Every Girl Needs a Rebekah in Life

"...AND

SMILE

IN THE

PICTURE

FOR THE

LOVE OF

NANCY!"

I have so many intelligent, encouraging, unique women in my life.

A girl needs such, in order to grow and develop into herself.

For me, I take little pieces that I love about each of my mentors and I mold those pieces into myself. I am so much a product of those whom I love and learn from.

This year my life has been blessed with my friend Rebekah. She has some of the greatest tidbits of advice!

I will share some wisdom from my Rebekah:

Never sit down and wait for the things you desire in life... get up and run after them.

Shared DNA does not equal obligation.

Ride every step, no excuses, no regrets.

Always walk as if you have somewhere urgent to be and no time to get there!

We always get to choose who we pick as friends... if they happen to be family it's a bonus.

There is great value in being able to share your heart- not with everyone, but someone.

There are good men in this world.

Until people learn to look at the inside first, they are distracted by the outside.

Everyone deserves to feel special.

When in doubt blouse your shirt out.

A cool cloth on your eyes will help with swelling after a night of crying.

Do not apologize for who you are!

God allows extreme suffering only to the very strong in order that they may be His face here on earth.

Some situations, you should honor with your appearance.

Believe in your own strength and beauty.

Do not ever settle for less.Do not stroll across a crosswalk... you may get run over!

While we may not have the ability to control what life brings, we do have the choice of how we handle adversity.

Mom's Butterflies and Bees

My mother was fascinated with butterflies and bumble bees. I found it silly. How could someone her age find amazement in insects?

Then momma died. Routine died as well. As did security and habit. Forget predictability, it too had passed.

Suddenly, I found myself feeling very small and very alone. I realized that it was there in the solitude that butterflies and bumble bees and such become valuable and precious. When you shut the humans out, you let the nature in. It was a process that I had to go through to understand. I cherish my memories of sitting on the porch with my momma as she spoke of the ever-so-busy insects in her garden as if they were a part of our family. I miss those moments and I find myself yearning for the season when the butterflies and bees will return to what is now my garden.

Sleeping Freckles

As I lie here typing away on my laptop, my 5 year old niece is asleep next to me.  She is here for a visit. Her eyelashes are those that most women only dream of. Her freckles are perfect, each one strategically placed by God. Her hair is a unique blend of brown shades, just like mine was at that age. Her breath quietly whispers as she dreams. Before she drifted off to sleep, she said "Aunt Tami when I go back to Colowado soon I'm going to miss you weally a whole whole lot again." She just got here to Texas tonight. I forget sometimes what it is like to be completely open to let someone sit smack-dab in the center of my heart. Then, this freckle-faced bundle of innocence comes around and I am reminded.

I remember when this precious child was still in my sisters womb. I remember saying to Heather, "I want to be that Aunt... the Aunt that all of the kids cannot wait to go visit."

Just like my Aunt once was to me.