What a Beautiful Legacy

The older I get, the more I realize that I do not know. It is a harsh but true epiphany and with it comes the overwhelming sensation of desperation. I do not know what to do at times--in fact, more times than not I am at a complete loss, I am not always sure how to proceed in any given circumstance, and the future is a tremendous unknown full of potential opportunities and certain mistakes. 

In summation, this is my life. Not all together different than anyone else's from this standpoint. Scary, exciting, turbulent, dynamic, and hard.

The other day, when these overwhelming thoughts were consuming me, I began to think of my grandparents.

Random, I know, but allow me to explain.

I am a firm believer in the old adage: "There is nothing new under the sun", and when I look at my grandparents I am comforted by this thought. These people, whom I absolutely adore, know what I am going through.

Every situation I may find myself in, from life-changing decisions, to petty issues among family members, they have been there. And not only have they been there, but they have overcome that situation, they have learned from it, and they have moved on.

I am so thankful for the examples that they set for my life. My grandparents are strong, honest, hard-working individuals. They are firm in their beliefs and their values and they are the proud patriarchs of two great families.

I am humbled by the insight that they have, the experiences they have been through. I love that I can go to them with any circumstance and not only do they bestow their wisdom, they also shed perspective on that particular situation for me. What I may deem in the heat of the moment as a dire circumstance, they know to be a minor speed bump along the road of life. 

They have had many celebrations over the course of their lives, and they are the first to celebrate with me. They have also had their share of heartaches and tragedies, and they never cease to be there for me through my hard times.

My grandparents are beautiful people. They are full of love, grace, encouragement, and wise words of advice. They know what true pain is, and they know what real joy is. They know from first hand experience that life brings both in time, and they also know that God is faithful through the good times and the bad.

That is the legacy that they are giving me. 

I love you, Grandma, Gammie, and Gampie.

I miss you every single day, Grandpa.

Thank you all for your prayers, your wisdom, your perspective and your love.

I am the 4.48%

I am an American.

I was born in this country and I have, by this fact alone, been given the inheritances, the privileges and 

freedoms of what it means to be an American citizen.

Of the world’s population, Americans make up 4.48%. That is it.

I am the 4.48%.

4.48% of the entire world have the greatest freedoms and privileges in the entire world. We have the opportunity to pursue our dreams--no matter what they may be-- to have a family, a home, a career, a future. We have the capabilities, and are given every opportunity,  to succeed. To work hard to get ahead.  It is not easy. A job,  a savings account, a future, is not just handed to you. It is yours for the taking.

I go to work to make money. I make money to be able to put it in my savings account, so that my husband and I can have a future; so that we can provide for our future children; be able to afford their education so that they, too, can someday work hard for their future.

Will I be as successful as my dad? My neighbor? My boss? Maybe, maybe not. It all depends on how hard I work, what opportunities are presented to me, and what opportunities I seek for myself.

The fact that others are more successful than me does not make me want to quit. It does not make me think that they don’t deserve what they get. They do. They worked for it. When someone else is more successful than me, it gives me incentive to try harder, to follow the example they have laid before me.

I do not want hand-outs. I would not appreciate them or value them as much as a hard-earned dollar. I know that I will not be as wealthy as many. I know that I will have more than some. I know that life is not fair and I know that there are tremendously hard situations that many people face that prohibit them from having the same opportunities that others have.

But I also know that those situations can be overcome. They can be conquered. That is the American Dream. To rise above your circumstances, to pursue greater opportunities, and to never give up.

We are the 4.48%. Our Founding Fathers, our Military, and our determination to keep the American Dream alive are responsible for the significance represented in that percentage.


Each generation of Americans, until my own, has succeeded the generation prior in success and in standard of living. The legacy of the American Dream has lived on since the founding of our country. And for the first time it is floundering.


Not everyone can leave behind a legacy like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, or any given President. But every American has the opportunity to leave behind the legacy of hard work, determination, and endurance through hard times.

I will not give up on the American Dream. I will not stop working when it is hard. And I will not be classified in the 99%. Because I am NOT the 99%.

And neither are you. You are an American. And Americans work hard. Americans do not give up. Americans exceed expectations. And Americans succeed.

What a Beautiful Day

Our first picture together

Day 1: We had a couple margaritas and some Mexican

Day 2: I told my mom that I would never see him again

Day 17: We went to the movies with some of our friends

Day 28: Our first real date--it was Mexican, yet again

Day 36: This guy would be sticking around, I just knew

Day 90: Thanksgiving with my family, he fit right in

Day 95: He said "I love you"...and I said it, too

Day 126: Dancing all night, our first New Year's kiss

Day 143: Skiing in the mountains, he showed off all his tricks
Day 220: He asked me to spend the rest of my days by his side

Day 674: One of the best days of my life--I walked down the aisle as his bride!!!

Each new chapter, each day, brings more joy than the last.

So thankful to be in love--to be married to--my best friend and be able to spend every day with him.

What a beautiful day.

The first day of the rest of our lives.

A Lesson Learned from Scars

Today I am thankful for my scabbed and bruised knees and hands.

Wait. What?!?

But it is true. About two weeks ago I was on my morning run when, out of absolutely nowhere, I completely ate it. I fell in an alleyway and scrapped up my knees and my hands pretty badly as well as sprained my ankle.

Needless to say, I handled the pain and the shock of it all so well. Not.

My husband raced to my side, cared for me (the Drama Queen), and took me to the doctor to wrap my ankle and clean the open wounds.

Now, weeks later, the bruises are still evident, and the scabs elicit stares wherever I go. As much as I am wishing away the remnants of my unfortunate tumble, I cannot help but think of what they are presently doing for me.

I started running again a mere four days after the accident. Probably too soon on the sprain, but if you know me, you know I cannot stay off my feet. And every run I have taken since that day, I have been much more aware of my surroundings, much more careful of my stride, and paid much more attention to the trail ahead.

The scabs are an ever present reminder of what can happen when I am not paying attention, when I let my thoughts, my music, my plans for the day ahead, distract me.

The scabs I have now are a literal and tangible reminder of a mistake that I have made. They have caused me to think that if other mistakes I have made would produce some sort of similar physical scar that would act as a reminder, a warning of what would happen if I did not take heed, would I not repeat the same mistakes again?

Now, I am glad that every mistake I make does not produce a physical scar…there would be too many to count, but I do want to take the same precautions against repetitive mistakes as I am taking now on my runs.

 I want to learn from my mistakes, figure out what “tripped” me up in the first place, and when I pick myself back up again and start running, I want to be sure to not make the same mistake again. And hopefully, in the process of learning from the past and making changes for the better for the future, I will do less damage to myself and the people I love.

You Can't Take it With You

It has been a sobering week. Wednesday morning it was announced on the news that a girl that I graduated from SMU with was tragically killed while out for a jog in Italy. Though I did not know her well personally, many of my good friends did. It is heart wrenching to imagine what her family must be going through, how desolate they must feel.

My heart and my prayers go out to them during this time.

Then, that evening, the news broke that one of the greatest innovators and most inspirational leaders of our time passed away. Steve Jobs certainly left his mark on this world, and his legacy will not soon be forgotten.

It is so hard for me to justify the deaths of these two people. One, having realized--even exceeded--the potential of a generation and many more beyond; the other never given time to experience life to the fullest, now just so many lost moments and milestones.

It does not seem fair. And the truth is, it’s not. Life is not fair, and as hard as you try, you cannot take it with you. I catch myself on a daily mission for more. More time, more material things, more money. But in the end, none of that matters. It does not last.

Steve Jobs, easily one of the wealthiest and most powerful men of our time, could not save his own life on money and power alone. It was not enough.

But what does matter? What does last? The answer, for me, is the lives of the people I invest in. Giving of my time, my energy, and my resources to those who need it more than I do. Sharing my faith with those who don’t have faith or hope. Making time for people, really genuinely listening and genuinely caring about their struggles, their heartache.

Stepping outside of myself, letting go of the meaningless busyness of my day, and looking to help someone else, to encourage them, pray for them, or simply love them.

Those moments, those selfless acts are the only investments that last.

I can’t take anything in this life with me, and the only lasting legacy I can truly leave behind is the way I treat others.

 At the end of a trying week, I reflect on my life, and I thank God for the wonderful blessings I have. An amazing husband whom I love so much, a supportive and loving family, my health and the health of all those I love, and a life full of opportunities. Now it is time to seize those opportunities, to take each day and live it to the fullest, and to invest in what really matters, what truly lasts.

Romance Defined.

A wise person once said: "not all romances have to be 'romantic'. They can be passionate, secret, dark, twisted, fun, fast…or dare we even say it, unrequited. But that doesn't make them any less real."

Romance, in the traditional sense, is comprised of candlelit dinners, bouquets of red roses, and hours spent gazing in to one another's eyes. Whispered sweet nothings, promises made, and hands being held. The list goes on, as do the chick-flicks that are largely responsible for this perception of romance. 

Do not misunderstand, all of those instances are lovely times that I very much enjoy, and a wonderful part of all that is romance...but it certainly does not  replace the romance I experience every day.

This kind of romance is made up of moments I share with my husband. Dreaming about our future over a glass of wine at dinner. Sharing a laugh about something our ever-entertaining FrogDog has done. Going on an adventure and trying something for the first time just because I know he'll catch me when I fall. Catching each others' eyes when we are out with friends and knowing exactly what the other one is thinking. These are real moments. They do not take the planning and preparation of a "romantic evening". They are spontaneous, genuine, and simple.

What I have come to realize is that flowers fade and candles burn out, but a romance that is built on love and commitment is what really lasts. That is why romance, in my opinion, is an aggregation of those beautifully planned evenings, and those irresistibly spontaneous moments. I wouldn't give up either, but most of all, I would never give up the man I share it all with.