The Internship.

I am interning with an awesome retail display guru, Becky from Swirl Marketing. Check out my latest post on her blog.

The Last Year

So, it's been awhile. I've been here, just not writing here. I've decided to slowly revamp my blog and see what comes out of it. I'm getting ready to enter my last year of school (fingers crossed) & I know there will be lots of memories, parts of my journey, and other things I'll want to share starting with my struggles to create the blog home of my dream. AKA figuring out how to make this blog all mine and go outside the blogger box. In advanced, thanks for sticking with me (or joining me!).

First, a few things I've been up to:

1. Baglady. Yup, I'm still the avid Baglady gal I've always been. Wearing the shop around town, hearing the frequent phrase, "Did you get that at the Baglady?" and responding with a knowing smile. It's my life and I love it!

2. Weddings. Well, I helped two of my high school friends get hitched this summer. 

Katelyn married Joshua July 9, 2011.

 

Jenna married Adam June 4, 2011

What I absolutely LOVED about these weekends was the fact that it "forced" my closest friends together for an entire weekend with no boys allowed...well, maybe a few boys were allowed ;)

3. I am now an intern with a really fun company and neat gal I had found last year through her interest in using a display idea I featured on Baglady's facebook page. I am currently writing a display blog piece, helping organize a national contest, and just getting her trending fashion tips...(which btw, I'm lacking in, anyone have some ideas for research purposes?!)

4. I am going to finish in May. No ifs, ands, or butts. (School that is, you know, that nasty word)

I hope you enjoy this journey with me as I figure out life as I know it to be. I am very excited to begin this journey I'll loving call The Last Year.

{For Unto Us..}

This year, I have been blessed with such a great family...I mean everyday, every minute, all the time I'm blessed with a great family, but this year I think I'm old enough to truly appreciate how great they are.

We spent Christmas Eve around the table {all 11 of us:)}, then opened a few gifts from my sister's boyfriend {I received some small fiesta bowls :))}, and then played our new favorite game: bezzerwizzer.

Ok, you might have to sit down for this one. Are you sitting? Now? Ok, so Christmas morning we ALWAYS get a wake up call from my little brother by 6:45am. This year--7:45am!! Talk about Christmas miracle, ha. ....Maybe that's a bit too far with the miracle, but it was a big deal.


I was a very happy girl today opening all the wonderful gifts bestowed upon me. Especially when I opened Jesus Calling from my wonderful mother. If you are looking for a devo that doesn't require a lot of time, but totally makes you smile while thinking about what a great God we serve, I definitely recommend picking this up.

Well, Merry Christmas, y'all. Thanks for spending a few minutes with me today

Chelsea

*Meep*

I learned that word from another blogger, Amanda (@ kevinandamanda.com) and I get a ridiculous grin on my face whenever I read/use it. *meep*

So the reason for this post, I've found a few new blogs I would like to pass on...I'm a big fan of paying it forward.

Kelley Blake's blog (theeclecticowl.blogspot.com) I don't know if I am so thrilled with this blog because of its name or the spunk I read through Kelley's words? I am very excited to see how she grows as a blogger. Girl's got stttylllle. I especially loved her pairings for these past few weeks while she was taking on the 30x30 challenge (found here).

Ok  Next up, Kendi Everyday. I think this about sums it up:

What I love about this photo...everything! I love her look, her skirt, her boots, the scraf...the scenery! Ah, this just makes my heart smile. Will someone buy me this look? Complete with the beautiful surroundings?




The Retail Princess. Um, coming soon. Let's just say this blog will be one you won't want to miss. Everything girly and more...


But as for the rest of my Saturday night, I'll just sit here while the boy reads his magazines and SNL plays in the background. #lovemylife #yes #ijust #hashtagged #onblogger.

Blog, Blog, BLOG!

Really, I love blogging. And I absolutely LOVE reading blogs. It helps me in more ways than one, and someday I really hope to inspire the hundreds of readers I will potentially acquire...ok, maybe just getting 1 loyal reader will be rewarding enough.


However, you must pardon the busy life of a full-time student with a full-time job. Yuck. I would blog every day, but who wants to read about the girl on campus with the short shorts and Ugg boot combo I recently saw? Or the boy with gym shorts and long socks that thought he could substitute as pants (seriously, his mother has to wonder where she went wrong)? Oh, and thanks to the old foogies at MSU, I will be playing that role until spring of 2012. How lucky am I (And you to read about such lovely fashion ideas I see on campus!).



I had the dreaded meeting with my adviser this past Tuesday. I use the word "dreaded" because it's that meeting where they sit you down and look at your midterm grades. Ouch. Oh, well. I'm still in school and 47 credit hours away from graduation. It's fiiine. It's normal. 53.2% of all college students complete their degree in 5 years and I'm now in the club. Welcome, Chelsea.


(PS I totally did not make up that percentage...ok, maybe I fudged a bit.)


But, today, I have better things on my mind I figured I would share with you....we'll call this segment "Happy Birthday to the Halloween Queen."

We celebrated my birthday last night a few days early and had a bangin bash! Then came the presents.....

My wonderful grandparents and my aunt splurged and bought me the NEW Vera Bradley Laptop Backpack in Call Me Coral. LOVEEE it! I sent them a pic this morning with the text, "Who's the cutest girl at school? That's right, ME!" 

 Then my AMAZING mother searched high and low (and EVEN went to our competitor's store) to get this cute recipe book from Iota filled with a few of our family favorites! I can't wait to use this and fill it with my own :)


She also found Taking Flight by Kelly Rae Roberts, that woman has mad talent and I am so excited to curl up with some hot tea and dive into her creative mind through this book.

Tonight will be my favorite birthday gift: Precious time and a great concert with the boy!! I am sooo pumped to see Jason Aldean with the boy and spend some quality time with my hard working man.

Yes, Happy Birthday to me ;)

I about died when...

....I saw this wall!!! OMG, *MEEP* I'm oozing with jealousy. This is super cute and classy. Simple, but over done. I love ornate frames in ANYTHING.

 

Then I saw this on a photography

site and ooo'd and awwww'd over it too.

I just love photography and the moments it captures.

This & That

1. The first thing you will notice about me whether you get FB posts from me, emails, tweets, etc is that I LOVE a good list. Numbered, lettered, bulleted. I know, I'm a nerd, but an organized nerd :)

2. I move into my NEW HOUSE TODAY!!! EEE! I am so excited to paint, decorate, and nest into my little bungalow home! My family has taken today and tomorrow off to help with the process and I am so grateful to them for that.

3. I officially finished my "harder" summer classes and passed with flying colors! When I walked out of my final, I felt the bricks tumble to the ground leaving me light on my toes. What a wonderful feeling!

4. I should blog more. But who has the time?!

Helllloooo Summer?

School's been out for almost 15 days now, but me? I've still seen the inside of a class room for the last 10 days. Yes, I'm the idiot who thought she wanted to get ahead and take 9 hours of classes this summer. Honestly, it hasn't been that bad...yet. I think this first class is ok due to the fact that 3 of my friends are in it, too! Which was a wonderful surprise that first day of class. Just a little over a month left until I have complete freedom and summer at my finger tips, and paint, too!

Paint? Well, I have recently aquired a house!! Yipppie skippppie, I'm super pumped to have a house to DECORATE and make into my very own!! You have NO idea how excited I am. None. Don't even try to comprehend it. I'll save you the trouble. I'm SUPER excited.

Unfortunately, that means I will be moving home for a month until it's ready to move into. But, while I'm saving money on rent....of course, I'm going to use that money for the house! Let me show you a few things...Oh, but first, did you know? Urban Outfitters has decor?!?! When I stumbled upon that little fact, I about lost it...and then spent the next few hours dreaming about what I would order...

Mmmm, love this! If you've been in my room since I've moved out 3 years ago, you'll remember my cream floral bedspread with pink/brown/green tiny flowers and birds. I think this complements the design of the bed as well as the whimsical look. But no gold. Ew. I'll be using my BF, spray paint. The cure to giving anything a fresh look :)

Ook, so I may have a thing for birds, it's not weird I promise! I love this hook with the heart cut out, so charming. Again, blue is not my color, spray paint will come in handy here. I'm thinking about stacking the birds above my bed and attachng ribbon to these frames I already have and hang the frames from the bird hooks. Same with the curtain tie-backs: spray paint.

Left: Um, if anyone wants to buy this $600 couch, it would look really great in my room. K, thanks!

Let me explain about the fabric above. It's a tapestry. Know what I'm talking about? It's a HUUUUGEEE piece of fabric that you can do ANYTHING your little heart desires with! My heart desires a couch cover. Mmmmhmmm. Just wait.

Well, I think that's all I will divulge now. Maybe another post later with more house details. HOUSE!! Can't wait for you :)

April Showers Bring May Flowers...

  

    I finally finished my cousin's first baby gift, eek! I must say, I am very happy with the outcome. I got the idea from this gal's blog when she was stitching on trees and owls onto simple onsies (sidenote: it's a MUST that you scroll down on her blog and look at the adorable onesie with the owl! SUPER cute!). I loved the idea of various fabrics to create a shirt instead of the norm screens or iron-ons. Since there are no babies in my family, I thought of the next best thing: My newly preggo cousin. She's expecting in November, but we're all praying for an early delivery since big babies run in the family (I'm just secretly hoping she goes into labor on my birthday a few weeks before).
     Anywho, I just drew a stork with a basket on stencil paper that you can find at any craft store and cut my patterns. I mixed cotton, mesh, and satin fabrics to create my "scene" and finished it off with some fancy stitching on the basket. *See those cute little knots in blue? I thought it gave the basket something extra ;)*
     I was kinda stumped on how to add detail to the stork to create his wing. I remembered that I had this mesh material left over from a trip to FM and started to play around with it and came up with his wing! I stitched on an old button to create a landing place for the wing and just to give it that something extra ;).
    I chose to make this gender neutral because she doesn't find out until mid-June whether she is having a boy or girl. I found some cute blue and pink patterned fabrics that I am currently working on to sell in Baglady. **Would also LOVE to custom a shirt for anyone, too!

I know, I know. It's a trend that's fading, but I just couldn't help myself! I saw this tutorial on how to make fabric flowers as you read in this post and just went for it! Then, decided to be a bit more imaginative and crochet the orange flower you see in the far left of the picture. All the headbands are secured with antique buttons from my mom's collection ANNND what's even better is I figured how to allow movement for the flowers on the headband. I don't know about you, but some of those headbands have the most awkward positioning when you place them on your head. These flowers are made to move to fit the individuals head. These are in Baglady right now for $12-$15 and custom orders can be placed.

I got a little creative with this last shot.

 

I love being crafty. It feeds my soul and inspires more and more projects. I think what makes it better for me, is when I can take someone's vision and create something for them that they uniquely laid out for me to create for them. Hmmm, what's next ;)?

It's a fading trend, I know...

So, like I was saying in my last post: CREATIVITY OVERLOAD!!

No worries, I took care of it yesterday.

I know the flower headbands have been around for awhile now. You know the ones, and you either love 'em or hate 'em. Me? Love 'em. Don't judge.

Anyway, I found a pattern and just started playing with my lucious fabric I had purchased the day prior for practically nothing. I ended up with two headbands.....

Love this pasiley fabric...lovee it.

My second attempt turned out quite well, I must say. It's green and pink satin with a vintage button in the center. I was nervous working with the satin, but it did really well considering.

All you need to make these flowers is:
-6 3.5 inch squares of fabric
-needle
-thread

Seriously, it's that easy and super cute how ever you end up using them (picture frames, headbands, t-shirts, etc.).

I started on my second project, but can't post pictures of it because it's a gift for my pregnant cousin due in November. I'm crossing my fingers the little guy comes on Halloween ;)...whoops, I mean little one. They won't know until June what she is having and are revealing it at a party June 18th....sooo excited to have a baby in the family again!

With Easter being this weekend, I was asked to make an Easter treat for Sunday lunch with the family. I will be making the best strawberry puffed cupcakes with all the trimmings! I was so made to be domestic. Why can't that be my major?

Creativity Overload

Have you ever had one of those days where you just have so much you want to do, you don't even know where to start? I'm there, and I've been there all day. I am so creatively inspired today, I can't stand it. I have a mile long to-do list and shopping lists for Hobby Lobby and the best kept secret in the fabric world...well, atleast in Springfield anyway :) It's off Sunshine, but I'm at a loss for the name currently..oh FM, that's it!

This past winter, I convinced my mom to invest in CS4 from Adobe and I'm in HEAVEN with all the programs! I have been designing and designing and designing and....Mostly it's been little things for Baglady, but I've done a few things for some friends. Like this logo for a lawn service:
I was pretty proud of it. Especially the 'w' in 'lawn.' I'm a sucker for type. Anything I can do with type, I love. It's like art in and of itself.

I really wanted to start a collection of fabric headbands, but I'm pretty sure that's been put in the "not-original" pile. There's something about the texture and patterns you find on fabrics and how they are presented. Take this flower for example:

LOVE this. The danity pearl and laying the flower against the old pages of a book just make some fabric into something to feed the soul. Ok, that's corny, but some of you will know what that feels like to look at this and be inspired by it. I'll think of something to do with my stack of fabrics...maybe you'll find them at Baglady soon.

I have a new goal for my blog. It's going to my the start of my freelance work. I want to dabble in everything and I know there are people out there who want that special touch put on their business cards, invites for parties, announcments for graduations/baby showers/ engagments...I know there are places for these very things already, but who says choice is bad? Hopefully, my Easter break will be refreshing for the mind/body/soul and produce some pretty cool things for my porfolio and showcase items I've already done.

Until then...

Brothers&Sister

Tucker and Cooper are my little brothers. They are cool {to me}. Finally.

Tucker is 18 (almost 19) and in his first year of college. He was involved in baseball until his sophomore year of high school and particpated in FFA (Future Farmers of America) all four years. When he was little, the only thing that mattered to him was his blue satin blanket and his cowboy boots. He was adorable. I know most people say their little siblings were adorable because that's what families say about their family. But when I say adorable, Tuck was a-dor-a-ble. He was still losing his baby fat when he entered high school, but baseball and girls quickly changed his workout habits. He is now a studly built 5'10". He was pretty closed up and unemotional all through high school. He did somethings he should not have done, but then again everyone goes through that at one point or another. He's really changed over the last year though. This kid who wouldn't even consider hugging his own mother, now voluntarily give them to all of us girls in the Redfern clan. God has really started to mold him into the Tucker we use to know and love. PTL.

Cooper, ha, oh Cooper. He is 13 (almost 14) .....GEEZ, I am old balls. He is getting into football and wrestling winning his first match in a off-season tourney a few weeks ago. He is thriving in school, life, and sports. He is a gamer 24/7 though. You can find his friends and he cooped up somewhere, eyes locked on their screens. Yet, the thing I admire most about my brother is his faith. He knows God and shows His love daily. I don't know how he turned out that way (well, I do but I don't, ya know?), but it's amazing to see him grow and develop that oh-so-important bond. He is such a smart and determined boy...man..young man? whatever he is, I am so proud to call him my brother in life and in Christ.

But he's already made it plain to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don't take yourself seriously-- take God seriously. Micah 6:8

Goodbye to 09.

Well, it's almost done. Over. Finito. Complete. Ah. Feels good!



I have had a great year! I think back to all my memories and cherish them all.



Now, it's time to put into practice the ritual of resolutions. However, I stumbled across this from a "Your Thoughts" column in Real Simple Mag and LOVE it.

What will you do diferently in 2010?:

"Nothing. I’ll continue to get serious about my diet starting Monday, then blow it the first time I have dinner with the girls. I’ll buy the shoes I don’t need, the dress I won’t wear, and the workout videos I won’t use. I’ll continue to drink too much coffee and eat too many French fries. I’ll live for today, forget the past, and make the same mistakes―and I will love every second of it, because my flaws make me me!"

So true and hilarious!

Once again, I give a big thumbs up for the message tonight. It's been a long time since I have relly buckled down on my faith and the way I live to really figure out which path I'm on. Last week I knew I had one hand opened and one hand closed. This meaning that I wanted to give it all to God, but there are things in my life I still want to cling to, things I am not ready to give up...and the even more scary thought: things I don't feel that bad about.
Tonight, it's time. Time to let my mentor in a little deeper about my struggles. Good grief, that's scary. I want to be ready to do it though.

This weekend is the Vine retreat! Ahhh, nervous/excited/scared/anxious. I have a car full of girls going late with me and I am soo pumped about that!

Baking, Pumpkins, and Fall!

If you know me, you already know this, but I love baking, cooking, and everything associated with it! I have been sick all last week and did nothing but sleep. So Saturday when I woke up and was feeling better, I decided to get a lot of things done that I had been putting off and didn't have the energy for.
Task #1: BAKING!! I made wassail and pumpkin muffins. Here are the muffins:

• 1 box yellow cake mix (plus the ingredients called for in the package directions)
• pumpkin pie spice
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
• 1 8-ounce bars cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cups confectioners’ sugar
• candy corn

1. Heat oven to 350° F. Prepare the cake mix as directed but with the following change: Add the pumpkin pie spice and substitute the can of pumpkin puree for the water called for in the package directions.{However, I used water. OOPS! They still turned out moist and yummy though!}
2. Bake cupcakes 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool.
3. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Spread on the cupcakes and top each with a piece of candy corn.{Annd I also added some spice to this frosting because it needed something extra}
   

While I LOOVEE baking, I feel bad because once I'm done, I eat one to make sure it's a good recipe and then the rest potentially could go to waste. {BUT Katelyn graciously took them to work for me :)} I try to give away the leftovers to any willing parties. It's just fun to bake, but let's face it, I don't want to pack on the pounds of my passion.

Now, the wassail:
2 1/4 cups of Pineapple Juice
2 cups of Orange Juice
2 quarts of Apple Juice
1 tsp whole cloves
1/2 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
let brew and boil over stove...and enjoy the smell!

I also met with my mentor Saturday morning and talked about my previous post. It was a really good chat and I got a lot of questions answered. We decided to challenge each other to wake up a few minutes earlier for some Jesus time and praying this week. I am not so good in the mornings lately, but I really hope I get use to this new routine.

So, I have a new TV show obsession: Castle! It's a show about a murder mystery writer who follows around a beautiful cop for inspiration. Soo good! Along with DH, Grey's, and Brothers & Sisters I have some busy evenings.

School is starting to pick up and test are starting to pile on, but I feel like I have a good handle on them so far...well, minus accounting. That may never happen. HA!

Those are my tidbits for now,

Lay 'Em Down

Lay 'Em Down {Honestly, you need to listen to this song}
Come down to the river
Come and let yourself in
Make good on a promise
To never hurt again
If you're lost and lonely

STOP. Ok that's where I am tonight. Lost without God and lonely without His promise confirming me in what I thought I believed and the Christian lifestyle I thought I was leading.
Tonight, I was sitting in the Vine {Second Baptist's college ministry} and Daniel was talking about personal relations with Christ and making it a point to actually be personal. Ok, here's where I went, "Whoa."
Then it only gets better. This girl who had grown up thinking she was a Christian SLAP come to find out, she was not. She told her amazing story and you could see the girl actually changing right there on stage from moment to moment. She used to party and use drugs and live that life that we are always hearing about. You know the one. The one that's "not pleasing to God." Only a few months ago did she actually get it, that she wasn't being the person God wanted her to be. "Whoa."
No longer is there a longing in my soul, no longer am I proud of my beliefs, no longer do I even claim God let alone proclaim God. I feel so fake. I have turned off all of my responsibilities as a Christian.

Broken down
Bring all of your troubles
And come lay 'em down

STOP. I am living that life. "The not pleasing to God" life. It has become even more apparent these past few days when all these youth workers from different places have approached me about becoming a leader. A leader? A leader of what? Of whom? I would be continuing a lie if I even remotely accepted that challenge thinking I could just pray my way through it. Pray? I only do that when something bad happens. How wrong is that?

All you sinners
{That's me...and you for that matter.}
And the weak at heart
{Check}
All the helpless
{Double check}
On the boulevards
Wherever you are now
{Laying with dogs on my feet and my sister beside me house-sitting}
Whatever evil you've found
{The lies I've been living}
Bring all of your troubles
And come lay 'em down

Here I am. Sitting in my parent's bed, surrounded by so many good things that have been provided by God {That deserves a thanks, God, I am so blessed by them} and I want to live a different live. The other one, the one that IS pleasing to God.

We're all tied to the same old failings
Finding shelter in things we know
We're all dirty like corrupted small towns

Ok, I do this. I say I'm sorry and fall back into the same old things that I shouldn't. See? Even now those thoughts are in my head. I do not want to be tied to these anymore.

We'll bring our troubles
We'll bring our troubles
Come lay 'em down

All you rich men
And the high above
All those with
And without love
{I want God's love to be enough. I need His love to be enough.}
All you burdened
And turned around
Bring all of your troubles
Come lay 'em down

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." James 1:2-3

Thoughts.

Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone- to have a soul relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly and exclusively. But God to a Christian says,

"No, not until you are satisfied and fulfilled and content with living loved by me alone. I love you, my child, and until you discover that only in me is your satisfaction to be found you will not be capable of the perfect relationship that I have planned for you. You will never be united with another until you are united with me. Exclusive of any other desires or longings. I want you to have the best. Please allow me to bring it to you to have the best. Please allow me to bring it to you- just keep watching me, expecting the greatest thing to keep experiencing that satisfaction knowing that I am. Keep learning and listening to the things I tell you..you must wait."

Back Where I Belong...

Can I just say how good it feels to be back home? How good it feels that I'm where I belong? How good life just is?...*sigh*



I am one day away from having my first full week complete at MSU and it's been nothing but awesome {well, as awesome as school can get}. A few highlights:

~My very first experience with a professor was learning that she was a "Facebook lovin', Nelly singin' fool"

~I am actually interested in learning in all of my classes...I said learning, NOT all the homework and test associated with that...just wanted to clarify ;)

~I see people I actually know and can stop and have a little chat with on my way to and from classes

~I may have gotten lost the first day of classes in Glass, but I found my way to and from the Bookstore

~I didn't get called on in my BusLaw class...which was especially good considering I didn't read. Whoops!

~Heard the best pick-up line: "Is anyone sitting here? I have horrible eyes."



It may just be that today has been a really good day, but I don't care. I'm on top of the world and no one can make me fall.

I can finally breath again...

Oook. I messed up this one. Why did I move away from my life?!
Because I thought I wasn't content.
I was looking for more.
I feel like it was that whole "I was sent a car, a boat, and helicopter" joke. I was just looking for the bigger, better picture.
But I feel stuck. The transition from home to OSU wasn't easy, but it happened. I felt nothing but warmness and welcoming arms from all the girls and my friends in the house. My classes were quick and easy and the profs were funny. Yet, still I was not happy. I felt like a made a big mistake. The grass is not always greener on the other side.

So that's it. I'm moving forward and not looking back. And I feel the bricks lifted away!

I start MSU tomorrow annnnd I love my schedule I just hope all my classes and profs work out!

Fall Open House at Baglady is this weekend!!! I am soo excited :) I painted tables today and we rearranged the whole stinkin store, but it was worth it. It inspired me to redecorate my apartment and surprise my roommate when she returns...I really hope she likes it! I stained an entertainment shelf to match her dinning room set and added cream and toupe colored blocks with an iron grid in the middle...lots of fall folliage and some candles of course! I'll post pictures when I get it finished but it's super cute...in my mind :)

I guess I have a bedtime now that school's back...well at least I should get to bed at a decent hour. Maybe...

O-S-U...Cowboys!

Soo I am a Cowgirl...again! I can't believe I'm starting this process, but I have regretted not finishing what I started there almost everyday.

It all started Friday when my mom and I went for our 3 mile walk. A lot happens on these walks, they are sacred and refreshing...not to mention a total hiney kicker ;) We talk shop, life, love, family, dogs (we love our pups), and our dreams. Sometimes I slide in a request or two which is what I had intended on doing this particular time. I had seen this old wooden desk I wanted to restore and use in my room, but I needed a little support from mommy and daddy to make it until my next paycheck. Little did I know that when we returned from our walk not only would I not be getting this beautiful desk, but I was compiling a list of names and numbers to contact to re-enroll at Oklahoma State. I was...well, I was a lot of things. I was nervous about telling my roommate whom I've come to love and find a unique friendship with and my favorite teacher..I mean friend, HEATHER, that I was moving out and away. I was pumped to tell Hal, Shelby, and Kelsi I was BACK! I was super sad to leave my mom and the store that I practically run. Most of all I was scared and upset to be leaving my MSU family I had come to know and love this past year.

I would not change my time away in any way shape or form. I know that these friendships I am leaving for the time being will be here no matter what I am doing. These are my friends through the good and the bad, the near and the far. They have all proved that very fact to be by being here this last week I have and supporting me fully and inderstanding my decision. I do not want them to think I am leaving because I do not enjoy being in Springfield, because that is not the case at all! I need to do this for myself as selfish as that sounds, but who wants to live with a regret that's changable?

I honestly want and need to do this for myself, but I continuously was asking "Why would I uproot my perfect life here?" I had a job, babysitting families, a mentor, allllllllll my friends, my MOTHER, my family...the list goes on. But what I was missing was having that experience I wanted from OSU and being able to go back and succeed this time. God started opening doors Saturday morning so I went with my gut and pressed on.

I am still in the process of finalizing everything, but fingers crossed and heart in prayer I know that whatever is suppose to be will be...