there is no one else like you

a year ago today i was blindsided.  out of nowhere, my world was swept out from underneath me.  My faith, strength, trust and ability were all tested.  I thought my world was falling apart.  It was my very first heart break.  no one had ever broken down my walls before.  he was the one that convinced me that he was worth the risk. the one that I chose to bring home to meet my family, the guy that i pictured a life with, the person that consumed all of my time.  All of it went away with a quick and simple phone call.  followed by a million gallons of tears, a lot of late night weak/lonely moments and more arguments (internal and with each other) than i care to remember. 

it was a summer of back and forths. an early fall of "i want to, but i just cants".  months and months of "but i stills".  what seemed like an eternity of "please dont hate mes".  and then, thankfully, one October day the best thing that couldve ever happened to me, happened.  He told me he was dating someone.  don't get me wrong, at the time i thought it was the worst thing (second only to the break up), but in retrospect i realize that it was the exact opposite.  finally i was pissed. no longer sad and heartbroken, but outraged and disgusted.  That same October day, my 2 best friends gave me the exact words that i needed.  So exact, in fact, that i copied and pasted them in a text message and hit send without thinking twice.  i asked him to walk right out of my life and never look back.  i told him that i was better than him and he didnt deserve me.  all to which he agreed and obliged.  that was it.  from that point on (with the exception of a couple intoxicated texts from him) it was over. no more back and forths.

i thought that i would never find someone like him again.

Then, out of nowhere, i was blindsided again.  Only this time, instead of my world falling apart it was all falling together. i realized that the feelings i had for the last one were nothing in comparison to these feelings.  this was the person I had been in love with for years.  the man that i didnt just picture a life with, but the one that i WANTED a life with. any walls that i had built up to guard my heart from being broken were non existent. it was the easiest decision of my life. I am so thankful that I was right. I wouldn't ever find someone like him again. I found someone so very different.  i found the most respectful and respectable man, the one that fits me perfectly. the one that loves everything about me. he calls me on my shit, is comfortable with my family, knows exactly who i am and wants to take care of me forever.  I am so blessed to be with my very best friend, who is also my very best boyfriend. 

I am in constant amazement of how much can change in such a little time period.  One year ago today I thought my world was completely over.  Now i am realizing my world has just begun. 

one of my very favorite weekends

i traveled back to the great sate this past weekend,

for what would turn out to be one of the most magical weekends of my life.

one of my very best friends from college got married,

and i had the honor of standing next to her while she did it

youve never seen a wedding so beautiful (or big!)

every detail was meaningful.. there were special surprises,

like her 3rd grade class singing along to the the chorus of "you lift me up" with the soloist

there was a dress. THIS dress.

there were flowers and jewels,

a cake with charms that held fortunes for each bridesmaid,

tears and a lot of smiles

a couple of freak outs and last minute alterations to the lining of dresses

there was love. a whole lotta love.

there was dancing, and drinking and reuinting with far away friends

there was first-time-meetings of serious boyfriends

there was an amazing band and an even better assortment of cupcakes

it was the most spectacular wedding ever held.

Mary Katherine, Caleb (and Ms. Wanda) sure know how to put on a party.

This weekend was extra super special.

i not only got to watch one of my best friends marry her best friend,

but i got to spend the weekend with my best friend turned boyfriend.

yes, i said that. boyfriend. and a serious one at that. as in, the very last one.

i know you all have been wanting to hear this for 4 years, so here you go:

"you told me so" "you were right" "i should've listened to you"

pick your favorite :)

we spent a thursday night with my mom and Dennis,

a friday morning with my entire family in Ocean Lakes,

an unexpected saturday night together,

a wonderful all day on sunday with friends on the farm,

and a sad sunday evening saying goodbye for a couple of weeks.

all in all, it was one of my very favorite weekends

spent with all of my very favorite people.

and now, im back in the big city missing my small town

counting down until the end of the month

when i get to see my favorite boyfriend.

xoxo

the year of me

 cheers to 2013 starting off with a bang.

2012 was a great year. 

beyond great. 

I did a lot of self discovery. 

I found a couple of new cities that i adore.

I visited family and had reunions with my college friends.

I turned 25 (but don't get crazy, i still think im 22).

I fell in love and fell out of love.

Then i fell in love again,

but this time it was with myself and my best friends.

I am so grateful for the people in my life. 

2012 was the year of friends, for sure. 

That being said, 2013 is going to be the year of me.

I try to make a New Year's resolution every year. 

The past 3 years its been the exact same resolution...

and I've broken it by January 2nd every time 

This year, I'm going to try something a little different. 

instead of a 2013 resolution,

I've got Hopes for 2013. 

There's a whole list of them written in a journal that I've finally decided to break in

(a 2009 college graduation gift)

but the most important, all encompassing one is at the very top. 

To Find Passion. 

I want to find passion in all areas of my life this year. 

I want to be passionate about my work, my friends, my family,

my faith, philanthropy, health and even social life. 

This year I'm going to take risks. 

I want to be out of my comfort zone, and in unchartered territories. 

I hope that there are times when im terrified to take the next step.

and i pray that next step will be one in the right direction.

and if, in fact, its not in the right direction i hope that another path opens up.

because at this time next year,

 i hope to look back and say

"2013 was the best year yet".

daydreams and discovery

wan·der·lust: noun /ˈwändərˌləst

The strong desire for or impulse to travel

and explore the world,

to discover one's very existence.

if the old adage is true, that wherever your mind wanders is where you belong,

then i belong everywhere. all over the world.

i have daydreams of staring up at skyscrapers and the lights in cities that don't sleep

i imagine wheat fields and skies that house twinkling stars for miles.

i want to sell my car and take taxis everywhere

or drive an old pick up truck down dirt roads.

i want to wear the trendiest fashion, to brunch with my girlfriends

but blue jeans and cowboy boots with a baseball hat suits me just fine.

the idea of living in a place, where i am completely anonymous sounds appealing

and i love being where everyone knows your name.

i could to go Nashville. 

where the city is more of a small town with a large population. 

the boys are as country as they come, and so is the music scene.

its what the south is made of, with a little bit of tourist mixed in.

my days would be simple and my weekends spent riding horses and standing around fires.

I could live in Franklin and work in Nashville, doing what is TBD and a whoolleeee nother blog post

New York City sounds amazing, too.

if you could describe it in one word, it would be fabulous.

i realize that the overpriced everything and very small living spaces don't scream fabulous

but the fashion and fast paced lifestyle does.

the guys know style and would be a nice change of pace from my normal country boy type.

i can see myself standing on a street corner, hailing a cab with a great dress on under my trench coat.

"meet me at (insert favorite brunch spot here) on (insert numbered street here) in 30 minutes" would be a common phrase

Texas has appeal.

I love big hair, I love everything gaudy, and most of all I love cowboys.

Dallas encompasses all of these things and more.  Its a city, in a southern state.

Austin is bohemian and laid back. I could go to SXSW and wear braided headbands.

I could relish in the dry heat and kiss humidity induced frizzy hair goodbye

and there's Charleston.

so close to home, so gorgeous and yet so different from everything else in South Carolina.

cobblestone streets and accents that are all too familiar.

markets and authentic restaurants galore!

friends from high school, friends from college and the all-too-desirable classic fratty boy.

i seem to forget that there is an entire world out there, too.

i could to go Paris. I took 4 years of French

 (even though i don't remember anything more than j'adore dior)

a tropical island, where my tan would be glorious year round.

Spain is pretty, with the colors and music

Oh, those Italian men and that Australian accent.

im not sure what this upcoming year holds for me.

but i do think it holds a lot of change.

change within myself, change in my personal life, change in my professional life

and maybe even a change of scenery.

bring. it. on.

i don't know about you, but i'm feeling twenty two

homecoming

in high school it was a week filled with 

wearing pajamas to school,

a Friday night dance 

and picking out the perfect twin day outfit.

in college it was a week filled with 

campaigning, float building,

 tailgating, talent shows and

picking out the perfect fraternity to go with.

post-graduation its merely a weekend filled with

 reunions, tailgating, and acting like youre 22 again.

in the wake of my newest theme song "22" by the great t.swift;

i have decided to fully embrace the post-graduation ritual this year. 

For the first time since graduation,

i will be returning to Myrtle Beach to celebrate Coastal's homecoming. 

 Who do they play? no idea. 

What time is the game? not a clue. 

Will they win? couldn't care less.

All I care to know is that my closest college girlfriends will be in town

 (minus a select few). 

Its the only time since graduation that our

re-union is not based around the celebration of a union.

 I am thrilled beyond belief to see all of them.

 we won't have to act like ladies during a church ceremony,

or responsible adults around the bride&groom's parents.

lets be honest:

we don't actually do this, but we probably should.

people are starting to judge.

We will spend a Friday in the Inlet,

a saturday at Ale House

 a saturday night at our old stomping grounds-- Broadway

and a sunday morning saying "what the hell happened"

and a very somber "see ya next time".

So i took a half day from work,

i packed up all of my stuff,

and 3 of us will be making the drive from ATL to MYB today.

There's something very calming about knowing I will see my mom in just a few short hours

I'll be sure to get the very best night's sleep tonight in her house.

and i'll get to love on my pups for 3 whole days.

plus, im getting ombre hair :)

middle school.

its no secret that i want to go back to my younger years, like asap. 

id travel back in time to my senior year of HS faster than you can say "Go Swampcats!"

(yes, that was my mascot. yes, that is a made up animal. yes, we are super proud of it.)

i'd relive graduation, moving to college, rush and sorority life and not think twice about it.

maybe thats why i've become an advisor for a local chapter of my sorority.

(maybe thats why the girls all hate me for being super involved with their chapter)



yes, this is actually me. in middle school.

but the one place i wouldn't go back to is middle school.

 not in a million years, or for a million dollars.

(ok, maybe for a million dollars)

my lovely friend/coworker/big sister/etc sent me a devotional this morning (read here)

sometimes i am too busy to look at them, and then sometimes i feel compelled.

today was one of those compelling days, and boy am i glad that i did.

my favorite quote was this:

"you can take the girl out of middle school, but you can't take the middle school out of some girls"

boy oh boy could that not be more true!

on a daily basis i struggle with mean girls. girls that love drama,

girls that love to put you down,

and especially girls who love to make your life a living hell.

(side note: these girls are all grown, married, adult aged women).

if i deal with them, i know everyone else does too.

the only problem is, i dont really deal with them.

i usually let them bitch and bully until im so fed up with the pettiness that i blow up.

which isnt very practical (at least i recognize it, right?)

so today, im going to make a pact with myself.

when someone starts getting all 7th gradeish on me im going to tell them "im rubber your glue".

kidding.

im going to tell them that they have acne and frizzy hair.

kidding again.

but i AM going to tell them that they cant be mean to me.

and yes, i know that sounds childish.

i dont care.

 because you are not my mom.

and i can do whatever i want.

HOORAY!

today is a fabulous day. 

despite the crummy weather that is giving me a big dose of "seasonal depression"

forget the fact that its only thursday and that means another day of work tomorrow

nevermind that i woke up late and had no time to eat breakfast

it is still a fabulous day.

Why?

Because i woke up to this tweet:

"@billrancic The "Duke" has landed! Edward Duke Rancic was welcomed into the world last night at 7lbs 4oz. G & I feel blessed beyond words...We did it!"

I don't know about yall, but I am obsessed.

I love that the 2 of them finally have a baby to call their own

and they might just be the cutest hollywood couple ever.

But there is not just 1 reason that today is a great day.

It is also the start of College Football Season!

My favorite season of the year.

Even though the calendar (or the weather man!) doesn't agree-

everyone in the SEC knows that it is officially fall.

Break out your boots, gameday dresses and best tailgate food.

practice your rooster call, your U-S-C chant, and your GOOOO COCKS!

brush up on your shotgunning skills and your corn hole toss

and let the games begin!

Please join me in saying a prayer to the Big Man that

Spurrier and his boys can pull out a winning season. I have faith!

BEAT VANDY!!