PRESS REWIND

I've been thinking a lot lately, about a lot of things. Particularly my future. College. Mission. Marriage. Kids. Bills. Happiness. I am so, so excited for what lies ahead for me, but at the same time, I wish life came with a remote-so I could push rewind.
I'd push rewind so I could start over and not make the same mistakes, but mostly rewind so I could be young again.

Rewind back to...

• my glory days as class clown
• when my lunches magically appeared in the fridge every morning - pbj, go-gurt, apple, and a cookie...
• recess 
• 4 square
• tether ball
• touch football
• fill-up-the-water-bottle-with-mud-water-and-throw-it
• kickball
• "accidentally" kicking our ball to where my "crush" was playing and he, in turn, kicking it further away (such love)
• jump rope (I'll never forget the day I jumped in the double dutch ropes for the first time-proud moment)
• my pink camouflage roller backpack
• jr. jazz - I had the sickest red jordans. I jumped so high... 
• late nights
• basketball games
• bike rides
• my pool parties (summer birthday)
• school clothes shopping every year with my mom and getting smoothies after (my favorite)
• riding bikes and drawing chalk trails was my form of entertainment
• grocery shopping with my dad was the highlight of my week
• preschool graduation and those huge letter books-"Ted is a boy. He can run."

•  jumping on the tramp
• playing hot lava in the basement with the pillows and couch cushions
• always being Ken when I played Barbies with my sister
• Spaghetti O's
• making cookies every Sunday evening: no-bake, choc. chip, or oatmeal raisin - yum!
• country music jam sessions that came with every car ride (93.3)
• eating at least 5 otter pops a day
• playing songs like "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and "Old McDonald" on the piano
• sharing bunk beds with my older sister
• telling made-up stories every night when the lights went out
• when my dad tucked us in every night: scratch backs and "what did you do today?" 
• when one day back then, felt like 20 days now...

Alright, enough rewinding. We can press play now. Lets go eat some Top Ramen and live in a library!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD

Meet Steve.

He is 5'12''

He turned 44 today-July 22nd

His laugh resembles an earthquake-everything shakes.

He is a computer nerd-which is just fine with me.

He sometimes eats whole packages of Oreos without me even having one.

His calf muscles are huge.

He can braid hair.

His homemade ice cream is one of the best.

His hairline makes an "M"-for McKayla, of course.

He is humble, patient, kind.

And he is my dad.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!

KEEP IT REAL

There is a saying I've adopted as my own. "Keep It Real". It's my motto. My mantra. Whatever you want to call it.

It's how I hope to live my life.

Real.

It's how I hope to talk.

Real.

It's what I hope to express myself as.

Real.

I've learned this from some of the greatest people I know.

People who have it all. People who have had it all taken away from them. People who just never even had it.

Do me a favor? Look at the big picture. Look in the mirror, even. You are so great. Look up to the sky. There is a God. He loves you and watches out for you. You are absolutely amazing. There is nothing you cannot do. You hear me?

So here's to living life. And to keepin' it real.