Tomorrow, I will turn the big 3-0 and
honestly I don’t feel that old. I really don’t. I can’t believe it to be
honest. Where has the time gone? ? My twenties have taught me a great deal about myself and my twenties are where I have learned really who I am. So in lieu of that big day, here are 30 things I’ve come to
learn over the years. Cheers friends!
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Our lives are made up of stories whether we realize it or not…..When I first
moved to Atlanta, there was really no rhyme or reason to the move in my mind except
for the fact that my aunt and uncle both lived here and it was a reasonably
priced large city. I had made a personal decision that I felt was wise and I
left NYC so Atlanta seemed the best option. God continues to write my story day
in and out and He’s never left me once.
Shortly after moving to Atlanta at age 22.
My dear UK pal, Craig that was about the only person I knew in Atlanta when I first moved here. He ended up marrying one of my girlfriends that was in my first small group at Buckhead Church.
2.
In your first job, you will learn SO much… The first job I ever had after college, I
was bored
to tears on a daily basis. It was awful but I learned so much from that
experience. I also met 2 dear friends that I still keep in touch with today. Love
you Kimi & Byron!
Byron & I dressed up for an 80's Christmas party.
3) Don’t live with regret…..For years I lived with regretting this
decision or that and now I’ve come to realize that we make the best decisions
at certain points in our lives and you can’t step back into the past.
4) You've loved animals.... from the beginning. I always have, always will. My mamaw & papaw (mom's parents) tell the story of when I was around 2 and I was watching "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (it was the 80's so it was the cartoon version) up at their house on the farm. Anyway, the Grinch was being mean to his dog, Max and I said, "That's the meanest thing I've ever seen in my whole born life." I don't remember it but my grandparents laughed & laughed and still re-tell that story because alas I had only been on the earth for 2 whole years.
5) When you see injustice, do something. Never walk away from what you know is wrong.
Several years ago I dated a guy who lived near a family that had a female pit
bull that they were abusing, neglecting and using for breeding purposes. It was
awful and tore me up on a daily basis. Finally, we stepped in and rescued her
and all her sweet babies. We even had my dad draft a transfer of ownership signing
her over to Jeff legally. Although I don’t see Lacy anymore, I know that she is
one highly blessed dog to live with Jeff and has received a second chance at life all
because we wouldn’t turn away. And all the sweet puppies were adopted! Never
walk away because you don’t want to deal with it or don’t think it’s your
business. There’s
a reason you saw it and that reason is because you have the capacity to change it. Sometimes you date people solely to save one sweet pit bull that God knew needed serious help.
6)
Wear the sunscreen! I love the sun and have been a sun worshiper
for most of my life. From my high school lifeguarding days to all the hours
spent in the tanning bed, let’s just say I’ m melanoma’s dream patient and hopefully I don't die from it.
Circa high school days spent lifeguarding at MCC around 2001.
7)
Have a drink! Sometimes there’s nothing better than a
strong drink with your girlfriends or a Landshark.
8)
Follow your dreams no matter what. That’s what life’s all about.
9)
God calls us all…. Will we choose to answer or follow or own
way? I truly believe we are each made with a purpose to fulfill on Earth and if
we don’t find that passion and follow it, we will never be truly happy.
10)
Law School is a b*** to get into…. It’s not a fun process but it can be done!
11)
The LSAT is even worse…. How many times did I take that awful test?
At least three I know of. The logic questions drove me insane! I took prep classes
at Emory and they really helped.
12)
Adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue! Don’t ever buy from a pet store or online
when there are thousands of pets in shelters waiting for a wonderful home. Don’t
even get me started on puppy mills. It’s horrific! All of my pets have always
been rescues and they are wonderful.
13) Be Kind to everyone…. My parents always raised Maggie, Jack and I
to treat everyone the same. You never know what someone is going through until
you walk a day in their shoes.
14)
Friends will change and evolve over time
while others stay the same…. As I’ve
gotten older this is one thing that is constantly changing but yet my dear
friends that I can call even though we’re miles apart are the best type of
friends!
15)
Giving is better than receiving…..I find that when I give to others I find
so much joy. There is SO much need in this world. Every day I thank the good
Lord that I am so blessed.
16)
Forgiveness is a MUST….After a horrible divorce my parents went
through when I was in high school left me with such a gaping hole in my soul
that destroyed me emotionally for years .
Anger and bitterness eats away at you and presented itself in my male relationships. Forgiving is for YOU and peace for yourself!
Maggie, Dad, Mason & I @ Mason's Wedding
17)
Never Settle…. If he’s not your type and you wouldn’t
date him normally, don’t settle for second fiddle. I could have
avoided serious heartbreak just because I was dating someone due to loneliness and I acted like a crazy person!
But that's another story that I try to forget. :)
18)
Beware of red flags in relationships…. This is something that honestly as I’ve
gotten older, I’m ashamed to admit that I tend to dismiss more but they
blink brightly for a reason.
19)
Life is short… My oldest golden retriever, Dixie died back
in March and that was SO incredibly hard. I was thankful I had Charlee but
Dixie experienced so much with me. Although she was just a dog, she was always
there for me with a huge fluffy head to cry on, talk to or walk with every single
day. She was my family. I miss my sweet girl.
20)
Exercise is a MUST…. I run every day and running was part of
our warm-up back in the cheerleading days and I’ve grown to love it. Robin
Norris, you are to thank for this!
21)
Never leave the house without mascara… In the summer, often times I don’t even put
foundation on because of how much sun I get, but I try to never leave the house
without mascara on unless I’m running. You never know who you will run into and
you don’t want to look like a hot mess!
22)
Eat healthy! I love sweets, fried foods and a.k.a “all
things bad for you.” I do, I cannot lie but this past year I have started
making healthier choices and eating more fruits + veggies. And I feel so much
better!
23)
Car maintenance…. That Mercedes you own is going to cost an
arm + a leg to fix and maintain but you will learn to get used to it.
24)
I love the ocean…. Keep me near the ocean and I’m happy, happy,
happy!
25)
Family… Each
day I grow older, I am more thankful for my family: Maggie, Jack, Mom and Dad.
They are the best!
26)
God is always GOOD….. In my relationship with God, which really
did not start growing until I moved to Atlanta, it has strengthened with each
passing day and for that I’m thankful. Even when some situations haven’t always
worked out to my preference, I can always see His hand moving and it’s always
for my own good.
27)
Christmas trees + Cats= Fail …. Every year I put up a tree and every year,
Lily & Daisy, my felines climb the tree, jump into the tree, hid
in the tree and destroy the look of my tree. This year, no tree. I
have small trees throughout my house but no large tree. What can I say, they
win!
28)
Preventative care + good food for pets…. Is an absolute must. Vaccines, brushing their
teeth and feeding them high quality food (Blue is our favorite) really help in
the long run and help prevent huge bills.
29)
I’m so proud of Maggie & Jack… They are really growing up! Maggie is moving
to Australia after Christmas and Jack is living in Washington, DC for his
internship this semester. They are going far in life!
30)
I love this Rover more each day…. Charlee B is absolutely one of my favorite
boys ever. He has more personality than Texas and every day is a new adventure
with him. What can I say; he has his own Facebook & Twitter account!! And
he’s even written Santa a letter that may or may not be circulating to Grammy
& John.
