I Miss This..

I'm on my way out the door, I'm heading to church tonight. The church that I will be attending has 2,500 members. The closest thing in Meridian that I know to compare it to would be the Temple Theater. It's really unbelievable...welcome to a big city! But, I just received a text from my old roomie in Starkville reminding me that the "bells" were chiming in Starkville and she couldn't help but think of me! On beautiful spring days like today, I miss this place!Lauren and I lived in a 2 bedroom loft apartment last year in the Cotton District, and to say that it was probably one of my more fun years in college is a complete understatement! But my favorite part of living there, was that every morning and afternoon we heard the bells play inside our apartment from the Chapel of Memories! Isn't that crazy?! That's a long way away to be able to hear them, but apparently the sound somehow bounced from campus to our apt! The bells would play songs according to the season, of course Christmas being my favorite!! Oh how I miss that place! Even our 1920's loft apartment with no ice maker, microwave, and a retro 50's stove (in which wasn't even big enough to cook a pizza!). But goodness what fun times we had! Every night the night route would drive by our house, all of our neighbors were extremely fun, we had parties all the time, we lived right in front of the pool, and I'm pretty sure we walked everywhere we went!! It didn't get much more perfect than that!

Maybe in Mississippi..

Just out of total curiousity, am I the only human that tends to feel just extremely dumb some days?

I may be a blonde, and I may be from Mississippi but I know that I'm not a dumb blonde from Mississippi. Ironically that's exactly what I've been feeling a lot like lately.

On my way home from work today I decide to stop by SuperTarget to pick up a few ingredients that I needed to make Chicken Spaghetti. Well, I normally just get an already made rotisserie chicken to save a little time. In Mississippi, Winn Dixie labels all of their chickens and they have one that specifically says, "rotisserie." So, not seeing but two chickens and no "rotisserie" chicken, I ask the lady. She proceeds to give me the "you're an idiot" look and tell me that these are both rotisserie chickens with different flavoring in each. Just no "rotisserie" label.

Okay, so maybe I don't know much about chicken..

I then begin to look for vermicelli (you know, thin spaghetti noodles). In MS, the noodles are labeled "vermicelli." At SuperTarget they are known as "thin spaghetti" noodles.

So, the question being...

Where do you learn all of this? There is no class in any school (in which I have attended) that they teach these things. Over the past few weeks, I have done numerous stupid things such as the two listed above.

Maybe I needed to have taken a common sense class in college? Too bad they aren't offered! Or maybe someone needs to start up a class for pointless life things such as these(and many many more).

I guess you only learn from experience, but goodness this learning process is quite embarrassing!

Maybe I just need to dye my hair?!

Hindsight is 20/20..

As much as I sometimes hate to admit, I do believe that hindsight is 20/20. And I've learned a great deal of that over the past six months or so. I can't exactly tell you why I didn't move to Birmingham six months ago, why the job that I originally took didn't work out, or for that matter why I graduated with an Insurance degree and not an Accounting degree. There are so many unknown factors in life, and I've come to accept that some of them we may never know. But I do know this, that there is a reason for it all. I know that there is One who knows it all, even the most finite details that I sometimes probably tend to look over.

The past six months of my life I have learned a lot, and although my circumstances were almost nothing in comparison to other's, it was a learning experience to say the least and for that I am thankful. Now would I have rather had the most optimal experience? Most definitely, and do I wish that things had worked out perfectly the first time? Why of course!

But to say that I learned a lot is an understatement. My relationship with the Lord has grown immensely, and only over the past three weeks have I seen some of the reasoning in which things didn't work out the first time. My faith has grown tremendously in leaps and bounds. I'm thankful for the time that I have had up until now, and I will be forever grateful for everything that I have now and also to come in the future. I am learning each day that some things in life are just worth the wait. I have felt more blessed over the past month than I can ever remember. Even the mornings that I was commuting to Birmingham for sales meetings, trainings, etc., and had to be up at 4:00 a.m., I was just extremely grateful to have a job. Who enjoys getting up at 4:00 a.m.? Well, I wouldn't say it was exactly fun but I woke up each of those morning feeling completely thankful to just have a job...even if it did require getting up at 4:00 a.m. You wouldn't believe the amount of unemployed people I run across daily, and my heart really goes out to you. So the next time you feel like complaining about your job, you should stop and be thankful that you have a job to go to. There were many days that I would get on Facebook to see that someone had updated their status about how horrible there job was, my only thought was "if they only knew what I would do to have their job." I definitely have a new perspective on life, and one that I will be infinitely grateful for years to come.

Things are going so well here, and I hope that they continue to do so.

As many of you know, I am an insurance broker. With the new health care system, insurance companies will be affected. How will it affect us? Only time will really tell. There is nothing that we can worry about today that will make things better tomorrow. I hope and pray that my job will not be directly affected by these new laws, but I'm afraid it will tremendously whether good or bad. I'm definitely not promised a job in twenty years. And the funny thing? Is that I've learned to be okay with that. Only God knows the plans that He has for my life, and that should be enough comfort for all of us.

I read so many blogs each day, and I always find it so comforting to read other's blogs who are in the same stage of life that I am currently in/or have been in before. So many just now entering into the workforce or graduating college, and I love reading there daily updates on their unknown future. Because my life has been unknown since the day I graduated from Mississippi State University. It can be the scariest feeling in the world sometimes, and it's nice to know that you're not the only person going through the same thing! I will leave you with this,

"For I know the plans I have for you," declaires the lord; "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord," and will bring you back from captivity." Jer. 29:11-14

Calling All Mississippians..

I am realizing more and more each day just how deprived I, along with every other Mississippian, have been. There is absolutely no way to even remotely describe just how much we have missed out on just by living within the four borders of the state itself. In the past few days I have recently discovered just how amazing Michael's, WorldMarket, Swoozies, Rooms to Go, Super Target (not to mention that I live right by the biggest Super Target in the US!!!!), and Steinmark are, and the list continues to go on. I just don't know how we've gone so long without these things. I am absolutely LOVING living in a big city, and although Mississippi is a great place, I'm just not missing it what. so. ever.

However, with that being said, I do miss this sweet, sweet face:

I miss her more than you will ever know. From the day that I got this sweet little girl, she hasn't left my side. She was like my little "security guard" in Starkville and alerted me each and every time someone came to the door, a neighbor was being a little loud, or for that matter, every time a bird chirped or a pin dropped! And I miss my little Sophie ALOT!! I never thought that I would leave her in Meridian, but for now it is best until I get a schedule going with work and get adjusted here. My family came to visit today and told me just how pathetic she has been since I've left. I feel horrible for leaving her but hopefully it won't be for much longer :)

On another note, today was a beautiful day in the great state of Alabama!! Thank goodness it is beginning to warm up! Birmingham is a beautiful city in and of itself, but I'm convinced that living next to this everyday makes it that much more pretty..

Catching up..

I spent the majority of my day catching up with my best friends.

I talked to Leigh Taylor for 2 hrs. on the phone,

and then Riles for one!

Gosh I miss them...especially Riles, because I never get to see her!

Miss you both dearly, you both need to come visit very soon!!

On another note, thank goodness it's the weekend!! As Riles and I were conversing today, I'm afraid the majority of our convo. revolved around just how amazing SuperTarget is!! That's correct, I live about five min. from one and to say that I'm obsessed with it is an understatement!! I got two filets for approximately $3, a sweet potato, and a bottle of wine for one of the cheapest meals I've ever had..you can't beat that one!! Job is good, Birmingham is great, and my friends are even better!

Until later..

I have always been a sucker for seersucker..

Words cannot express just how much I love this skirt. I have been eyeing it since last summer, and what better reason to get it than now?!

I already own a seersucker dress and seersucker capris. Why not add to the collection?

I stopped by Brooks Brothers today and they've got the jacket to match. Now I'm not that old, the skirt will suit me just fine.

Who wants to wear a jacket in the summertime anyways??

I'm thinking this is a must have for summer!!

Until next time..

Sweet Home Alabama..

I wake up every morning with one thought...

"I can't believe I actually live here!"

Since the day that I accepted this job, everything has just been so surreal. The move went so well. A big thanks to my parents, Monte, and Kristen for all of your help moving in!!

I absolutely LOVE my apartment, my job, and have I mentioned just how awesome my roommate is?? I couldn't be more thankful that everything has worked out so well. I've learned that some things are just worth the wait, and that God's timing is perfect timing.

I have been busy busy with work. For those of you that don't know, I took a job as an agent with an insurance brokerage firm here in B'ham. If I can ever assist you or your family with any needs now or in the future please let me know! I sell in AL and MS!

Not only have I been busy with work, but I've stayed pretty busy since I moved on Sunday. I've been getting unpacked, Monday night my roomie and I went to dinner, Tuesday I actually cooked dinner (I can't remember the last time I've done that!), and tonight I went to church with a friend. I'm pretty sure that I drove through a hurricane coming home tonight..the weather here has been terrible!! Hoping for sunshine and warm weather very soon!!

Until then..