When the candles blow out ...

Birthdays have always carried mixed feelings for me! (We'll get to that later) First - let me tell you why this was one of the best birthdays I've ever had!! 

(Then we'll get into the epiphany I had ...) 

But first things first!

The celebration of my birthday started with my roommate taking me out for dessert! It was way too big, and way too delicious, but hey - it's my birthday so it doesn't matter, right?! 

Later on that night, 

a very special guy 

decided to make me dinner! 

Mmm, my favorite!

Ever since my first birthday I have always had the same cake, and in fear of not having that this year, I made my own. Little did I know after dinner there would be a cake ... so we had two!! Better more cake than no cake! I was once told that everyone should blow out a candle on their birthday ... it's totally true!! EVERYONE should blow out a candle on their birthday! That's one of the things that separates your birthday from the other 364 days of the year!

 I was once told that everyone should blow out a candle on their birthday ... it's totally true!! EVERYONE should blow out a candle on their birthday! That's one of the things that separates your birthday from the other 364 days of the year! (P.S. This year I learned that even though I sing all the time, I apparently still need to work on my lung and sustaining power)! 

 The next birthday celebration happened the next day. My friends and I have a tradition to go out to dinner for birthdays after our bible study class - so we did! Here are some of my friends who came out that night! What a fun group!

After dinner, 7 of us girls decided to go back to my friends condo and watch a movie, "She's the Man", eat these delicious cupcakes, and do what girls do ... chat, for hours! A great ending to a great night!

I have been blessed with two of the BEST girlfriends ever! 

We decided to go out and have some GREAT Japanese food to celebrate! 

 Then my girlfriend surprised me with ... 

AMAZING CUPCAKES!

Over all it was an Incredible day ... week actually. One I was not expecting to have. Birthdays have always carried mixed feelings for me. I was torn because it was my birthday and I should be enjoying it, but yet I was another year older ... and what really constitutes a GREAT birthday? People always say "Happy Birthday! I hope you have a great day!" But what does that mean? As I have gotten older the more I have begun to realize that the day your birthday falls on is just another day. Work goes on, school continues, and things happen. And since people can't really drop everything when a birthday comes around ... what SHOULD be done on a birthday to make it feel special. Yes it's  day you were born, but why should it be special/important to anyone else?

These questions continued until the day of my birthday. I was getting countless messages on Facebook wishing me a "Happy Birthday", friends were texting me, however it didn't seem the day was very special and I couldn't figure out why. I realized it was because of the attitude I had (which I described above). Soon I realized the reason birthdays are a big deal to people, and should be a big deal to people, is because that is the day YOU were born. Without that day, you would not be here. Granted you would have been born on a different day, but then the dilemma starts all over again. So, the reason why people say "Happy Birthday" and the reason YOUR birthday is special to THEM is because they are glad you are here. They are glad to have your friendship and to know you. Without you there would be a lot of things that would be different in the world, a lot of people that would be different in the world, more than you would/could probably image. 

So ... I would challenge everyone to take this year to see the reasons why people are grateful YOU are here. We often see the best in others and only the worst in ourselves! Everyone has the power inside of them to do great things if they only let themselves, so let yourself! That way next year on your birthday you'll be grateful for the day you were born, because you are grateful for you!   

Thank you for the people who made this year's (and every year's) birthday great! Until next year ... 

The quirks and perks of Nashville!

... Living in Nashville ...

Since it's been about 4 years since I have lived in Nashville, there are some things I forgot about this beautiful city. Well, some things I forgot, and others I just didn't get the opportunity to experience the last time I was here. 

#1. Cicada's! 

 For those who don't know what a Cicada is ... lucky, lucky, lucky! They can be classified as locusts, however they have a hostile takeover every 7 years! (and when I say hostile ... I mean hostile). They are not the best of fliers, however they have no hesitation about flying INTO you at amazing speeds, land on you while make creepy and disturbing noises. I don't know if they have any real point or if they add anything to society, but they are EVERYWHERE ... and when I say everywhere ...

 

 what happens is, they attach to trees (hundreds on each tree), and make noises ALL DAY long! For those who have not been to the South, there are hundreds and thousands of trees, which means the hills are alive with the sound of cicadas! They shed their shell, which then falls to the ground (which you can see here). The shells then collect, by the pile full, around the bottom of every tree. At the end of the summer they will burrow back into the ground and come back in another 7 years! I can't wait!!!

#2. Lightning Storms

 One thing I had forgotten about Tennessee was the incredible lightning storms they have here!  I was driving home last night and there were the biggest flashes of light on either side of the road. The amazing thing is the lightning hit at least almost every 5 seconds. It was crazy to be in the MIDDLE of a lightning storm with bolts of lightning surrounding us on every side!

Soon after the lightning, thunder loud enough to shake my house could be heard (and felt). It was crazy! The thunder also rang through the air far longer than I have ever heard. Insane! The craziest things about the weather here is how fast it can change. One minute it could be barely sprinkling and the next, the wind is between 50-75 mph and the rain is coming down so hard, people have to pull over to the sides of the road because it's coming down in SHEETS! 

Last night was nuts, but a good reminder of how fast the weather here can change, and to be honest, kind of a cool experience! 

Though Tennessee has its quirks, it also has its perks. 

I love it here and could not imagine being anywhere else! 

Stay tuned ... there is more to come!