Sweet Southern Pearl

April 30th, 2014 is the ten-year anniversary of Mean Girls. I remember going to see the movie in theatres in 9th grade - 2004. (HOW HAS IT BEEN TEN YEARS OH MY GOSH) Alex, Katie and I dragged Garrett along on a Friday night to the theatre at Friendly. Alex's dad took us to and from the movie in his sweet Ford Taurus (my dad had one too - all the cool dads did.)     From that day forward, Mean Girls was the talk of our lives. Albeit, it's not the most appropriate movie, but it's so darn funny - we couldn't stop quoting the movie, and still can't! Ten years later, Chanelle is sending Mean Girls quotes to my phone from Los Angeles and Alex and I are reminiscing on all of our Mean Girls -related antics throughout high school and planning a Mean Girls 10-year anniversary viewing party for Saturday night. "WE'RE SO OLD!!" we decided this morning. It's so fun to look back though :)     Shortly after the movie came out, my f...

Last week at this time, we were preparing for the memorial service of my uncle, who had been battling cancer since August. I was so nervous to share at the service, but I knew I would regret it forever if I didn't. I'm posting what I shared so that y'all can get a little peek at how Kenneth affected me and just to share about what a great guy he was. Being the humble man he was, he would've downplayed his strengths, but his life definitely made an impact that I'll never forget.   ............................................................................................ “From the beginning of creation I think our Maker had a plan For us to leave these shores And sail beyond the sand And let the good light guide us To the waves and the wind To the beaches in a world Where we've have never been And we'll climb upon the mountain, y'all We'll let our voices ring And those who've never tried it They'll be the first to sing” ...

I wanna share more of the fun and happy things I do, and so much awesome stuff has happened recently, but I will start with this past weekend.   This past weekend was pretty wonderful. On Saturday morning, I got to enjoy my first AXO Theta Rho Theta (alumnae chapter) event. We had brunch at Cracker Barrel. I got to meet some lovely ladies I hadn't met before and reunite with some I hadn't seen in too long! It was really nice.       I also got to see Brooke and her family and Lovelyn again, and got LC to go from crying to sleeping so sweetly. What an accomplishment! I love that baby. LOOK HOW CUDDLY AND PRECIOUS SHE IS!!         On Saturday afternoon, I met some friends at the UNC spring game in Chapel Hill. The game did a good job of satisfying my craving for football. Football in the spring = :) It was a super nice day. The weather was fabulous. It was a really fun day -- much needed. It was good to get away to s...

I'm reading the BEST dating book (although I said I'd never read one - but it's a Christian dating book). It's called Boundaries in Dating and it's by Drs Henry Cloud and John Townsend. The chapter I just read is called "Dating Won't Cure a Lonely Heart." This chapter was the shortest, yet most packed with punch so far. It perfectly describes the reasons why I used to date and why they were wrong. I'm gonna write more on this book but I just wanted to share these few things that I highlighted today: Don't settle and give in to a bad relationship rather than have no relationship at all. -- Don't put up with behavior that is disrespectful.  Don't give into things that aren't in accord with your own values.  Don't settle for less than you desire or need.  Don't stay in a relationship that you know has passed its deadline.  Don't go back to a relationship you know should be over.  Don't get into a relations...

Just thinking about how literally crazy my life is right now, and how wonderful it is. I went to a really fun square dancing / contra class with Grace in Boone Friday night and then headed home at like 10:30. On Saturday, I woke up and went to work furniture market. For those of you that don't know, the furniture market is High Point's claim to fame (well, along with HPU now). People from all over the world come to little ol HP to buy furniture from top designers in the hundreds and hundreds of showrooms that our downtown houses. Twice a year, the market brings life to downtown. Glamorous people from all over are there with their blingy jewelry and designer clothes, looking for furniture to buy for their homes or companies.   I worked in a showroom called Howard Elliott this year - a very posh showroom with exquisite furniture, accent pieces, and mirrors - bold colors, geometric shapes, blends of retro and classical designs, yummy food, & LOUD car...

It's Friday and I've been off work for three hours and it's only 1:00. I worked with some professors this morning and yesterday morning at a school on the Tennessee border from about 8:30-10. Normally, I substitute teach or work full days with the professors, but this was a really small school, so we didn't have to work full days. I caught myself feeling guilty for having so much time not working and just being here in Boone when there were jobs at home that needed to be filled. I could've told my professors I couldn't help them today and I could've gone home where I would make more money. Goodness knows I need the money!   I needed something more than money though. I needed that drive that I took to Mtn City, Tennessee yesterday. I needed to drive and clear my head and listen to Elvis Presley and Alan Jackson hymns. I needed to stop in a random parking lot and pull out Grandma's giant print King James Bible from the backseat and read Job right th...

On the morning of November 22, 2013, I got up early and participated in a volunteer project in Boone. That evening, I sat in the ER at the hospital with Kacie as she waited to see what was going on with her (she's fine now :)). I ate dinner with Grace in Central Dining Hall. Grace and I went to see Catching Fire and it blew me away. I came back to the apartment and hung out with my brother, Taylor, and Tyler.   Little did I know that while I was going about my day, a precious litter of husky/lab mix babies was being born, and one of them was being sent just for me to find and love.   ...................................   Three months ago today, Zach, Sarum, Jolina, and I went to look at those puppies. Our friend Litsa had told us about them - that they needed homes. A lady she worked with had them. After being handed one of the puppies and holding her shivering body in the cold air and having her precious brown eyes look up at me and melt my heart, there wa...