You Look Just Like Your DAD

“You look just like your dad!”  This was a common phrase I heard growing up. It would bring sheer panic to my young, teenage girl heart. 

Luckily, we discovered I look very similar to my great-grandma. She is my dad’s grandma.  She was a beautiful woman, so that makes looking like my dad kind of cool. Now, I think that looking just like my dad is a blessing. 

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That Friendship Feeling

I was sitting in our small classroom wearing my witch costume waiting for the Halloween parade to start. My best friend was out in the hall refusing to put on her bride costume.  The teacher asked me to go out into the hallway to convince her to put on her bride dress and veil. Determined, my best friend kept protesting,” I don’t want to be a bride!”

Memorial Day Playlist

For me, there is deep emotion connected with Memorial Day. Flags line the road. Flowers are sold out at every store. Families gather at cemeteries to celebrate the life of loved ones who have passed on.

My First Love

Most kids at my high school drove junk cars. You know the ones with the bumper draggin’, the mirrors barely hanging on, and the windows duct-taped closed. But that’s not the case for everyone. There were the kids who drove jeeps, the newest car, or their mom’s minivan. Then, there were the lucky ones who drove trucks. I was one of the lucky ones.

A Movie Worth Waiting For

I remember sitting in the movie theater as the tears flowed. I had been feeling miserably exhausted for over a month (that was before I knew I had mono) AND my boyfriend and I had recently broken up.  I felt just plain terrible and I didn’t know how to get out of this slump.

My mom decided to take my little sister and me to go see a movie. Though I really enjoyed the movie, the thing that touched me the most was what I watched before it even started.  It was the trailer for the movie, I Still Believe. 

I grew up hearing the song “I Still Believe” at my house, especially on Sundays. I always thought it was a beautiful song. The familiar chorus would often get stuck in my head. What a powerful message to stick with a child. When the trailer for the movie played, I was touched by the story’s beauty. Tears streamed down my cheeks as hope filled my soul.

Though my sickness and heartache wasn’t over, I left that day with a little bit more light than I came with. I looked forward to the movie coming out and set it on my phone’s calendar. 

Fast forward 5 months, I’ve conquered mono and gotten over the boy.

I sat down to watch the movie at home with my family. Can I just say, “WOW!!”? The movie was a great example of courage, faith and love. I felt of the pure love that Jeremy had for his wife. Deep love that never gives up and lasts forever. I felt so much hope for my own life. I’m so grateful to know I believe in God. He has a plan for me AND he will guide me through anything. 

Look for Beauty, NOT BEARS

I’m lying wrapped in a snug mummy bag. Cold sweat is dripping down my body, making me shiver and shake. I try not to move.  I can’t tell if the wind is rustling the trees outside of the tent or if it is something bigger.  SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER. Something that could weigh over 700 pounds. Something that could throw me around like a toy. That something is a Grizzly bear. Grizzly bears are one of my greatest fears.  

THANK YOUR MAMA

When I moved out to go to college, I thought I’d be way less dependent on my mama. Well, I was dead wrong. Mothers are forever. The number one lesson I’ve learned is that you always need your mom.

Friends can learn all about you, but your mom can read you ten times better. My mom can make my favorite food better than anyone.  She can calm me down when I’m panicked. She cries with me when I cry. You get the picture. As I’ve gotten older, she’s become my best friend. I trust her advice on clothes, food, and even boys. I really do talk to my mom about all these things. 

Words of Advice from a Young Adult to Parents During Quarantine

This is some of y’alls first time being stuck with your older kids and it shows. When I got mono, I moved back home from college to live with my parents and little sister. My sister was gone a lot with friends, different lessons, and church activities. It was pretty much just me and my parents.  But I honestly didn’t mind because I love my parents. I think I look the most like them out of all my siblings and my personality is straight from both of them. I was privileged to get a lot of one on one time with them. 

Change Up Your Quarantine Weekend with These Dandy Ideas

It’s day 849,385 of quarantine and everyone is getting used to doing the same thing EVERY day. You don’t want your weekend to feel like just another day. So, let’s mix it up!!

• Choose someone in your quarantine group to dress like without them knowing. This is a trend on Tik Tok right now. Most of the time, everyone dresses like their dad. You can present yourselves to them at dinner time. It’s a super great way to get a good laugh. And a good laugh will brighten everyone’s day.  

How to Handle Sunburn Season Like a Pro

I was a lifeguard for about 3 years of my life, which included 3 long summers. I saw the extreme tomatoes and the walking sunscreens. I’m obviously not a dermatologist, but I believe I have a great understanding of what to absolutely not do.  I’ve heard all the excuses on why someone didn’t wear sunscreen. Here are my tips to avoid getting nasty burns and how to take care of them if you do get them. 

First let’s see what we can learn from the tomatoes and the sunscreeners.