Birthday Central

If you saw the post before this one you know it's my little sisters birthday! Happy Birthday Ginny!! Did you know there is another birthday to celebrate today?! This little ole' blog's one year old today! I thought my sister and my blog both deserved a post of their own(:

When I started this blog I had no expectations to have any followers or to meet anyone. It was simply a way to kill time and an outlet to talk about things that were on my mind. I didn't even tell my friends or family I had a blog for a while!

Boy was I in for a surprise!

This blog has opened so many doors for me. I have found amazing blogs to follow that have allowed me to follow along on all of your journeys through life. I have met actual friends. I have connected with other girls that I have entirely way too much in common with and learned more than I could imagine about myself through blogging. I honestly had no idea this little hobby would last an entire year!

Let's take a look where I was a year ago:

This picture was taken EXACTLY one year ago. I know because it was Ginny's birthday(:
Notice my bare legs? It was upper 70's that day!

I was a junior in college tackling way too much. I was taking an 18 hour course load, working two jobs: babysitting after school and working as an office assistant in the Business and Informational Technology building, serving on the Executive Council as House Manager for my sorority, Living with 22 girls in the ZTA house, in a serious relationship and completing all my duties as a Teaching Fellow. Looking back I know I was taking on way too much. I would often times find myself stressed and unhappy. I believe when I started blogging it made me put a lot of things into perspective and rearrange my priorities! (All for the better) oh and I only had ONE Basset Hound!

Let's take a look at how I have changed over the past year.

and if I changed so did my blog- it is a reflection of me after all!

My family got Charlie, our second Basset Hound!!

I learned to appreciate simple things like being home with my family for the Holidays

My love for beach music grew as I attended many concerts & festivals

I finished up my junior year as well as my two jobs and moved home for the summer. I was nervous to go from being so busy everyday to doing n-o-t-h-i-n-g. Living in a small town I didn't think I would be happy at all. Surprise, surprise! It was the best summer ever!! I learned to relax more than I had the entire past school year. I spent almost every day at the pool or the beach reading.

If that isn't the definition of relaxation I don't know what is..



My grandmother passed away. While this was a very heartbreaking and difficult time, it also allowed my mom, sister and I to grow spiritually together.

I turned 21- that was a fun and long awaited milestone!

I experienced a tornado, a hurricane and a campus lock down all while at school!

I started my senior year of college. Talk about a reality check! It hit me that time is precious and my college journey was coming to a close. I couldn't wrap my head around this and decided I was not going to waist one minute of this last year. This is also the time my boyfriend and I broke up. I think a big part of that decision had to do with school and timing.

I met some AMAZING people through my blog. Seriously, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for the friendships that have been created through this world of blogging.

I had a true realization that it is your decision if you want to be happy or not. It's as simple as: If you want to be happy, then be. If you don't, then don't. This realization has helped me to find true happiness in each and every day- even on my very worst day. I know my very worst day could be someone else's best day.

I normally pout all through fall and winter about how much I miss summer. Not this year! I embraced fall and loved every moment of the season. I'm still working on winter(;

I started second semester, meaning my last semester in college and began my internship full time. I can't say this hasn't crossed my mind:



and that leads us to here!

Where am I now?

I'm finishing up my last semester in school before I graduate. I'm in an internship in a second grade class and loving every single minute of it. I'm still babysitting the same girl. I'm trying to figure out what to do with myself in May when I enter the big girl world. And lastly, I'm just happy.

Not a bad year right?

Happy Birthday A Sweet Simple Southern Life