Figuring it all out

The other day my mom and husband were talking.  He had the day off and thought it would be nice to catch up with her {love him!}  Of course I came up.  My mom mentioned to M how thankful she is that he is in my life and he came when he did.

See growing up I was an extremely difficult child/pre-teen.  I can actually say looking back I couldn’t wait to grow up.  Kind of sad when you think about it.  My entire life I have had a plan and known exactly where I want to go and where I want to be.  Dating Marco at 14 only intensified that process-I knew after the first couple months we were meant for one another.  I could have cared less about high school, college was okay but didn’t get to enjoy it like most people.  My main priority was finishing.

Now that I am 5+ years into corporate America and I wish I had done things a little differently.  Maybe gone to a different college or applied myself more in school or not worked as much in college.  Obviously you can’t change the past, but you can decide where you want to spend your future.  Right now I am figuring that out…

Source: inkinandthinkin.typepad.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Politics Oh Boy!

In my personal life I am pretty vocal about my political stance.

{We watch The Daily Show every night if that gives you any hint about where we stand.}

A segment a couple nights ago really got under my skin as a woman: birth control. Never in a million years did I think it this topic would cause such a ruckus!

Marco said that if Rush called our daughter a "slut" he would kill him. I am sure a lot of father would feel the same way.

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Being Grateful

{via}

Yesterday I found out some sad news about a high school classmate.  We weren't friends, he actually teased me throughout Latin class most days, but I still knew him.  He has been diagnosis with ALS.  He is 28 and has been struggling with it for about a year.  Yesterday, through a FB group, his wife updated everyone saying he can barely use his hands.  In that moment my heart broke. If you watch Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta you might have seen his now wife on this past Friday nights episode.  You can read more about their story here.

In a world filled with materialism and always wanting more this makes me step back and take a look at my own life.  I am beyond blessed and totally take my life for granted.  Some days I hate the way materialism takes over me.  I don't need to compete or have the best of everything.  I have absolutely everything I need.  Everyday Marco wakes up and it extremely grateful for his life, health and me.  He lives a balanced and grounded life {a little cynical, yes but that's because of Hollywood}.  I think I need him to rub off on me a little more.

Today I ask you to be thankful for what you have and who you have in your life.  The material things don't last, but the relationships you build last a lifetime.  More energy should be put into people and experiences than the newest shoes or bag.

I need to listen to my own advice.

Blunt, Sarcastic, Honest

I have a confession.  

I feel like I have been holding back on ya'll and showing you who I really am.  

I was looking back on some posts that I had saved and never published.  They are blunt, very sarcastic and honest.  I didn't feel comfortable publishing them because I don't want to offend anyone.  

Yesterday I was driving home thinking about this little blog.  I was thinking that I am a very out spoken person in real life, but when it comes to putting certain ideas or opinions on the web it scares me.  

Starting today I am going to be honest with myself and ya'll and write what I want to write about.  It is my blog anyways, I can do what I wanna do{this is taken from a movie, but not sure which one}.

{Photo Credit}

Reflection

In the past 3 to 4 months my personal life has changed drastically.  Mainly for the better, but it has taken some getting used to.  Earlier this year MG and I were in the same old routine day in and day out, which I was fine with.  One day I told him I wanted a change.  I wasn't sure what type of change I wanted but just something to spice up our everyday life.  Well no less than a month later my world changed.

*My best friend/sister-in-law {Allie} and her husband moved back to Alpharetta.  They had been living in LA for just over a year.  I knew they weren't happy here, but I thought they would move back later in the year, around Christmas time.  We have been friends since I was 14 and always dreamed of living in LA together.  I still miss her terribly, but I know she is much happier now.

*My other best friend, C, is expecting.  This might have hit me harder than Allie leaving.  When Al told us they were moving my first thought was I am going to be okay because I still have C here.  A month later C tells us her news.  It took me a long time to process this, but I am now happy to report how THRILLED I am for them.  On Saturday night they had their Gender Reveal Party.  They are having a baby boy {shhh it's still a secret for the next few days until they tell everyone}!  I couldn't be more excited.  They are making this next step work for them which gives me hope for when it is time for us to have a family.  

*Health and Fitness. This has always taken a back seat in our lives, but now it is a priority and I couldn't be happier.  I am LOVING Bar Method and am not sure what I am going to do once my trial membership runs out.  It is pretty pricey:(  

*Just be Happy!  Some days I really miss living in Atlanta especially when I read posts like this.  It is such a young city with so much to offer, but then  I have to think to myself how lucky I am to live out here.  When MG and I first moved out here we lived in Burbank {the Valley} with one wall unit for AC {it was hot} and slept on a blow up mattress for 9 months.  To look at where we started 3 short years ago still amazes me.  Some days I think that I am the luckiest person in the world.  

Nothing earth shattering has happened the last few months, but I am happy and that is really all that matters.  I am a firm believer in the quote below:)

What I am Loving: Baby Addition

I am loving that I can finally share some exciting news with you!  Our LA besties, C & D are expecting their first child on December 27.  This is the life changing news I saw writing about here and here .  I am over the moon happy for them and think they will make one cute looking baby! 

The happy couple before making the announcement to our LA family.

When they told us 8 weeks ago, I was a little bit shocked to say the least-which I feel bad about.  I was afraid the dynamic with our friendship would change.  It has, but I understand it.  Life changes. People change.  It doesn’t mean I don’t care about them or don’t want to spend time with them because I do.  They are two of the most important people to me.  

 

I LOVE this picture!  C telling me she is starting to show!!!

{I am not knocking anyone’s choice to have a baby.  If anything this has put my life into perspective about the decisions MG and I have made.  I will be forever grateful.  We are thrilled to be apart of this child’s life and can’t wait to spoil him or her rotten.  I can’t wait to be Auntie B!}

Facebook Trend

{Photo Credit} 

I keep seeing this reoccurring theme on Facebook.  Girls who I have gone to high school and college with who have gotten married, divorced and aren't even 30 yet.  This makes me sad for them.  I am  intrigued as to why this happened.  Were they in love with the idea of having a wedding?  Did they marry someone who turned out to be leading a secret life?  Did they realize how much effort it takes to make a marriage work?  Did they want the pretty ring?

MG and I are not the perfect couple.  Some days our best isn't good enough and we end up fighting.  Other days life is wonderful and I can't believe how lucky I am.  We each have flaws and neither one of us is perfect, but we do our best, which is all I can ask for.

New Outlook

This weekend MAG and I received some interesting news about a friend.  It is life changing in a good way.  This news was so shocking that I have been thinking about it contently for the past few days.  It has made me realize a few things about my own life.

{our words to live by}

MAG and I are on the right path-now more than ever-I firmly believe this.  Sometimes my judgement gets cloudy and I question the life decisions we have made, but not anymore.  We have opportunities we must take advantage of now that we have our finances under control.  Starting today we are putting together our top 30 list before 35.  Somethings are already in the works and other things are dreams that  we both share.  I hope to have the list completed by the end of the week.

Sad :(

I hope ya'll had a nice St. Patty's Day.  Ours was interesting.  Yesterday my sister-in-law texted me saying they wanted to get together.  I told her that I was really tired from a busy week and just wanted to be at home.  We went back and forth for a little bit and deiced that we would touchbase later in the day.  Fast forward to about 7 PM.  I received a text saying that they really want to come over.  We were not into it, but one drink, would that really hurt us?  Nope, especially if we didn't have to leave our apartment.

They arrive around 9 PM.  We talk for a little bit and then Allie says she has an announcement.  I blurt out, "You're pregnant!"  Everyone laughed because that might be the #1 question we get asked all the time from our family member when we say we have an announcement.  I digress.  She says no, they aren't pregnant, but they are moving home. {Insert Britt's sad face here :( } This did not come to a shock to MAG and I at all.  We have known for awhile that they aren't happy here and I totally understand, LA is not for everybody. What did shock us was when they are planning to move home, MAY 9th!  That is less than 2 months away.  I didn't cry, I wasn't surprised, I just kind of sat there.

This is the right move for them.  I told them that they are their own family now and what MAG & I think doesn't matter.  It has to be right for them.  The saddest part about this whole thing is we will never live by one another again.  Some may think, never say never, but I am pretty confident that we will be out here for at least 20+ years.  This is our home now.  No going back to good old Alpharetta.  They are in the process of buying a fixer-upper condo.  Both of them are obsessed with HGTV so this makes sense.

When I was driving to work today "Touch of Grey" by the Grateful Dead came on.  The song started to make me cry about the situation-not 100% sure why, but it did.  Allie has been such a big part of my life since I was 14.  We are best friends even though we fight like sisters, we lived together in college and both had dreams about moving to Hollywood.  What makes me the most sad is that she won't be able to experience this adventure with me.  MAG is going to do great things and I am going to be able to reap the trophy wife rewards {note sarcasm here} and she won't be here to experience it with me.  In the words of the Grateful Dead, "I will get by."  Now if Corey leaves me I am screwed ;)

On a happier note, my boss is taking MAG and I to the Lakers Game tonight.  We have floor seats!!! I hope to sit next to Leo, Becks or Jack.  How cool would that be?!

Note: If you know Allie and are FB friends with her. Please don't say anything yet.  They are not finished telling everyone.  I wrote this because I knew it would help me sort through my feelings.

Mixed Emotions

Today is weird.  I am happy it is Friday, don't get me wrong, but the last 24 hours have given me mixed emotions about a few things.  Today this cute boy, Ross-my sisters boyfriend, heads off to Afghanistan.

Ross' Mom-Pam, Kristie, Ross, My Mom-Chris, and Nicole at the Marriott in New Bern, NC.  The hotel staff made him a sign to say THANK YOU!  How sweet:)

 The love birds last weekend.

As we speak they are actually waiting for the bus to pick them up.  As I said in my post here I haven't been directly effected by the Iraq war until now.

All the soldiers waiting for the buses to pick them up and ship out.

My moms brother, Jeff, was killed during his second tour to Vietnam.  I know how a war can tear apart a family making everyone become numb to hard situations.  This is my biggest fear for Kristie and his family.  They are so madly in love, have talked about getting married and starting a family a few years after he returns.  I want this for her.  This makes me extremely sad just thinking about this.

I know some of you have reached out to me with your thoughts and condolences and I truly appreciate it.  I will continue to keep you updated with Ross and my sister.   Hopefully next month MAG and I will be volunteering for Operation Gratitude.  I am waiting to hear back from their volunteer coordinator with info.

Sorry for such a heavy topic going into the weekend.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend planned.  It will be rainy and overcast here so no running by the beach :(  We still have to see King's Speech by Sunday so we will be up to date with the Oscars.

Perspective

Yesterday was interesting for me.  I spent the entire day upset about my phone.  Yes, it is silly, but I really love having this little luxury.  Last night while MAG was cooking dinner I decided to catch up on some Oprah episodes.  I watched the Military show that was on Thursday of last week.  At first I didn't know if I wanted to watch such an sad/intense topic but for whatever reason I did.  All I can say is WOW! I feel like such a spoiled brat on so many levels.  The show started out by talking to Cory Breist from South Dakota.  You can watch his story below.

About half way through I looked at MAG and busted into tears.  I just spent the day feeling sorry for myself about my stupid phone and here is a soldier who gave his life to serve our country, was hit by a bomb and is now blind, learning how to speak again and has to go to physical therapy 3 times per week.  After watching this 2 minute segment my perspective towards life changed. I need to be more conscience about how lucky/thankful/blessed I am to live the life that I have.  

In a few weeks my sister, Kristie, bf is going to Afghanistan.  He is a Marine and will be going to one of the most dangerous areas of the country.  This is his first tour.  He joined the Marines because he didn't have a clear path in college and didn't want to go just to go.  He wanted to grow up and figured the military would be the best place for him to do that.  Please keep my sister in your thoughts and prayers.  As of now he will be back in September, but as we all know tours can/are always extended.  

MAG and I are looking for a way to help military families or soldiers.  If you have any suggestions please let me know.