My favorite month is coming to an end and it was such an amazing month for me! It was full of lots of fun, but also some chaos.

I kicked off September in Colorado with my family enjoying football and time together.

The following weekend I got a surprise visit from my family in Florida who had flown west when the harsh reality of Hurricane Irma hit. It was great to spend some time with my brother, his wife, and my beautiful nephew. While the reason we spent time together was not pleasant, it was great to see them sooner than Christmas. I had not seen my nephew for two months and it was miraculous the development he had from mid-June to early-September.

Weekend number three I got rear ended. What a drag. Thank the Lord I was safe and damage was minimal and a stress free experience. The rest of that weekend was spent at Disneyland! My boyfriend and I became annual passholders and it was an exciting purchase. I can't wait to spend many weekends at the park in the coming year. It was nice to enjoy the park without feeling rushed or forced to get on every single ride, because we have the ability to go back whenever we want.

Last Friday I took my final CSET for teaching credential (I find out if I pass on October 20...please pray!) and then spent the night at the Greek Theater with Walker Hayes, Old Dominion, and Thomas Rhett. What a show. I loved every second of it. I would love to see Thomas Rhett again. His new album is incredible and I recommend you check it out if you have not yet.

The next day I turned 25! Wow. I have never had a more special birthday. My boyfriend and friends made it an incredible day for me. I have never felt so loved before. We celebrated at a brewery. It was neat to watch all my friends from different walks of life interacting with each other and forming their own friendships.

On Monday a pain I had been experiencing in my foot all month come to a head and I had to get x-rays. Unfortunately I learned I had a bone spur and a stress fracture which are likely related. I will be spending October in walking boot which is already frustrating, but I am trying to have an attitude of gratitude with the fact that at least I have a foot and the ability to walk.

Now someone go wake up that guy from Green Day...

What a year 24 has been. It has been one of the hardest years of my life and has brought upon a lot of changes. Fortunately with these changes has brought upon a lot of personal growth.

I spent my 24th birthday in tears. I was alone in a new town, missing my friends and family, knowing deep down that something had to give. Through the next couple months I kept going through the motions praying for a change. In December I went home for my Dad's 60th birthday and being around my family proved to me what I had already believed. I needed to come home and start over. I needed to put myself first and chase my dreams, whatever those may be. As 2017 began, I started to make plans to come home. I reconnected with a career I loved and began to take the steps to transition back into it. On February 1st I came home and made the leap to fall back in love with myself and find my personal happiness. As the months went on I began to get my joy back. Some days were difficult, but through Christian fellowship, supportive family, and a lot of journaling, I added more and more into my plan, including completing my teaching credential. I began to peel back the layers as I rebuilt my life, which meant removing people I truly cared for. One day I looked back on it all and realized I was falling in love with myself. By the grace of God I regained my independence, my self worth, and began unlocking my dreams.

24 was a hard year, but I would not change a thing. I can't wait to see what 25 is going to look like. Something tells me that the trials of 24 set me up for success and joy in the coming year.

It's time for my favorite giveaway of the year! Birthday giveaway! One lucky winner will receive happy mail with my favorite things from my 24th year. There will be snacks and makeup products, but most importantly there will be a $25 Starbucks gift card!

To enter to win:
Visit HERE and follow the steps!

Winner will be announced Monday September 25th.
US residents only.
Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.
CONGRATULATIONS TO TANYA K. FOR WINNING!
PLEASE EMAIL ME WITHIN 72 HOURS!

September is here! It's my favorite time of year. I can't wait for all the fun activities I have planned this month. I am kicking it off tonight with a college football game and will also be celebrating turning 25 this month!

This month I want to focus on forming deeper connections. Instead of spending time with a group of friends or sending someone a text to check in, I would love to have one on one time with friends I would like to get to know better. I want to pick up the phone and hear a friend's voice instead of sending a text while doing three other things at the same time. I want to connect with people I see day in and day out at work, but know nothing about besides their name and what they teach. This month I want to actively listen to others, get to know them on a deeper, personal level, and really pay attention to what people are saying.

We live in a society where everyone is rushing to the next thing or thinking about what is on their to do list instead of focusing on who they are surrounding themselves with. This month I challenge you to break the barrier and get to know someone better.

Another one way to form deeper bonds is to pour into those who need pouring into. Right now, the city of Houston and surrounding areas is experiencing devastating loss, damage to their homes, and a broken city. Please join me in praying for them and consider donating to help those impacted rebuild. Woodlands Church in Houston is collecting donations here to help cover costs of people displaced, clean up supplies, and more.