Road Trip!

We made it! :) The drive was longer (longer than needed but we'll talk about that later) but the scenary was beautiful. My parents moved to Burlington, North Carolina (about ten minutes from Greensboro). And I've decided the most entertaining way to describe the ride will be in pictures.

Disclaimer: Just click on the picture to see it more close up :)

My Mom and I woke up Wednesday morning at 5am to get ready to drive. Here my old house as we drive away:


Driving through Florida (flat lol):


Georgia:



South Carolina:



Then the ride got interesting. Just as a little background, the night before we left I programmed my Mom's navigation with the address to the hotel we are staying at until our house is ready. Well apparently I didn't pay attention to the fact that it gave me the shortest distance instead of fastest route. So we were very confused when it took us off of the interstate. We through a lot of small towns and areas with no cell phone reception (a bit scary haha). But it was a beautiful ride, even if it took us a bit longer than if we had stayed on the interstate for the whole ride.

Here are the corn fields that we were surrounded by when we didn't know where we were:


Although it was beautiful


I was a bit nervous :)


But we made it to my new home state!


And now a little album of pictures of my new neighborhood:
The Entrance


The Clubhouse

My House :)

Views from my house!


So this is the house to our left. Does it remind you of the house from The Notebook?? :)


Isn't it all amazing?? But here is the real question. I have to pick which bedroom I want by Monday. Here are the choices:

Bedroom 1:
Pros: A higher ceiling (called a dormer ceiling, amazing walk in closet, and attached to a bathroom that also has a door into the hallway
Cons: Not as good of a view. Here is a picture from the window:


Bedroom 2:
Pros: View of the Lake
Cons: Smaller Closet, No bathroom attached to the room
Here is the view:


So I have no idea what to do!

Comment please and let me know what you think!! I hope you enjoyed my picture story :)

Sammy!

Just thought you would like a glimpse into my life with the best dog ever! :)

Since I've Been Back

I can't believe it has been so long. Its been about sixteen days since moving back from Tallahassee. I'm still waiting for the day that I have to drive back. It is an unusual feeling knowing that I'm not. I do feel that I have been in Orlando longer than sixteen days though. I feel so unproductive. I didn't do much at my job but at least I was doing something.

I've done a little bit of everything since I've been back. I was able to spend time with my Grandma and Aunt which is always nice. I hadn't been to her house since Christmas - that is way too long!

I discovered a new favorite clothing line. Bitten by Sarah Jessica Parker. (My brother is thinking to himself right now - she looks like a witch! haha) But it is cute, comfy and cheap! Check it out :)

Eric took me out for my birthday on Friday the 8th. We went to the Starlight Dinner Theater and had a wonderful dinner and watched Bye Bye Birdie. It was a nice throwback to high school.

I was finally able to hang out with Brittnee! We went to SAK Comedy Club (thanks to her Dad!) and Cowboys. It has been so fun hanging out with her :) It really makes you realize how big Orlando is. It's not as easy as Tallahassee to see everyone you want to spend time with.

My mom took me to the Ritz Carlton Spa on Sunday as a celebration for my birthday. How relaxing :) Well other than the fact that I got to see the fully nude back of a woman who should have been clothed haha!

I turned 22 last Monday! I don't feel any older - thank goodness. Actually this brought up an interesting point while shopping with Brittnee. We are 22 but we feel like children in an adult world. Although I had a full time job working with all adults, I still felt like I was dispensable - which I probably was. But I didn't feel like I was treated like a college graduate. I wish I could say "I am intelligent - I am a woman." I believe it but sometimes I don't think other people do. Maybe after my next degree I will prove myself and people will see it haha.

Guess what? I got the job at Rollins! I will be the Hall Director at Elizabeth Hall on campus at Rollins. I am so excited! Out of the people I have met so far they are all great people and I can't wait to start working with them. They seem fun and outgoing and it will be a good group of people to spend time with since I don't know anyone at Rollins. My apartment is super cute so that makes it a good deal too. Its a one bedroom apartment with a kitchen, living room, dining room, walk in closet! I have a few ideas of how I will decorate. Pictures will come when I move in and get everything situated :)

So now Eric is on a cruise to Cozumel, Belize and somewhere in the Bahamas I think (yes I'm jealous!). So I'm just hanging out with my mom and shopping - which is something I don't need to be doing haha. I need him to come back to keep me occupied :)

In high school, my all-time favorite show was Dawson's Creek. This statement may seem random but lucky for me, Dawsons Creek still comes on every morning. The day I realized that it came on, they were showing the finale. The show was on from when I was in sixth grade until my senior year. And I cried my eyes out when it ended because I felt like I basically grew up with this show. Well there is a scene that will always stick out in my mind when I think of that show. It is was Jen was making a video for her baby daugther because she was close to passing away and knew that she wouldn't be around to watch her grow up. I'll leave it here for a little food for thought:

"Hi, Amy, it's mom. Well, by the time you see this, I won't be here anymore, and I know how much that sucks, for both of us. So seeing as how I won't be around to thoroughly annoy you, I thought I would give you a little list of the things that I wish for you. Well, there's the obvious. An education. Family. Friends. And a life that is full of the unexpected. Be sure to make mistakes. Make a lot of them, because there's no better way to learn and to grow, all right? And, um, I want you to spend a lot of time at the ocean, because the ocean forces you to dream, and I insist that you, my girl, be a dreamer. God. I've never really believed in God. In fact, I've spent a lot of time and energy trying to disprove that God exists. But I hope that you are able to believe in God, because the thing that I've come to realize, sweetheart... is that it just doesn't matter if God exists or not. The important thing is for you to believe in something, because I promise you that that belief will keep you warm at night, and I want you to feel safe always. And then there's love. I want you to love to the tips of your fingers, and when you find that love, wherever you find it, whoever you choose, don't run away from it. But you don't have to chase after it either. You just be patient, and it'll come to you, I promise, and when you least expect it, like you, like spending the best year of my life with the sweetest and the smartest and the most beautiful baby girl in the world. You don't be afraid, sweetheart. And remember, to love is to live."

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer and I will try to update more often :)

Oh! Everyone needs to see Blood Diamond - great and informative movie! (And Leonardo DiCaprio is hot!)

Love is to Live :)

Tallahassee

I can’t believe that after almost four years of living in Tallahassee, the time has come. I move back to Orlando this weekend. It brings a mix of emotions. I’m excited about starting the next phase of my life but I am sad to be leaving. I don’t know the person that I would be had I not come to school here. I have had so many experiences and have grown so much while being here.

Moving away from my parents for the first time was hard. But it taught me to be more independent and strong.

My dorm freshman year brings a lot of good memories and some bad as well. The roommate situation could have been better but it helped me learn that people aren’t always going to get along but you have to learn how to deal with it. And I had all of my close friends from high school with me – we had so much fun.

I remember walking around campus before my first day of college classes with my little map, making notes of where the buildings were. Looking back on it now, I can’t believe I know the campus like the back of my hand. I thought I would never get used to it.

My freshman year brought a change of heart. I went to FSU for the meteorology program. I decided that wasn’t the path I wanted to go. I sometimes regret that decision but I know that God has a path for me and I don’t think He would lead me away from my true passion (although I don’t know what that is yet).

My sophomore year was the year of change.

My two best friends decided they didn’t want to be my friend anymore. That caused good and bad changes in my life. Of course, I was confused and hurt. My life would, without a doubt, be completely different if we stayed friends. And if it wasn’t for my roommates, Emily and Lindsay, I would have been lost.


Back in the Day!

I was able to experience college life and meet an enormous amount of people because of Emily and Lindsay, they brought me out of my shell. And we have been friends (and with Emily, roommates) ever since. I’m excited that all of us will be in Orlando together.

That year, I gave up an old love and gained a new one. I met Eric. My boyfriend – my best friend. It would take me pages to explain how much he means in my life.


First Picture of Me and Eric

My junior year was full of fun.

I finally lived off campus with great friends. So many memories, so much drama. My life would be boring without these girls. And if they are reading this right now, only they will know the craziness of that year. I love each of them for different reasons – they have contributed to my life and I am grateful for that.


306 the beginning

I got involved on campus by joining CHICS. Caring and Helping In Community Service. I was able to volunteer and meet some of the greatest girls I've met while at FSU. I smile every time I think of spending time with this group. Lots of laughs and lots of fun :)


Great Girls!

My brother moved to Tallahassee that year. He has always been my brother but I don’t know if I would have considered him a “friend.” I am so happy to say that now he is one of my best friends who happens to also be my brother.


Me and Kyle

He introduced me to Life Church, now Genesis Church. When I leave Tallahassee, this is one of the biggest aspects of my life that I will miss. I don’t know if I will ever have a pastor who is so passionate about making church relevant and trying to reach people like Pastor Brian is. He has taught me that the Bible does relate to my every day life and through all of his messages has shown me how to walk in Jesus’ path. I will never forget my time at Genesis Church. I can feel the difference from when I first started going there until now. I just hope that I can continue growing.

My senior year (only one semester) can be described as the semester of Bullwinkles. In the midst of finishing college and interviewing for jobs, we found a new place to go. It reminds me of our sophomore year and Stetsons. Both places were always a good time (and of course, this was when we were first introduced to Tom Sartori haha – I will always remember that night).


Tom Sartori!

My last semester was a roller coaster of emotions. Excitement, nervousness, scared, happy, sad, mad – I felt it all. I was trying to figure out the rest of my life. And I was dealing with rejection after rejection in job interviews. Not knowing what I was doing wrong or why things weren’t working out. If I didn’t have my friends and family, I would have been going crazy.


I love them!

Graduation day went by so quickly. All of my efforts during my time as a student at FSU were wrapped up in that one day. Why did I wear those red shoes? haha :)



My sublease not working out forced me to stay in Tallahassee. Yesterday was the last day of my first job. I’ll remember the day I was offered the job forever. I was so excited, and I thought I was going to be such an integral part of my department. I spent a lot of my time bored at my job (and if you have talked to me during that time, you know my frustration very well). But it helped me develop as a person – just as every other experience has. I learned what I wanted and needed out of a career – to be around people, to be busy and have responsibilities, basically everything that job wasn’t. But I met some incredibly nice people – and I wish them all of the success.

And now I have come full circle and I’m going back to school. I may regret my decision when I have tests to take and papers to write and projects to do but I am getting my masters. I should feel blessed that I have this opportunity. And I am – I’m excited for everything that could happen to me as a result of being a part of Rollins.

I will miss the football games. I will miss driving up the hill on Tharpe because that always brought a good feeling knowing that I was almost home. I will miss Frisbee golf and One Stir Fry. I will miss my brother and watching him sing. I will miss church. I will miss my apartment. I will miss my roommates.

I will miss Tallahassee.

But through everything, I had and will always have my friends and family. My parents have always been there for me through all of my emotions, supporting me and loving me. Thank you – I love you both more than I can explain.



There are so many more memories I can talk about. And they will be the reason why leaving on Sunday will be so hard. But they come with me - I will always have my memories.

Memorial Day Weekend

At the beginning of last week, I didn't know that I would be going home this weekend. My mom came up with the great idea for me to catch a ride home with my brother. And I am so glad I did - it was the greateat weekend that I've had in a while. Friends, Family, Fun - it can't get much better.

It started off with taking the afternoon off of work on Friday which is always fun. The drive home was long (as usual). I originally thought we were going to see Pirates that night but we went putt-putt golfing instead. Eric won - even after I bragged about how good I was. And I was doing good - I fell apart at the end! After that we came back and watched The Family Stone - one of my favorite movies. Side note: that movie makes me want to have a big family, so I can have crazy holidays like that haha :)





Saturday me, Eric, Kyle and Andrea spent the day at Universal. And I am sad to say after five years, they finally took my ID. I am no longer employed there :( Thank goodness I brought an extra comp pass just in case. We had so much fun. The lines surprisingly were not long even though it was a holiday weekend. We spent most of our time in Universal. This led to two of the highlights of the day - Boris and Herbert the Dronkey!



Sunday we went to church at First Baptist. The service was commemorating those that have died fighting for our country. It really made me appreciate the fact that I am blessed to be an American. I loved learning about what each fold of the flag represents when it is represented to the family members of a fallen soldier at funerals. For those that may be unfamiliar, here is what the 13 folds mean:

The 1st fold of our flag is a symbol of life.

The 2nd fold is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.

The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing our ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.

The 4th fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.

The 5th fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur "Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.

The 6th fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that We pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States Of America, and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

The 7th fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.

The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day.

The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.

The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.

The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.

The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding us of our nation's motto, "In God We Trust."

After the service, each member of the congregation received a flag that had a label with the name of a soldier who has died attached to it. We were directed to a field to place our flags in the ground so that when people drive by they will see that "we remember."





Then we went to lunch and the Florida Mall for Andrea to buy her new MacBook. Now she is a part of the cool club! :)

And my Dad came home! Which when I originally decided to come home, I didn't know he would be there as well so it was a wonderful surprise and it was so great to spend time with him. So we all went out to dinner on Sunday night and hung out and cooked out on Monday.

I would have to say that is a pretty amazing weekend!

I would like to thank Kyle of being the picture taker and documenting the whole weekend :)

I Wish I Could Update

There is nothing really too exciting going on that is blog-worthy. I just didn't want you to think I forgot about you ;) As soon as something comes up, you will be the first to know!

Side Note: I applied for my passport today! So if there are any aspiring world travelers, please let me know. I want to plan a trip :)

Alone

I went by myself to the movies tonight. And it was fun. I was surprised by that because I had never been to the movies by myself before. I was fearing that I would feel pathetic or lonely because I didn't have a companion. But it felt great that I could just be in my own company and feel comfortable with that.

It made me realize how many other people were there by themselves. What was their story? Were they alone because they wanted to be or because they had to be? I'm not sure.

It probably helped that the movie that I saw was really good. Georgia Rule. Yes, the movie with Jane Fonda and Lindsay Lohan. I didn't really know what to expect from the movie. I had a vague idea of what it was about - it was chick flick - that is enough information for me to go see it :) I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to movies but I felt that the story and the acting were really good. Go check it out :)

So I'm having a pretty good night :)