discouragement whatever that person chooses to feed me!

Today I ran 1 mile in 13:52....not a world record but it is a start for myself. I also did some arm and leg workouts. I know my starting weight and yet I am still too vulnerable to say it on here quite yet. I dont know if it is because I am too afraid and care what people think or if it is a cautious thing on my part in case I do not lose the weight like I hope. Maybe because I have failed other times I don't want to put myself out there!!!

But anyway I am excited I ran a mile with only walking 4 minutes and thats good for  me!!!

So let the journey begin!!!

1. Why did you create this blog?
My reason for this blog is not because I have an amazing story to tell, or something to share that is heart wrenching or anything of extreme measures...it's simple...this is the life of an ordinary 22 year old female living life...going to school, working, and living!

2. What kind of blogs do you follow?
I love to follow blogs about people I can relate to...yes that may mean young adult women living their lives. I do read those that are of struggles and hopes getting worked out. I follow those who believe in the same things that I believe in!

3. Your favorite make up brand?
My mom would love for me to say Mary Kay...and it's true I do like their eyeliner and mascara the best that I have ever tried! Everything else would be just a cover girl sorta thing :)

4. Your favorite clothing brand?
Let me start this off with I am not a fashion icon or even close! I love to be comfortable when I am at home in my sweats (CHAMPION) and sweatshirts or whatever is comfy and warm! Besides that I just wanna look cute and professional while in school and at work. Except when I work retail because I get to wear what we sell which is nice comfy clothes :)

5. Your indispensable make-up product?
Is chap stick considered make-up?? Only kidding...sorta! I love chap stick! It is pretty addicting! But other than that I do love my loose powder from Cover girl and mascaras AT LEAST!

6. Your favorite color?
Reading this post and blog can easily tell you my favorite color is PINK! I'm a girly girl when it comes to pink! I love zebra print and pink together....not that zebra is a color, but I love it!!!

7. Your favorite film?
This is such a difficult question...it always is! I love movies! They are my favorite...Lifetime movies, Hallmark movies, Blockbusters, Best selling, or just independent films I love them! However I do love The Blind Side, Remember the Titans, Fox and the Hound...and lots more its incredible!

8. Your favorite perfume?
Well I love Pink from Rue 21, and Sexy Hot Pink from Victoria's Secret!

9. What country would you like to visit and why?
Have we SEEN P.S. I love you???? IRELAND here I come!!!!

10. Write the last question and answer it yourself.
What's your favorite food?

I love pizza, or any Italian...and I love Seafood!!!!


All of this is just a little about me and what I love!!!
Have a good weekend Bloggers :)

Brrr...Its Cold Here

I am not a fan of cold weather or rain and today we have both :(

Today my sister's niece Landry went into surgery. I cannot remember all the details but it is a very serious surgery on her head. The last update I got things were going well. I can only pray for Landry, the doctors, and the family. Please dear readers if you may please pray for the rest of surgery to go well and a great recovery. Landry has a 4 year old brother and so I pray that he just understands why mommy and daddy and Landry have been away! It would be a very hard situation to understand!! I am so thankful for a God who listens to every prayer of His children!

Thanks everyone!!

its been awhile

but I guess not a lot has changed!

I had a bad week. Not like terrible terrible things happening but it was a week where everything seemed to be piling up...even the small things. It was something to write about but I probablly would have cried through it so I guess it is good to just recap! To help I have great friends...so we had a sleepover!!! Yes it was fun to feel like I was 12 again....we did not do much but I think it is still what I needed. A lazy day with good friends! The week has gotten better so I am thankful for that!

Lets see any big plans this week??? Saturday I get to go with my friend Heather and watch her try on wedding dresses :)) Oh I love weddings and especially when it is a friend! I also have to try on bridesmaid dresses...not as much fun! I am super proud of myself though because I have already been saving money for both dresses I have to get for summer weddings! So money?? going good so far  Weight Loss?? working on it!! If anyone has suggestions or ideas or blogs to follow to help in that department I am listening :)

Also I have been subbing a lot. And I did not know half the things these kids do now days...not in school but just in life. Things I didn't know at least til high school and maybe college!!! Blows my mind!!!

Well thanks for listening (reading) to my rambling!!! Hope everyone has a blessed and safe weekend!!!

A Great time to give Thanks

I feel like October came and went (with some birthdays in between) and now it is November! I love November for the simple fact of I love Thanksgiving but more than just the food. It is a wonderful time to really think about all we have to be thankful for. First I am thankful for Jesus Christ who is my Lord and Savior. I am also thankful I live in America where I am free and able to vote today! I am thankful for wonderful Christian parents who love me and brought me up in the church. I am thankful they are here with me! I am thankful for my sister and my best friend. She is always there for me even though she has a crazy two year old :) Who I am also very thankful for. He is the best little guy and I love him to pieces even if he is totally rotten :). I am thankful for my brother (in-law) that he loves my sister and Greyson and works hard for his family. I am thankful I get to go to school to pursue a career I am passionate about. I am thankful that I have 2 jobs when times are so tough. I am thankful for my friends new and old....the ones that know just what to say and when to say it and the ones that just make me laugh. My life is good and even when little things go wrong or aren't in my favor I need to relax and take a breath becasue so much in my life is good.

That is something I need to work on now that I think about it. I am a very fun outgoing person who tries so hard to be just laid back. It is hard for me. I can be an anxious person. I love to know the answers to things and I like to know them immeadiately. I guess that'd be that I am not a very patient person. It is something I definately need to work on. I easily get worked up about things. I guess I am passionate about certain things and very emotional and I can admit that even if it does cause problems a lot of the time. I let my emotions get the best of me and I need to take a breather and calm down because usually they aren't as big of a deal as I make them out to be. I stress when I don't need to and basically I need a large chill pill :) But writing in the blog really has given me an outlet. I say what I need to say (most of the time :) ) and just put it out there and accept feedback.

Ok those are my thoughts for the day! Please vote becasue we are very priveledged to do so :)

Love!!!

Halloween!!!

I am usually not one to be so excited for Halloween! I don't even remember being so excited as a little kid getting to go get candy....however I am sure I was :)  I always remember my mom coming up with creative costumes for us!! I dont ever remember buying a costume.....and we were nothing scary ever. I honestly do not remember going out trick or treating except few pictures I have.

This year I will be hanging out with my friends and I think I know what I am going to be!!! But I can'ttell yet because that would ruin the surprise!!!! I am pretty excited. Its a fun costume thing nothing bad! It'll also be comfy!!! Enough hints....no surprise ruining :) You'll have to come back to learn what I was :)

Anyone out there wanna share what their costumes are going to be?!

fears...

Why are we afraid of whatever our fears are? There must be a reason.... Some people have reasos to be afraid of fire....maybe their house burned down.....people are afraid of snakes....maybe they were bitten. I learned today that I really am more afraid of storms than I thought I was. It even sounds silly to me to be afriad of them because I have no idea or no past incident to create this fear. This morning we had tornado warnings in our county specifically our community was talked about. I was being told to take shelter and texted by people...who were only worried and trying to make sure I was safe...but it just made me worried. I called my mom to see what they were doing at her work....and I just was crying....not tears down my cheeks but ugly ugly crying because I was afraid of the storm and because I was going to be alone if anything did happen. My fear was overwhelming me at the time. I was crying....my stomac was hurting and I just wanted it to be 10:45 because that was the magic time the warning was to be over. It really did just make me wonder where these fears come from....I don't know about this one.

what do you wanna do after college???

The question that you hear OVER and OVER again!!!! What are you going to do after school??? Well in the beginning it was easy...I am going to school for Elementary Education....people then assume public school teacher.. However through my experiences during college days I am not really wanting to be a public or private school teacher in a classroom setting. The further into my education I get the more I think about what I could do with this degree....remind myself why I want to be a teacher. Its not for the pay :) Its not because I have summers and Christmas break off....although a definate bonus....but it is fo the kids. I LOVE KIDS! I love their innocence about life...I love their need for compassion and need for love. I know kids can be rotten and sometimes down right mean but that is one of the things I want to make an impact on when I come into contact with these kids. I wanna show them love, compassion, understanding. I want to be ears for them to talk to and a shoulder to cry on and a hug on a bad day.

Anyway I have been thinking about different options....a place where I feel like I could really love being and really make a difference. This past year a friend from church, Evan, was diagnosed with leukemia and thanks to God he is now in remission, but during a visit with him at Riley Hospital his mom was talking to me about how they have teachers to come in to do school work with the kids so they don't get to far behind in school. As difficult as that may be to be in a hospital teaching kids I feel as if God could totally use me to not only teach kids but to just be a light in their lives that could possibly be some of their worst days.

Also the other night I caught the show School Pride....I describe it as an Extreme Home Makeover School addition. During the show there is a team of designers that pick a school to make over. In this show the school had teachers who were Teachers For America....teachers who have just graduated from college who go into inner city schools to help improve the schools. I LOVED THE CONCEPT! I love the inner city and I feel like I could make a positive difference. Again I know how terribly hard it could be but I feel like it could also be a great learning time for me and just a chance to love on some kids that may not get the love they need or deserve otherwise. There are so many options I know and I know God will direct my way to somewhere where He believes I can use my talents and I am soo excited about it! I was getting down in the dumps about not being excited about being a teacher anymore because I had not enjoyed my experiences in the school systems but now learning about all these options I am excited again!!!

weekend delights

I love the weekend even though it is when I have to work at the outlet mall the most. Saturday I spent all morning with my sister and nephew. We worked out!!!! My body is killing right now!!!! But I love hurting after a workout because that means I know I did work. Love it! Trying to be better about how much I eat and making sure not to snack to just be snacking. I have my moments but doing pretty well. So Saturday we hung out....running errands and just hanging out. I had to work Saturday night and then had a fun time out with some friends I hadn't hung out with in a while! This morning we had church which I love! Then I came home opened the windows to take a nap. A sunday afternoon nap with the windows open is an absolute favorite of mine!! Se peaceful and I love it! What I hate about Sundays is every other Sunday I have to work. Even though I am thankful for my job I hate working Sundays because that is when we do a lot of family things and I love family days! School and work week begin tomorrow....thankful for my resting time and good times with friends and family!

“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.”

Loves, Rilee

really loves sleep

I had to get a new bed because I was sleeping on a futon that I have had for like 5 years and well it was hurting my back. Last night was my first night on a new bed!!! I am not so sure who (over the age of 10) gets excited about a new bed...but this girl does :) AND I slept amazing!!! Did not want to get up out of the bed! It was such a reminder of why I love sleep!! It can be so peaceful and comfortable! But I did jump out of bed at about 6 this am because our smoke detector was going off....but we still are not sure why. But anyway I love my new view from my computer I can look right outsdie into our back yard and see the frost on the ground....I am not a fan of the COLD weather buuuut I still like fall and cool crip mornings.

So my bestest friends (Anna Brown) is getting married in May! Whoohoo! So therefore I am now on a weight loss journey! Big prayers for that please! I feel as if I put myself out here on my blog that I will feel a responsibility to actually do it because I will want to update the people who happen to read this thing :) I am following aa girl right now who is big inspiration. She has lost 132 lbc so far and I loved looking at her pictures because you can SEE the difference....it is GREAT! SO I am praying for her that she continues to do well and ask for prayers that I can get this accomplished!

Have a great Friday and start to the weekend!!!

Just starting out

I have seen so many of these blogs. Never ever did I ever think I would be one to have a blog. I am not the best writer, the most creative, I did not make one because I have a reason to get my story out. I have made one so I can write and hopefully something I write inspires someone, makes someone laugh, makes them cry for joy, or just puts a smile on someones face. I honestly don't think what I have to offer is something great except the fact that what lives in me is something great!

This summer I decided to move home to continue going to school. I love my friends that I left behind and miss them a lot, but I know the change was a good one and very needed. I am back home with my family that I had missed so much for the three years I was away. I am going to school for elementart education and working 2 jobs. Life is crazy busy but I am thankful for it. I feel blessed by God that I am able to be in school and have not only one job but two. Also lately I have realized that I do not need a ton of friends....dont get me wrong I do love people and I do enjoy being around people....but you come to realize not all your "friends" will be there for you 100% of the time. Its ok...I just know that I am happy to have a couple really great friends who cherish my friendship as much as I cherish theirs. It is good to be home!!!

until next time...