Thankful Thursday

Disclaimer:  This post is beyond cheesy.  I've warned you so if you continue to read, you cannot make fun of me.

Today I decided to post a few pictures of things for which I am incredibly grateful.  I am not usually one to be in a sentimental mood, but for some reason I am today.  So, a few things/people my life would be incomplete without and what they are to me:

My sisters, Kristin and Erin

Always there for me; usually answer my phone calls; understand that I am ridiculously lame but love me anyways with only the slightest bit of humiliation; always forgive me when I am a total witch.

My parents and the love they have shared for going on 30 years

Huge inspirations; role models; encouragers; believe in me when I can't believe in myself; stand up for me when I don't have the courage or the will power to stand up for myself.  I'm thankful for their tolerance although I'm sure I have been quite difficult.

High School Girls

If we've stayed friends this long, I truly believe we'll stay friends for much longer.  Life lines; memory sharers; girls I go to with what I think is serious life drama; understand me because they have watched me grow up

Macy

My first dog, well pet, of my own; my company and my family in MS; the reason for much of my laughter

Law School Pals

Encouragers; the ones who will stay up with me all night to study since we've wasted the entire semester; the ones who will always go out with me after a rough day, test, or lots of work; friends for the rest of my life because we have gone through an experience that is impossible for others to understand.

CrunchTime Legal Books

My last minute go-to that never fails me after I wait all semester to study.  I could not make it through law school without these books.

Old Navy

Forget quality when all of your summer clothes just about are stolen from you and you are left with nothing but the clothes you've had for years and years and then ratty t-shirts.  ON allowed me to re-stock almost my entire wardrobe for very little and for that I am incredibly grateful.

Travelling and New Experiences

I like to think I'm the well rounded person I am because of all of the amazing experiences I have had the opportunity to have and all the places I have gotten to go.  I've been to places like Europe, Vegas, NYC, Baltimore, Chicago, the lake, IKEA, Mexico, and the list just continues.

Laughter and those with whom I laugh

A sense of humor... is needed armor. Joy in one's heart and some laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life. - Hugh Sidey

A day without laughter is a day wasted. - Charlie Chaplan

Remington T-Studio Hair Straightener

Better than my Chi; never failed me, even on the most humid, rainiest days in South Alabama and Central Mississippi; quick and not time consuming; amazing.

For these things, and for plenty more, I am incredibly thankful.  I have been blessed beyond measure and am continuously and daily blessed.  Today, I wanted to count some of those blessings.  Thank you for sticking with it and reading through this corniness.  :)

I'm Alive!

So, I know it has been quite a while, but I'm so popular, I forget about this and don't have time to do it when I do remember!  Right.  I'm not that popular, but I do forget.  I can only describe my life this past month as hectic and a big whirlwind.  So much has happened and there have been so many changes that it doesn't seem like only a month has passed!

Most of you know this, so skip down a bit.  I'm just re-capping for some of you who I have not talked with or who I really only communicate with through my blog.

Finals finished on a Thursday.  I stayed in town that weekend to relax and get some things done here.  On Monday, May 17, I loaded my car to head to Troy for a couple of weeks before my summer class started.  After loading my car, I went to run a few errands.  I then came home to pick up Macy and hit the road.  While I was trying to get Macy in the car, a SUV pulled up beside me.  The guy driving asked me for directions, which I gave.  He then pulled a gun on me.  After bickering with him for a minute, I finally gave him my keys to both my house and my car.  He said some incredibly vulgar things and then sped off when a car turned down our street behind him.  I went to the neighbor's house and called 911.  An officer came and we stood in between my car and my house filing the report and me giving all the information I could.  One of my roommates is gone for the summer but the other one is in town.  I could not get him to answer his phone or respond to text messages.  The officer was just going to leave me at my house, which was locked so I couldn't get in it.  All I wanted was for my roommate to come home, let me in the house so I could get my spare key and then hit the road and get out of Jackson.  Since I couldn't get Justin and I was about to be left all alone where not 30 minutes before I had a gun pulled on me, I called my friend Paige who lives nearby.  She came and picked me up and we went back to her house.  I finally got Justin and he came and picked me up and we went back to our house.  As we turned the corner, we saw that my car was gone.  The guy came back and stole my car - including everything that I had loaded into it for my trip home - in a window of about 25 minutes.  I was shocked, devastated, and terrified.  My parents came to Jackson, we did police stuff, etc., and then they took me to Troy for two weeks.

I started class on June 1, so I had to come back to Jackson.  My mother came back with me because we had a lot of police stuff to do and she didn't want me to be by myself.  I really really wanted to stay in our cute little house in Belhaven.  I was determined to suck it up and let things get back to normal.  However, after spending the entire car ride filled with dread, I knew as soon as I got to the house and a SUV started down the road toward us as we were getting out of the car and I about had a panic attack (seriously - no exaggeration), that I would not be able to stay in the house.  I could not even take Macy out to potty by myself.  Everytime I walked to the front of the house, and definitely outside, it took everything I had to not throw up or break down.  I couldn't live like that.  So, mother and I began our house search.  That in itself is quite a story, but I will not bore you.  In the end, Friday, the day we were leaving to go back to Troy, we finally found a house that was a definite possibility.

I spent the weekend in Troy car searching.  I don't even want to think about what a nightmare that was for me, much less type it out so it can become one for you to read.  I decided at the very last minute what car I was going to get.  I ended up with a 2010 white Ford Fusion SEL.  It is incredibly nice - fully loaded - and I got an amazing deal on it, so I couldn't turn it down.  I got all the papers and financial stuff taken care of just in time to return to Jackson on my own.

Oh what a week that was.  I didn't leave my bedroom (which was at the back of the house) while I was there.  I couldn't stay there by myself.  I left Macy in Troy so I didn't have to take her outside.  Justin and I, with Kip's consent from overseas, eventually decided that we were going to move into the house mother and I looked at the previous week.  Luckily, that paperwork was done very quickly and we were able to move that very weekend.  Mother came back and two of my law school friends volunteered to help us move.  We rented a U-Haul and got EVERYTHING out on Saturday. 

Justin and I are now in the new house and are getting things organized and unpacked.  It's in a great little subdivision that reminds me a lot of the subdivision in the movie Now and Then because there are so many kids riding their bikes and throwing their baseballs and shooting their basketballs.  It's in a fantastic area - tons of shopping, restaurants, and friends all right here with us.  It's cheaper than our other house!  It's newer and much nicer.  It is a bit far from school and traffic is pretty bad on the drive to downtown.  However, the positives far outweigh the negatives so I think it was a great decision.  When we get things more put together, I'll try to post pictures!

It was also a great decision for me personally.  I feel so much safer and I don't worry when I'm here by myself and hear a noise.  I can sleep through the night without waking up with just usual house noises.  I can walk to my car and have a vehicle drive by without freaking out.  Definitely a good thing!!!

I will, however, ask that you please continue to pray for me as I try to get over this fear, paranoia, and all these crazy other emotions, etc., that came from my experience.  Love you all!