An evening with Sugarland!!

On August 5, 2012, a dream of mine came true! What almost didn't happen turned out to be a night that I will never forget! The night when, for the first time, I saw Sugarland in concert!!!

Upon early arrival at the stage, my friend and I were making our way up towards the hill to find a spot to sit. But, something reminded me that our tickets had seat numbers on them. I turned around to see seats in front of the stage. I asked an usher and she directed us to our seats,and they were a lot closer than I thought they would be! This got me all excited!!

At six o'clock, the first opening act came out and performed for the audience. It was up-beat and the crowd loved it. The performer definitely knew how to charm the audience!

After almost two hours of waiting, the crowd started to chant "SU-GAR-LAND! SU-GAR-LAND! SU-GAR-LAND!" My heart was pounding to the beat of the background music as I saw the stage hands bring out the instruments. Still and quiet, we waited a few minutes longer. I heard someone cheer and the sound spread through the crowd. I stood up on my toes trying to see around the many heads blocking my view. I leaned to my right and caught a glimpse of Jennifer Nettles walking onto the stage. The crowd went nuts! She sat in front of a microphone and told us that she was having a bad pregnancy day, but decided not to cancel the concert because of it. Whew! Good thing!

"We're stuck on you!" she yelled as they started their first song for the evening. Everyone was on their feet singing along and waving to the band.

Now this tour is called "In Your Hands." Through Facebook and Twitter, people can request songs for them to sing from their current album to their first album. It was randomly selected and all their hit songs like "Everyday America", "Stay", and "Incredible Machine" were performed. There were also a few people in the crowd who brought signs with song requests on them.

The energy was high through the whole concert. At certain moments, Jennifer held out the microphone to us and asked us to sing, which sounded awesome! At one point she pulled an audience member up on the stage to sing "Baby Girl" with her, and it was amazing!

When Sugarland walked off stage at the end, everyone cheered them back on for an encore. They graciously came back on and sang a few more songs while we all sang along. Sugarland complimented us on how energetic and enthusiastic we were, telling us what an awesome audience we were.

This was truly a dream for me ! I hope that in the future, I will have the opportunity to see Sugarland in concert again!

An advantage to a restless night

Toss, turn, think, sigh. Check the clock. Toss, turn, think, sigh. Check the clock.

This is the best way to describe my night last night. At first, I was frustrated because I'm like Sleep's biggest fan. But something hit me, and the thoughts went wild. You might sat that I was disappointed in myself. I had given up and my conscience wouldn't let me sleep.

I haven't told anyone this, but at one point over these past several weeks I gave up on my book. I decided that it was pointless to write a book that I don't intend to publish. Who would want to read it anyway??

In the silence, I had a change of heart you might say. With my first draft of my book laying in my desk untouched, I came to the conclusion that I must get back to working on it. Too many time I have given up on unfinished projects and this will NOT be one of them. Plus, I have recently come across a novel that I started to write in high school and I have another idea for a book. I need to finish my stories. Who knows; maybe they'll be something someday. (I certainly hope so!!!)

As of last night, my memoir had a "re-birth" you might say. I'm not giving up!

The night I met Idina Menzel!

After months of anticipation, June 26th had finally arrived! Grabbing my suitcase and my picture of Idina as Elphaba, I headed out the door. After a two-hour drive, I saw the theater that she was performing at. Towards the entrance was a huge banner with Idina's face on it. Boy, was I ever excited to see that!

The doors of the theater opened and I got a little souvenir; a shirt that displayed Idina's picture and name on the front and her tour stops on the back. The theater was huge! I also found it ironic that the seats were upholstered in green material. I chatted with two ladies sitting next to me who claimed that they were dying from excitement. I was too, but I was trying to keep my cool.

The orchestra came out on stage and took their place. I was starting to shake from the excitement. As the music started to play, a spotlight hit the curtain behind the orchestra and there was Idina's profile. OMG! She's right there!!! She started to sing "Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high..." and the crowd was completely hushed; the music faded and she disappeared. From behind the curtain, she quickly walked towards the front of the stage and the crowd went wild. She waved and started the song "The Wizard and I".

As she progressed through every song, she stopped every now-and-then to tell a story to the crowd or tell them a little bit about the song. Her laughter was contagious. She was honest, almost too honest, but it was funny none-the-less.

After each song, there was a slight pause. No talking, no singing, no music. To me, it was slightly deafening, and something inside me was boiling to the surface. After finishing a song, she leaned on her microphone stand, looked down at the floor, and something inside me exploded. I cupped my hands and with all the power that I could muster up I yelled "WE LOVE YOU IDINA!!!" The  crowd cheered and clapped and the girl next to me said, "Nice job!" Then it hit me. I was embarrassed beyond words. I cannot believe that that just came out of me! As a flush of heat swept from my toes to my head, I laughed to hide my embarrassment. Idina heard me and responded, "I love you too, but I don't really know you." Idina Menzel acknowledged my existence!

Closing the show, she took her ear piece out and put the microphone behind her back and sang "For Good" a capella. She left the stage and the crowd cheered her into an encore. She came out and started to sing "Something has changed within me...". I dropped into my seat, leaned forward and cried as I mouthed the words to the song while she sang. Never would I have thought that I would hear her sing that song live!

Heading to the stage door when the show was over, we met up with a group that was also waiting to meet her. We waited and waited and waited, hoping that she wouldn't be in the dressing room all night. Then, bad news came. A security guard told us that she was not going to come out unless we all left. My heart dropped. This was very sad news. We all left the loading dock area and headed to a sidewalk in front of the theater. Lots of people left, but we still waited, hoping to at least see her. Debating on whether we should stay or go, we heard Idina's bus start up and drive towards us. Then, it stopped. What's going on? A security guard approached us and told us to make two single-file lines. YYAAAYYY!!! I was about to jump out of my skin!! Idina emerged from the bus all tangled in her sweater. I didn't recognize her at first because I thought she was a lot taller. But, when she approached the crowd of fans, my hands started shaking. Was it excitement? Was it nerves? Was it the power of Idina herself?

My signed picture and my ticket
from the concert!

She made her way through the crowd rather quickly and I was the last in line. As she grabbed the picture I was holding and started to sign, I told her, "I was the one who screamed, 'WE LOVE YOU IDINA!'" "Oh really? That was you?" she laughed. I smiled and I shook my head. She headed back to her bus and turned around to thank everyone. Wow! What a sweetheart!

Adrenaline had engulfed me. I was shaking, smiling and hugging Brittany, my new friend who was just excited as I was. We posed for a picture that radiated our hyper-ness. Walking to the car I turned to my new friends and said, "You know what this means?? BLOG POST!!!!"

And that, my dear readers, is the story of the night I met Idina Menzel!

'Tis grand that Grand Ole Opry!

Last Wednesday, I had the opportunity to tour the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. It was not in the plans to go, but happened to end up in front of the building and decided to go on a tour.

Surrounded by gorgeous scenery and giant guitars, the Opry is a little difficult to spot. Once I walked up towards the front, I was wowed by the size of it. I never knew it was that big.

When the giant wooden doors opened, the lobby was was wide open and lighted in an assortment of colors. I had my ticket scanned and was handed a "backstage pass" which hung around my neck, making me feel important. Before you could go in to start the tour, there was a photographer there and her assistant was handing guitars to every guest in the line right before they posed in front of a backdrop that looked just like the Opry stage. I didn't want to pose for a picture, but was finally talked into it.

As we sat in the lobby and waited for our tour guide to take us into the theater, a short little documentary, hosted by Blake Shelton, told us how the Grand Ole Opry came to be. It wound through stories of the many famous people who have graced the stage and have become icons in the country music world.

Our guide then led us into the theater. Through back rooms we followed the leader in a maze of sets and props. Stopping by one of the back door, our guide told us that this is where the stars of country music enter the building. I looked out the door to see a small path leading to a parking lot. "It's nothing grand. You don't see any limos or anything like that. It's very casual." she told us. This, I thought, was awesome! Here these people have fame, and yet they drive up in their own cars and walk into the building like it's a grocery store. She then pointed to a line by the door that showed just how deep the water was during the flood. This was amazing. I never thought the floods were that bad.

Further on in the tour, she led us to a huge open stage that seemed rather dark. This is where they film different videos. I looked up to see that there are chairs up above for an audience if the filming called for one. I tried to think back on any videos that I have seen that may have been filmed there. And before I knew it, she was leading us into another lobby with a a large wooden desk in the corner. "This is where our stars check in before a show." Oh, what I'd give to work at that desk. How cool would that be?! Another TV stole our attention as Blake Shelton explained how things worked in this area. He told of the mailboxes behind us that belonged to different members of the Opry where they received their fan mail. I peeked over my shoulder hoping that I could see which box belonged to which singer, but couldn't make out any names.

On the way towards the stage, I saw the famous wall covered in gold plates bearing the names of both past and present members of the Opry. Searching for certain names, I walked on in a long hallway leading to all the different dressing rooms with different themes. Through the hallway of dressing rooms we went. There we stopped in a big open room that had couches, stools, and a coffee machine. This is where the singers hang out and chill before a show. Oh my word! This is so cool!!!!

With a few short steps, I was standing on the stage staring at all the empty seats. I tried to picture what it would look like with a full house and I felt a slight tingle go up my spine. How amazing is this?

Our guide offered the middle of the stage to anyone who wanted to sing. As my hand started to go up, my brain forced it down. That was my chance and I blew it! As I started to mentally kick myself, she told everyone to come around and stand on the big circle. With my toes touching a piece of stage that many have during their fame, I felt a sense of pride. My name will never be up with theirs in the history books, but I had the opportunity to be part of this famed stage.

We stood in the circle and sang, "You are my Sunshine" in about three different keys. Trying to at least sound ok, I looked up again and tried to picture an audience and how their faces would look right now if they could hear us butchering this song. I couldn't help but smile.

Walking to the very back row of the theater, our guide asked us if we had any questions. I leaned over to my mom and whispered "I am so going to write a blog post about this!"

Building a Writing Desk: NOT for dummies!

Friends, followers, readers who I've never met, I had quite the experience this weekend. Setting out with determination, I overcame my frustration and utter confusion. Needless to say that it was worth it!

These past couple of weeks, I came to the conclusion that what I needed to help me along with my writing. But what? There must be something out there that would help me along. *Thinks hard* AHA! A writing desk! A writing desk in a quiet realms of my room! That MUST be what I need!

Scathering up every bit of money that I had, I set out on a shopping spree (mostly online). I came across hundreds that caught my eye, but none of them would ever fit in my room. So, I kept looking...

and looking...

and looking.

Alas! There I was at Wal-Mart. I found exactly what I needed! It was a little on the pricey side, but I knew that I would certainly get my money's worth out of it. A sense of pride came over me. You know, that kind of pride that engulfs you when you buy something new that you've been saving up for.

After placing it on the floor in my room, I toted my mom's little pink tool set.

"Ok. Let's do this!" I told myself.

Now, I am a very independant person. When I don't understand something, I do my best to figure it out before the thought of asking someone to help even crosses my mind. I have never put together anything like this before. But, I knew that I would appreciate it even more if I put it together with my own two hands.

Opening the directions, I saw what looked like heiroglyphics. Wow! Ok! Ummm...I had no clue what I was doing, so I tried to place the pieces in a certain order which helped. Ok, piece Q and R are screwed into piece S with a LL screw. (AAAHHHHH!! Confused already!!!) After about twenty minutes, I had the top part of desk done and it looked pretty good!

Then, I hit a road block of ignorance. So, I asked my mom for help and she got me back on track. We worked for about three hours and I had realized that I had put an important piece on backwards. The clock was past mid-night and I was feeling a bit discouraged. Then, HARK! My determination flaired again! I plugged away at it for about another half-hour, and behold, there it was! My writing desk, in all its glory stood as a tower beacon of my (and my mom's) success! That glowing sense of pride came over my again as I ran my hand over its smooth surface.

"Let the major writing begin!" I thought to myself!

What have I learned from this experience? Read directions carefully, ask for help if you need it and building a writing desk is definately NOT for dummies!


BEHOLD!!! The finished product!! (I placed Mickey on the top as a means for inspiration!)

Oh, the memories!

They say that the human mind has unimaginable capabilities that are far beyond the inventions made by mankind. It's incredible on every level to be able to dig up the most unimportant details and dust them off to put on a shelf of memory.

I think I have mastered this art. In the process of writing my memoir, my mind floods with places and faces from the past. It's like a breath of fresh air. In most cases, I am sure to keep a notebook close by to ensure that I will have the opportunity to write down even the tiniest details. Are they important? Not necessarily. But they do bring a smile to my face!

Now, I do have a confession to make: I have not been as faithful to my memoir as I should be. My nose tends to stick itself in a book and forget the world. I have been a little more organized though. When I started to write, I tried to start from the very beginning and slowly work my way towards the end. This method did not work for me. Instead, I grabbed a three subject notebook and started to write about several different things that had nothing to do with the other. I figured that if I could jump all over the place, it would be easier to blend all the stories into each other to form a book.

I have another confession to make: I have been looking into self-publishing my book. *GASP* No way!
YES WAY!!! Now, notice that I said that I've only been looking into it and nothing is set in stone. If, by any miracle, it should get published, it won't be in the near future. And, if in the far future, my book would be worthy of being distributed and put on bookshelves across the US, I will be able to cross "publish a book" off my bucket list!

I will be posting more updates in the near future!

Once Upon a Time in Storybrooke

In the little town of Storybrooke, Maine is a world where fantasy meets reality. A curse is set upon all the fairy tale creatures that you've read about. The evil queen, who is the town mayor,will stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden, reek revenge on the one who took her happy ending away, and fulfill her curse. What will happen when Emma, Snow White's daughter returns after 28 years to find her son Henry? Who is on the good side and who is on the bad? How did Emma escape the curse? How much is the queen willing to sacrifice to fulfill her evil plan?

Since the first episode, I was sucked into this story. As it switches from fantasy and back to reality, it slowly unfurls these fairy tales and how they all connect. Every character has forgotten who he is because of this curse. It made me think twice of what I thought I knew about Cinderella, Belle, Little Red Riding Hood, Grumpy, the fairy godmother, and Rumplestilskin. Each of them have their own battles and hardships to fight. None of them are perfect, yet they all strive for Happily Ever After.

Now I have always LOVED fairy tales, but this is beyond awesome. I made sure that I never missed an episode as it left me on the edge of my seat begging for more. But the real question is, what happens next? Will the characters finally remember who they are? What will happen if the curse is broken? Will Emma expose the truth and break the curse like she was destined to?

To quote Once Upon a Time's facebook status, "Magic is coming..."

Haunted by my Disney Ghost

As the Haunted Mansion ride in the Magic Kingdom comes to an end, an eerie ghost whispered in my ear, "A ghost will follow you home! HAHAHAHA!" Spooky as it was, I can assure you that I did not believe this to be true. At least, not until now.

Now I'm not talking about having an immortal spirit that haunts my dreams, for this ghost is more than welcome to follow me. She reminds me of the wonderful experience that I was so blesssed to have. She shows herself to me when I gaze upon something Disney related. She brings the memories of my past as I sit down to write my memoir. She pops up when when a Disney commercial comes on. She even surprised me the other day when I was in JCPenney and the song "Good Life" came on! Even in the most unexpected places, she'll show up to put a smile on my face.

Now, I know what you're probably thinking, and I know that it's not a good idea to live in the past. I've been told that many times. But you see, it's not just the past that haunts me. It's also the hope of returning. Such a big part of me was left in Orlando FL., and I will always think of it as home.

Since my return to Michigan, I have had wonderful opportnities to keep these Disney dreams alive. I was privileged to see Mary Poppins on tour, which, in a word, was AMAZING! I also went to a symphony that played all sorts of music from Disney, and saw an amatuer (but VERY good) theater group perform a production of Beauty and the Beast.

So you see, a ghost DID follow me home. I'm glad she did and I hope she stays!

Timeline will tell

Facebook. All of us have it. It is a wonderful way to keep us close to our friends and family no matter how near or how far they may be. Starting in 2004 in a college student's dorm room, it quickly grew and transfomed into the largest social network in the world. People were instantly hooked on the website. It was the new "drug" sweeping the nation. But, after a while, Facebook decided to change and change often, forcing us into new layouts that very few of us liked. Then, it hit Timeline.

As many of you know, this new thing called "Timeline" is sweeping over this Facebook-obsessed nation. This is a way for you to build, tear-down, organize, and reveal everything about your life that you wish your friends to know. Some of you still may not have Timeline as you have had the option to switch over, but I did not have that option, and was bummed about it.

I posted several weeks ago as my status, "If Facebook forces me into switching to Timeline, I will quickly delete my account." I said this out of fear after hearing the horror stories of people who have made the switch, and everything they had posted since joining the social network had been exposed to the public. Maybe I was jumping to conclusions and being pessimistic about it all, but I'm still not completely comfortable with it. In the past, random people have somehow found me on Facebook and sent me messages that scared me into thinking that my profile was a public viewing site. I quickly rummaged through my privacy settings and hid as much of my profile as I possibly could.

Those of you who are my friends on Facebook realize that I am not one who posts two or three statuses a day. I love to let you all in my life and show you my many adventures and my photography, but there is a line that I will not cross. When situations arise in my life, I am very careful not to post personal opinions or anger and frustation. I have done this on very rare occassions, and within good taste. I don't want people to think I am perfect. I too struggle every now and then, but that does not justify making my personal life a public discussion.

So, now that my past has been brought back to life by this new Timeline, I aim to move forward with caution, as I am tredding on rocky grounds. I love to be able to share many moments of my happy life, but will not be made into a public spectacle. Should I find that all the 800 million Facebook users can click random things on my profile such as my posts and statuses, I will quickly delete my account. Until then, I have decided to give it a try.

Operation Inspiration

Over these past few months I have had a great opportunity to be drenched with inspiration. I have immersed myself in research, reading and writing almost every day. I have received encouraging emails and words from distant friends. Why all this inspiration happened all at once I'm not sure, but I truly welcome it as I am one who easily doubts myself and my future goals and dreams. But there is so much more to this inspiration. It's just a simple twig that is thrown on my fire of dreams that is quickly consumed by the lapping flames. But in the process of being burned, it casts a brighter glow as the flames start to reach a little bit higher. I guess you could say that as the fire burns and is not fed by the twigs of inspiration, it can easily be stifled, forced to quickly fade its light and quench its heat. This is a dangerous thing...or is it?

Each and every one of us are born into a certain environment. As we grow, we discover ourselves and the lives that we dream of one day possessing. We are so quick to stereo-type ourselves into thinking that only the life that we were born into can be the rest of our future. For those of you out there who dream so much bigger and reach so much higher find it difficult to feed the flames of your dreams. It's so easy to listen to everything people say when they say that you will never be good enough or never rise to the life that you dream of. These words can easily stifle our desires, throwing water on the flame. There are many people out there who are afraid to show what they truly dream of, scared of what people will say or think of them.

You are not alone. We so easily look to people for guidance in our lives, hoping for something bigger and better but afraid to reach for it. Our shoulders bare the burdens of discouragement, disappointment, and the fear of failure. But now, my friend I am here to tell you somthing that I hope you will find inspiring.

Looking back at all my years of dreaming big, I have had many discouragements thrown at me bring tears to my eyes and bringing me to moments of calling it quits. I cared too much what people thought and said about me, and it was one of my biggest downfalls.

Recently, I did under-go a break-through that totally transformed the way I looked at my future with hopeful eyes. Of this, I will share with you

Boundaries are nothing more than walls that other people build around you thinking that they know what is best for your life. They plant their feet, fold their arms, and stand in the path between you and your happily ever after. No one should ever tell you what your limits are and where you stand in life. The only thing that is stopping you is yourself. You have the choice to choose whether to bear the burdens of dissapointment and discouragement, or to let it fly past you as you press forward towards your goals. There may not be a path in front of you, but that will give you the chance to step off the road and make your own way through life. After all, if you take the road most traveled, it will be easy for people to look back at you and say, "See, I told ya!"

So, press forward my friend! Know that beyond a doubt, each dream is planted inside of you for a reason. Reach for the unreachable. Dream the impossible. Find what is kept hidden and discover treasures beyond belief. Embrace everything within you and realize that you were meant for great things. And, above all, NEVER EVER give up!

A Glimpse of Disney Past

I do not remember where or who I heard it from, but I was once told that writing is like opening a vein and bleeding onto the page. Of course, being one who is not easily tricked into believing, I tried writing myself and have found that this is true. What I am writing should, in a way, reveal something about me. It should be personal, like a little piece of me living on that page.  When I immerse myself into the writer's way of thinking, it can be difficult to start writing exactly what it is that I to portray. To put on the page the picture that is set before me can be both difficult and frustrating. I can see it and I know that it is there in all its beauty, but to have it slide down my arm and reveal itself on the blank page before me is the hardest part. Remembering moments past, well now that is another story.

As most of you know, I have embarked on a long, rocky journey of writing a memoir of my nine magical months at Disney. Inspired by a recent published memoir that was given to me for my birthday, I thought, "Well, it cannot be too hard to write down stories of my past." I started off strong as inspiration was flooding into my mind. Shortly after beginning, I was at a blank-completely at a loss of what I should do to continue writing. In a moment of desperation, I contacted the author of this recent memoir that had me hooked from the first page. Several days went by and I remained positive in hopes that my memories would once again return to me. Then, I received an e-mail for this published author. Squealing in excitement, I opened the message and read it slowly, taking mental notes of everything she said. I printed it out and stuck it into my notebook of my Disney writings. Often I find myself looking back over her words when I am drawing a blank and need a rush of inspiration to sweep over me.

Through much deliberation, writing, writing, writing and rewriting, I shall now reveal to you some of my writings int he works. This is the day that I found out that I was going to be a Disney cast member. What a remarkable day that was!

It was like any other Saturday. I had planned to sleep in, do laundry and catch-up on homework. I got a text from a friend confirming our lunch plans for that afternoon. I rolled out of bed and slipped into the most casual outfit I could find. I grabbed my phone and headed out the door. As we sat at the table enjoying a casual conversation and cold-cut sandwiches, a text came through from my mom saying that I had received an envelope from Walt Disney World. A look of astonishment swept over my face as I begged my friend to excuse me from the table for just a minute. Caught up in my excitement, I clenched my phone and sprinted to the lobby. I quickly called my mom as I felt my heart trying desperately to escape my chest. As my phone started ringing, I took a deep breath and tried my best to remain calm. "If it's meant to be, it will happen. Don't get your hopes up." were the thoughts going through my head. When I heard my mom on the other end of the phone, I immediately begged her to read it to me. "Well, the first word is, 'Congratulations!'" At that moment, every emotion that I had been bottling up over the past several weeks came pouring out of me. I was sobbing, dancing, laughing and screaming much to the dismay of everyone around me. I was finally on my way to becoming a Disney cast member, and as of that moment, there was nothing standing in my way!


When I started this project, I tried to set a few goals. For instance, I want it to be long enough to where it would be considered a "book." As far as everything goes from this point, I am continuously reminded of those magical moments and those long nights at work as a cast member. It was not an easy journey, but every step was worth it. I try to consider this a project that will never be completely finished in hopes that it will be polished and molded into something that might be worthy of this world's realm of published books. Do I intend to get it published? At this point, no. It's just for friends, family, and for a way for me never forget my year as a employee to the mouse. In the future, I will keep you posted about the current and future steps in this journey. Until then, have a magical day!

Strong mind. Strong will. Strong me.

After finishing my Disney life, I was at a total loss of where this bumpy road called "my life" would take me next. Hoping by some miracle another opportunity would come along and take me to another far-off place, I grew tired of waiting. I would always wrestle with the fact that it is time for me to grow up and it's time for me to start living the life I am destined to have.

Just recently, a strength came over me that I have never had before. It was like a cool breeze breaking through the hot summer air. Something changed in me. Although I do not know what caused it or how it happened so suddenly, it was truly an amazing feeling. Fear and doubt no longer held on to the corners of my mind, and I felt...free!

Now knowing what I must do, I am determined to do it with all my strength. I have found that one of the greatest feelings in life is conquering a fear, and no longer being afraid. I have everything in me that I need, and I just need to go for it. I will not waste another day hoping and wishing, but rather working hard with determination under my belt and a strong will to get me through. I will succeed!

Only the Beginning

As 2011 comes to an end, I cannot help but to smile. This year has been an incredible journey for me! I started the year in Florida, then moved to Michigan, and now I am ending it in Tennessee. Me, a gypsy soul? Absolutely! Nothing seems to hold this girl back from what she wants in life.

The clock now ticks to the end of another year around the sun, yet this journey has only just begun. There is a path that lies before me that I cannot wait to take my first step on. I have a list of resolutions, which I cannot guarantee that will be fulfilled or followed, but I see them as goals of which to place my aim upon. I try to keep in mind that the only one who is standing in my way of goals and dreams is myself. I will jump into this new year scared, but knowing that it is a necessity to find the courage to keep pressing on. There is something wonderful waiting for me out there and I just cannot wait to find it!

And so, with open arms, I welcome you 2012. Even though this is considered an ending, I will see it as only the beginning! Each day, with a dream in my heart, I will keep pressing forward unknowingly! May this be the best year yet!

Fuzzy Socks and Family Time

During this holiday season, I was blessed to spend it in the beautiful state of Tennessee. Being in need of some time to get away and do some thinking, I packed my bags and headed south. It was such a wonderful time for me to just sleep, relax, think, write and do some research. I guess you could say that I was on another quest to find myself. Something about this trip changed me in a way. I don't know exactly what it was though. It could be that I may have had a slight glimpse into what direction my life could take, and I liked it! But, that's going off on a different story.

After spending three weeks in Tennessee, my family came down to join me for Christmas. As we all sat around opening gifts, I was reminded that I was very blessed to have never had a Christmas without a family, food, or a few gifts under the tree. Throughout my life, I have always had a so many reasons to be thankful. This Christmas, I am extra thankful!

Having to keep the secret of a pregnancy in the family was not an easy thing to do, but when word was out, it was worth the wait! Here is the story:

When we decided to start opening gifts, the first one was handed to my nephew and my dad. My nephew, being seventeen months old, needed help opening the first gift. So, my dad helped him open it. It was a book entitled "I'm a Big Brother." As the title was read out loud, a hush fell over the room. "Surprise!" someone yelled. Squeals were let out and hugs were being handed out. It was amazing to witness!

These were gifts from my parents! Think what you will, but I will never be too old to wear a shirt with Mickey Mouse on it! Also, I'm a HUGE Centerville fan, so I was excited to receive that shirt as well! I also received two gift cards to my favorite stores, an adorable coat from a good friend of mine, and two pairs of fuzzy socks, which I have always been obsessed with. It was truly a wonderful Christmas indeed! And now, as I sit here and write, wearing my fuzzy socks and enjoying family time, I am thankful! And I will, until the next Christmas and on, keep pressing forward unknowingly!

This Girl's Writer's Block

These past several days, I've been meaning to write a blog post. Most of the time I have no idea what it is that I want to write about. Then, out of the blue, my mind is floods with all sorts of things that I want to jot down. So, this post is to make up for these past couple weeks and to update you on all the ins and outs of my life lately.

Yes, I have STILL been doing a lot of thinking. Been making mental notes and weighing out pros and cons on what direction I might choose to take this upcoming year. Here is what has been happening recently. It started out with an advertisement on my facebook page. It was advertising a photography school here in Nashville. I tried to resist, but my curiosity got the best of me. I clicked on it and did some research. It actually seemed like a good place to study seeing that the focus of the school is the media arts. And to get my degree in only two years just astounds me! And, it would be amazing to study photography in one of the most beautiful states in the country! As the excitement of it filled me to the brim, I decided to do some more research. This time, it would circle around the serious state of my wanting to study here. Yes, I started looking for apartments. I was shocked to find so many available and at fantastic prices! Now, I'm not very picky when it comes to living quarters. As long as it's clean, I'm OK with that. Plus, I'm one who loves to keep herself busy, so I'm hardly ever "home". And, as long as I'm spending most of my time behind the lens of a camera, my living conditions would be the least of my thought process.

But then, BAM! Reality!

I know, I know. In a couple weeks I will be heading back to Michigan and starting my 2012. I would be lying if I told you that I am going to welcome this new year without fear, doubt, or uncertainty. Sure, I'm excited about it, but not knowing what will happen next is what worries me the most. I'm one who likes to have a plan. And as of right now, I don't have a plan. I'm just going to take it day-by-day and hopefully soon, I'll be able to return to Tennessee in pursuit of the beginning of my photography career.

As of right now, this girl is suffering from writer's block in many ways, but mostly my life. And as I sit here with a blank page before me, I play with the pen in my hand trying desperately to write something down. Nothing is coming to my mind.

Until something wonderful scratches out of my pen and into the next chapter of my life, I will keep pressing forward unknowingly.

New Found Me!

As many of you may know, I can be quite a fickle person. Of course, I dream big and want to do just about everything with my life, it makes the "fickeleness" creep up and pounce on me many times. Needless to say I keep something on me that I can write a new idea in (be it a notebook, my iPod, or my cell phone)...hold on. I'm writing something in my iPod as we speak...

Ok, where was I? Oh yes. Blogging!

Having time to think a lot can be very dangerous; especially when one has an imagination such as mine. It can also be confusing, frustrating, exciting, and even devastating. You: "Kelly, where are you going with this??"  Me: "Hey, I'm getting there!"

When one reaches the age of twenty-one, one should know what to do with his/her life. At least, that's what I always thought. But in my case, that hasn't happened yet. I thought I had it all figured out, but I don't. In ways, it's thrilling! In other ways, it's terrifying!

So, I sit and think, and think, and think some more 'til I give myself a headache. Every day I find something new about myself and it's like a new found me! Now, I'm not saying that I, for instance, want to be a firefighter one day and an astronaut the next. No no no. That's not how it works with me. What does happen is that I have many possibilities which weigh on the scale of who I am, tipping and spinning me in every direction possible. It does make me dizzy quite a bit, but it's quite a fun ride just not knowing what big explosion of an idea I can come up with next. And it's not just in my future career, but also in the brand of my first car, what steroe-typical job I want to pay for college, to where I want to move when I move out, and if I want to live in the city or the country. So many options, so little time!

I have been told that life is unpredictable, and I believe that in a way. But, in other ways, that's not all truth. I have had certain things planned out in my life that happened the way I hoped. I don't think everyone is completely blind to what the future holds. After all, "If you aim for nothing, you'll hit it every time."-unknown
I just try to take it one day at a time. I don't limit myself to anything, embrace the opportunities that come my way, and leap over the obstacles standing in my path to a happy life. I don't know if I will soon figure out exactly what my life will hold, but hopefully it will be clear someday soon. Until then, I will keep pressing forward unknowingly!

Reflections on Thanksgiving

As it is Thanksgiving and you all are enjoying family, friends, and lots and lots of turkey, I thought I'd write to simply reflect on the many blessings that I have been given. I feel that I am the most blessed girl in the world! Life couldn't get much better than this!

What comes to my mind the most on this Thanksgiving day is the past two years of my life. I have been given so many amazing opportunities of which I wouldn't trade for anything! As I graduated from high school, I embarked on an incredible journey that had many obstacles. (But, what would a roller coaster without it's ups and downs?) As I set my goals higher and higher each day, I was molded into the person that I wanted to be. The Lord laid an unforeseen path in front of me and guided me through it all. Was it scary? You could say that. But looking back, it was so worth it!! I found that you must grab life by the horns, hold on tight, and just enjoy the ride! Life is too short to be anything but happy!

That is what I am most thankful for: this crazy thing called life! To anyone who may read this, thank you for having a part in my life. A special thank you to all who have supported me in my journey of dreams! Your support has help me push through and dream even bigger!

Many blessings to you and your loved ones on this Thankgiving day! God bless!!

My Future is UNLIMITED!

Through these past several years, I've had the wonderful opportunity to fulfill three big goals in my life that I've been dreaming about since high school. I attended the college of my dreams and majored in theater. Then, I moved to Orlando to work at Walt Disney World, which, in a word, was MAGICAL!! Now, I'm at a bit of a cross-road in my life.

To all those who have known me know that I have been involved in, studying, and pursuing theater. I can tell you that there isn't a whole lot of other things that make me happier than theater! Sure, I still get stage fright, but when the curtain rises, I get caught up in the moment and completely forget that there are hundreds of eyes staring at me. I'm in character, I'm in the moment, and I just go with the flow. Sure I'm not the best singer, actor, or dancer, but I'm doing what I love, and that's all that matters! But, that's going off on a trail. Back to what I was talking about.

These past couple of years, I've had a lot of time to think. I've had time to explore new things and open my mind to many other opportunities that are out there. I've explored my life beyond the realms of the stage lights, and have discovered things about myself that I never knew. For instance: I want to travel! I want to see the places that I read about or see on the Travel channel! I even made a bucket list of specific places that I want to visit. (First stop: Egypt!) But, there's more to it. I don't just want to travel for fun. I want to make a living of it. Q: "Kelly, how the heck are you going to do that?" A: Well, I'm still trying to figure that out. I have a few ideas!

As far as my recent plans go, I'm not really sure what I'm going to do next. What I would like to do is get a college degree in photography. (Another thing I love to do. Walk around with my face beind the lens of a camera!) Maybe after that, I'll pick up where I left off in my theater studies. Who knows?!

I have set my mind to never limit myself to anything. Life is full of twists and turns, and you can never be absolutely certain of what will happen next. So, I will press forward unknowingly, yet knowing that my future is unlimited!