Holy TEN years. Major Throwback Thursday coming in hot today. May 9, 2009.

I can NOT believe it’s been ten years since I graduated the University of Alabama.

Reflecting back on the last ten years, I felt it was easy to remember all the hard things. So I forced myself to sit down and really think about the good things.

So since May 9, 2019:

The thing I am most proud of? My head space. I have done and will continue to do the hard work. I go to the counselor on a regular basis. I go to the doctor. I take the medication. I journal. I blog. I talk to some badass mentors who probably feel like their ears will bleed with all my verbal processing. My anxiety. My headspace. My emotions. My soul. It’s in such a better, strong, more capable place than it was ten years ago. Is it perfect? No. But can I honestly say I am proud of the work, commitment I have made to myself, and the progress. Hell yes.

I aced my NCLEX in 75 questions. Although I called my mama after crying hysterically because I was sure I failed.

I moved to BHM and lived with Alyssa thus fulfilling our life long, somewhat joke, dream of living together. Although we never did get that red sparkly Mustang.

I gained a solid nursing foundation working in the ICU at Medical West for 18 months.

I learned I am a capable person because I survived night-shift for three or four years. I’m not really sure my brain blocked it out. It was rough, yo.

I met my soul daughter (because sometimes it’s crazy how much she acts and looks like me, nature versus nuture)/ goddaughter (because He straight put this girl and I together for reason, a gift from God). No blood binds us. But nothing can break apart our love.

I got my dream job in an Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I worked here for almost 8 years. I poured my heart and soul into those babies and what a gift they gave me.

I landed a side job at the Callahan Eye Hospital. I went on to work here for eight years, on an as needed and part time basis. Golly I will be sad to say see ya later to my work family tomorrow.

I “got” red hair. And purple. And rose gold. And pink. And blue. And green. Do the things that set your soul on fire, remember.

I found Ryan. All I can say is he deserves to be a saint. He is a blessing and is also a (mostly 😂) positive grounding factor to my soul.

We bought our house. It was an instant feeling of this is the one. We found it after I was stuck at the hospital for Snowmagedon.

Also, I survived 72 plus hours at the hospital with minimal staff and food during Snowmagedon.

My mama survived an MRSA blood infection, endocarditis, and osteomyelitis.

I learned to tune into life’s littlest moments to seek the magic in everyday. Sometimes I still forget and need to be reminded.

I for the most part stopped biting my nails. You can now find them painted whereas in college not so much unless Amy got a hold of them.

I found great joy visiting the most magical place on Earth on a regular basis. PS: honey I NEED to see Mickey before Sept 30.

I became a mama the second those lines popped up on that pregnancy test.

Our baby girl never knew pain or suffering. Just whole-hearted, life-altering, light-filled love.

It makes me happy to know she “went” with us to Disney and two Alabama football games. She also got to spend a Christmas with us even though we did not know she was with us yet.

I found a love and deep passion for traveling the world. Iceland, Paris, Italy, Greece, a few cruises, and Banff. There is nothing to make the world feel simultaneously bigger and smaller at the same time as traveling can.

I realized my dream job was no longer my dream job. I was smart and courageous, I stepped away even though it was also hard and heart-breaking.

I have developed a semi skill for flower arranging and it brings me great joy. Although flower arranging is art and your literally can not mess art up.

We got extremely brave. Took an insane amount of courage and moved to Beaufort, SC.

Found friends that we definitely had purpose for each other in the moment and friends that will last forever.

Selling our house. (Prayers and fingers crossed for 5/24). Man I’m proud of the work and love we poured into this house.over the past five years..I’m.proud of.what we surveys here, who we became here and where we are going.

I completed the Whole30 twice.

Coworkers that have become loved and invested like family.

I fulfilled a life long dream of becoming a turtle volunteer. What a surreal moment. Remembering walking on the beach at sunrise with Grammie, Daddy, Em or myself . Growing, learning and watching the turtle volunteers and all the things we have discovered in the past few years.

I am proud of myself. High School, College those weren’t the best years and I have a feeling this past ten weren’t it either. But eternally grateful that HS and college weren’t my best and I feel most beautiful with age. High School beauty queen no thanks I’ll take ugly duckling and blossoming adult any day of the week. Although I didn’t know it before ten years ago.

Has life been perfect? Absolutely not. If fact most of these positive things have another dark side. Sometimes the bad times came to mind quicker and easier than the positives that I plucked out of the dark. So don’t read this and see a perfect life and feel broken or less or alone.

What a gift to look back on ten years of nursing. The family. The friends. The babies. The lessons. The joy. The tears. The purpose. Here’s to a summers break and finding more passions, lessons and purpose.

Happy Ten, lovies. This is your friendly reminder to celebrate everything and seek the magic.