My Memorial Day Weekend..

"In every walk with nature...one receives far more than he seeks"

-John Muir

This weekend was one of the most fulfilling times in my life.

Normally I don't do much over memorial day weekend because my family makes plans at last minute.

This memorial day, I had a lot going on..as amazing as the weekend was--it was extremely tiring.

I'm still trying to catch up on sleep.

With spontaneity in my blood, my friend and I decided to go hiking at the last minute.

We woke up bright and early to get busy bonding with nature.

We spent out whole day away from technology, away from stress, away from our jobs, and just spent our time enjoying life.

We went hiking, horseback riding, and canoeing.

Let me just say...even though we both are nature freaks to start with...for some reason, this time that we spent was just different.

It brought us so much joy just to be in the presence of God and see such pure beauty around us.

I love being outside in the sun and by the water.

It reminds me of what it truly means to be human and how lucky I am to be a part of such a beautiful place.

-My friend and I decided to head home, clean up, and head to our favorite place to dance :)

We go line dancing all of the time and we enjoy every minute of it.

 We both were raised on country music and that's what we live for; it's a part of our lives.

-The next day I had church and the memorial day festival in my home town.

My family and I got our favorite lemonade shake-ups and watched the town talent show.

We had a family cookout and played some very competitive games of volleyball.

We ended the night at the baseball park together to watch the town fireworks.

I must say...they were the best they have ever been.

-I spent my Monday relaxing with my family, doing laundry, and watching One Tree Hill.

I am still trying to regain my strength from all the activities we did this weekend..haha 

It was such an amazing time!

It has definitely reminded me of the love that I have for my family, friends, community, and the environment around me.

It's the simple things in life that mean the most to me..and that's what this weekend was; simple & perfect.

"I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees" 

<3 Shay

Friendship..

#Truth

Friendship can not be defined in one word

True friendship also doesn't exist in just a few moments or memories, it lasts forever. 

Through all the turmoil, all the tears, all the brokenness, and all the pain...true friends are always there.

Having an honest, true, and loyal best friend is extremely hard to come across, but when you do...don't let them go.

I have found out in more than one way what it means to be a good friend..

First and foremost, listen.

If it wasn't for the nights of me crying hysterically to my best friend without her having anything to say, driving for hours with just sappy love songs on, or even talking for an hour on the phone to my long distance friends...listening helps.

They are your FREE therapist.

Use them!! :)

Also, don't be the friend that only wants a friend when you are sad. 

If you want to be a good friend...you gotta be there for the good and the bad.

I have friends who don't want anything to do with me unless they want or need something, or my advice.

Where were you when I was sad? And why don't you ever give me advice?

Sometimes it's hard to still be friends with people like that..

Many things go along with being the best friend you can be, but some things are unspoken.
Just like being in love...it's different every time.
Not every friendship is the same, so don't expect it to be.
And...every person can have more than one best friend.
Each friendship means something great to them, but doesn't necessarily mean that one has to be more important than the other.
Jealously is not cool.
I have a couple people in my life who I call "Best friends"
Even though I love them all, each friendship means something different to me.
I have the friends who have been in my life since kindergarten, friends from high school, and friends from college.
Each one plays a special role in my life.
Friendship is not always the easiest thing, but it can definitely be fun.
I have done some of the dumbest things with my friends, but loved every second of it.
You realize how much you know about the law when you are with your best friends.
Having inside jokes and stories only you understand are the best.
Simplicity is key to my heart.
The more simple the friend is...the better.
I have had some of the best nights of my life not doing much of anything.
Being able to laugh with and at each other is one of the best parts of friendship.
Sometimes just being able to be silent together is one of the best feelings when it comes to having a best friend; when you don't need to talk about it because...they "already know".

Friendship comes and friendship goes, but hold on to the ones who mean the most..
They will keep you alive and show you love in so many great ways.

"God made us bestfriends, because no mother could handle us as sisters" <3

<3 Shay

10 Songs of my life..

Below are 10 songs (not in any special order) that I will listen to for the rest of my life

I love music with everything in me..it truly is one of the biggest parts of my life
These aren't exactly my only favorite songs, because trust me...there are plenty more than these :)
These songs have played a big role in my crazy, wonderful, life..

1. 3am- Matchbox Twenty

2. Could you be loved- Bob Marley

3. Black Balloon- Goo Goo Dolls

4. Summertime- Kenny Chesney

5. Your body is a wonderland- John Mayer

6. Won't Go Home Without You- Maroon 5

7. Back2Good- Matchbox Twenty

8. You and Me- Lifehouse

9. Cryin- Aerosmith

10. Blue Jeans and a Rosary- Kid Rock

<3 Shay

P.S.- What are the songs of your life?

10 Things I Believe..

"Always believe that something wonderful is about to happen"

10 Things I believe..

1. God

-Having faith in God and trusting that he is with me at all times is very important to me. I have always had Faith that God is real. I try to always put him first in my life. It's not always easy, but in the long run having a relationship with him is ultimately the most important. 

2. Myself

-I have always been a very independent person. I've relied on myself for so many things in my life. It has not always been easy and sometimes I have gotten stuck in a rut or felt like a failure. Ultimately, aside from God, the only person I can truly count on...is myself. I have a hard time trusting others to always be there for me, tell me the truth, and to be a faithful friend/lover. Even through the hard times, I always try to keep my head up and believe in myself. I believe that I can do anything I put my mind to. 

3. True Love

-Even though I have yet to find true love, I believe that it exists. I've seen love come and go, I've watched people fall in love, and I've watched people fall out love. Both are easy to do. It may not always be easy to see that True love is out there, but it takes faith. I believe in love even though i'm alone.

"Love doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be true"

4. Laughter is the best therapy..

-No matter how crappy my day is, laughing at something ridiculously stupid makes me feel so much better. I love having family and friends who I can laugh with..or at :) Ha! But seriously when I am in a rut, laughing makes me feel so much better. I can't stand to have negative feelings in my life, so eliminate them with laughter. It truly is the best medicine.
5. Good in the world..
-We live in a world with all sorts of negative things; death, depression, suicide, war, racism, etc. It is sad to see, but yet aside from all the bad, there is also good.
"Give me hope in the darkness that I will see the light"
I always try to see the best in everyone..it's just better that way.
6. Following you dreams..
-I have and always will believe in following your dreams. It is very important to always pursue the things that you love. It is never too late to do what you have always wanted to do. Even the biggest, most bazaar dreams CAN come true. Great people do great things every day. Even people from the smallest towns, people who come from nothing, and people who have failed multiple times, can achieve their greatest dreams. Drive, dedication, and perseverance is what it takes to get there...don't ever give up on your dreams.
7. Miracles..
-I believe that miracles happen every day. A child born every day is the most common miracle. So many people take for granted their children and truly how much of a miracle they are. I think that faith and lots and lots of prayer can bring miracles to life. If you just believe and have faith that God will strengthen you, heal you, save you from the mess you're in...he will.
8. Everything happens for a reason..
-I think that God has a plan for each and every one of us. I think that God's plan is to prosperous us and make our lives great. Every person goes through struggles and every one faces challenges. Those are hard and can bring us down, but they can also make us stronger and into a better person. Even though I have faced struggles in my life that at the time I felt like it was the end of the world, I wouldn't take them back. Those struggles have molded me and shaped me into the woman that I am today. God doesn't give me anything I can't handle..
9. Mother's are the strongest people in the world..
-I cannot imagine what it feels like to be a mother..what an amazing, wonderful, fearful, scary, unimaginable thing in this world. A mother not only sacrifices her body to bear her child, but also she gives up her entire life to tend to that child. Literally, a mother changes her whole life to love her child. She gives up her independence, her peace of mind, sleep, and sometimes her sanity to become a mother. No matter old her child may get, that woman never stops being a mother. No person worries, cares, or loves more than a mother..
10. In the person I want to become..
-Everyone has a vision of the person they want to be..I feel like everyone is trying to become their ideal self. I am for the most part happy with who I am, but yet I am still trying to be someone better. I think every one has room for improvement, including myself. There are places I want to see, people I want to meet, things I want to do, and things I want to say to people that I have never told before. I have the same vision of myself that I have had since I was a little girl. I will become that person that I've always wanted to be..

"She believed she could...so she did"

<3 Shay

How do you find your true calling?

Figuring out what you want to do with your life can be one of the hardest decisons a person can make..

For me, i'm still deciding..

Overrall i know that i want to help others..right now i am working directly with women and children who have been involved in any type of domestic violence or homeless situation. I travel to the local schools to talk to the students about respect, decision making, bullying, conflict resolution, etc.

I absolutely love my job that i have right now..not only am i teaching, i am also working one on one with children and counseling them

I love working with children and helping them to make sense of this crazy life they are living in..

Aside from my job that i love, I have had a desire to travel since i was a young child..

Not just travel, but travel to help others get closer to God

I want to see the world..every bit of it

Traveling is my passion; i have such a longing to see the world and meet all of the amazing people in it

I love culture..and actually learning the details of the cultures in this world

So..how do you find what is you are meant to do with your life?

1. Know yourself well: understand the package that you are, the weakness, strengths, likes, dislikes, talents, faults.

2. Get some good advice: what's out there?

3. Experiment, experiment, experiment: keep on trying different things until you find what really feels right for you.

4. Develop a thicker skin so you can turn rejection into experience.

5. Find a mentor or role model.

6. Do what you love to do. If you can't, make what you're doing a strategy to get you doing what you want to do.

7. Have a realistic game plan and stick to it, no matter who or what says you can't.

8. Prioritize

9. Be yourself

by: -Anthea Paul-

Find your passion and let it be your calling..

<3 Shay

Pre-mature Summer post..

First I would like to acknowledge how happy I am that Spring is finally here! As beautiful as the glistening snow was, I've never been happier to see a brown ground before. Spring to me, only exists for a short time. I am extremely pre-mature when it comes to Summer, so i automatically just skip spring and head for my favorite season..And it will be here before we know it!

 Not only does Summer bring fresh smells, sun shine, warm air, tan skin, bon fires, flippers, and less clothing...it also brings up old memories. Summers have and will always be known for...yes I am going to say it; love. 

Oh summer love..it just might possibly be one of the best kinds of loves to experience. The first time i get a whiff of that fresh spring air, all kinds of emotions start rushing in. Spring and summer bring me some of the happiest and best times of my life. Memories though, they come creeping back real quick.

The What If's are always hard to let go. Even without going into detail, I know you all know exactly what I mean. As much as everyone tries to move forward and "let go" of the past...we all have those days where the past comes creeping back in. You know those days when you just don't feel yourself, your mind is cloudy, and you just can't escape that love-sick radio. Those days are the worst..it's not even like you want to feel that way, it just happens..

Of course, being the girl that I am...I watched "The Notebook" the other day. Well I barely "watched" it. Shoot I couldn't even get through the happy part without crying (WAH!) Anyway...I did happen to catch this...

"Summer romances begin for all kind of reasons. 

But when all is said and done, they all have one thing in common..

they are shooting stars, a spectacular moment of light in the heavens; 

a fleeting glimpse of eternity..and in a flash, they are gone" 

I couldn't have said it better myself..even though summer romances are exhilerating and spectacular, they also don't last forever. With that being said..to me and all of you readers, this summer--challenge yourself. Do this summer better than any summer you have done before; it's just around the corner.

Take a hike, walk more, travel, meet new friends, find new love, roll your windows down and just cruise...

The beginning..

So here it goes, my first blog post ever, YAY!!!! I have been wanting to start a blog for like 2 years now? Like many things (you will learn soon :/), I have talked myself into and back out of blogging again and again. I'm finally taking a stand against myself and I am doing it! 

I hope not to bore you all with my little stories, rants, raves, and hopefully little tidbits of life lessons. Trust me, I've learned a lot of lessons...

Anyway, to the reasons why I decided to blog :)

Just like every other girl, I am trying to find my way through this crazy life I have..

         I have always loved to discuss life and the journey it takes us all on. Just as much as we are different, there are many ways that we are all the same. Yes opinions may vary, but that's okay. Having your own opinion is what makes you unique! 

I have been through a pretty fair amount of struggles, just as so many other people in this world. God doesn't give us anything we can't handle, right? RIGHT! What I have been through has made me into a stronger and better person than I ever was before. 

I definitely have not become who it is that I want to be, but I am not where I was before, thank the LORD!

I have grown up so fast and been taught so many good lessons on the way. 

My family, my friends, and others I have met along the way, have taught me so many things about life, myself, and especially the love of God...

Here's to the beginning of something that is hopefully great..Thanks for getting this far ;)

Until next time! 

<3 Shay