It's Daddy's Day!

To the first man who ever loved me,

You taught me how to ride a bike, how to shoot a basketball, kissed my boo boos when I was young, fought off guys you didn't think were worthy (still happening), and suffered through teaching me how to drive.

Time and time again you have shown me what it means to be a good man, a loving husband and a devoted father. You have supported me in all of my decisions, even when you weren't 100% on board with them and for that, I can't thank you enough. Thank you for allowing me enough space to stumble and trip, but never being so far away that I'm not caught before I fall flat on my face.

You may not know it, but I cherish every single moment we spend together, even when it's just short talks in your office, out on the porch, over the phone or brief texts back and forth while I'm away at school. You are my first love, always my protector, and the logic to my woman-brain. Sometimes I may act like you're not the smartest man I've ever known, but we both know that's not true. You've taught me more about life, love, relationships and handling money than any textbook or website could.

I am so thankful that I was blessed with you as my dad and that our bond has gotten so much stronger as I've gotten older. I hope you have an amazing birthday, I love you more than you know.

Love, 

Your Little Girl

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On The Run to New Orleans pt. 1

Last week I talked about how I went to New Orleans and absolutely lost my mind had so much fun! My friend, Brittany, and I left for our long journey at 9:00 PM Thursday night with an expected arrival time of 4:46AM...

After we arrived at my friend John's house at 4:30AM New Orleans time on Friday (btw, they're an hour behind Atlanta so it's 5:30AM to this body), I woke up the whole house looking for blankets, Brittany fell asleep in an instant and I attempted to act like I could go to bed even though I had just driven 8 hours and felt like my mind was running a marathon.

We were then woken up at 7:30 by one of John's friends going to work, then again at 9:30 when John had to go to work. Needless to say we were wide awake, albeit tired as all get out.

Since it was raining all day, Brittany and I hung out at the house and relaxed. John took us to a drive-thru daiquiri place and we found out that if the police pull you over, you're okay as long as your straw isn't in your drink... Oh New Orleans. That night, John's friend Gina was having a birthday dinner in Baton Rouge, so the three of us ventured the hour and some change to meet up with her group. 

Friday Night

 Dinner at P.F Chang's, a night out on the town in the land of LSU (LSWho? #GeauxDawgs), bringing one of the birthday guests back to New Orleans so she could catch her 5:00AM flight, IHOP at 4:30AM and going to bed at 5:30AM

Saturday morning, Brittany and I were woken up by John bursting in our room at 11:00AM saying, "wake up, y'all just gonna sleep the day away?" and then him going back to his room to sleep for the rest of the day (insert stale face). We decided to explore New Orleans and head to Bourbon Street. 

We stopped at Cafe du Monde.

Oohed and ahhed at all of the beautiful architecture and the bike gang we saw roll up.

Grabbed a grenade and a po'boy.

And we even met Ashley from A Faithful Passion! 

(girl, why didn't we get a picture..) 

Saturday Night

Gina and her best friend that we had met the night before joined the three of us for our New Orleans escapades. We hit up Ohm Lounge, Barcadia, Metropolitan Night Club, and Republic (where we saw a fight and let ourselves back into the club since the bouncer wasn't paying attention to us) before heading to Daisy Dukes for a 4:30AM dinner/breakfast at which I promise you I almost fell asleep 5 times. 

Also, guess who didn't get any pictures from this night? THIS GIRL. bad blogger

The vast number of pictures I share in my next and last post about NOLA should hopefully make up for this though... because on the last day of my trip, I went to see BEYONCE (the actual reason I trekked to NOLA).

I know I haven't even began to scratch the surface of all that New Orleans had to offer; I really wanted to see the HUGE cemeteries, the 9th Ward which is still devastated from Katrina, and go on a swamp tour.  

Have any of y'all been to New Orleans before? What'd you think of it?

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Life Lately

I promise things should pick back up around here relatively soon because:

I moved out of my old apartment and will be moving into my new one around August 13th 

(post and pics coming within a few weeks)

I went to New Orleans from July 18-21 and had an absolute blast 

(post and pics to come next week)

My best friend got a job in D.C so I now have a new reason to go up there 

(hopefully post and pics to come soon)

My sissy lives in Toronto and I'm planning to take a trip up there ASAP 

(hopefully post and pics to come soon)

Weight loss update as soon as I get my gym back!

(you'll see pics as I lose)

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Time to Let Go

I'm admitting it - I haven't been a good blogger lately. 

I know I told y'all a few weeks back that I was having a rough time putting my thoughts and feelings into words and I really wanted to enjoy the summertime with my family and friends sans blogging, but what I didn't tell you is that I was going through friendship turmoil, the death of my brother's high school teammate and family friend, and I had nothing I felt was interesting enough to blog about. 

#BFTP didn't take off, which looking back on should have been a no brainer, and without a real income, my days were monotonous, filled with absolutely nothing worthy of writing about.  

All of that to say, I had to let a lot of things go. 

I had to remember that blogging isn't the only thing in my life and what I [don't] post doesn't define me or how interesting I am. I've shared a lot of me and my life with y'all, but there are still relationships and friendships I don't talk about because of how roller coaster-esque I feel in them.

I had to remember that God has a plan for me much greater than my own in EVERY aspect - partially in the blogging world, but especially in my life, my friendships and my relationships - and that I could not fix everything, do everything and be everything alone. 

A few years ago, TD Jakes preached about letting it go, so I've decided to share it with y'all. This quick read is something I've turned to time and time again and hopefully it'll be something y'all can turn to when you just don't know what else to do.

"There are people who can walk away from you. And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you: let them walk. 

I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone. When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left.

The Bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]

People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay.

Let them go.

And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person it just means that their part in the story is over. And you've got to know when people's part in your story is over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead.

You've got to know when it's dead.

You've got to know when it's over. Let me tell you something. I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it. Stop begging people to stay.

Let them go!

If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to . . .
LET IT GO!

If you are holding on to past hurts and pains . . .
LET IT GO!

If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth . . .
LET IT GO! 

If someone has angered you . . .
LET IT GO!

If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge . . .
LET IT GO!

If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction . . .
LET IT GO!

If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents . . .
LET IT GO!

If you have a bad attitude . . .
LET IT GO!

If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better . . .
LET IT GO!

If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him . . .
LET IT GO!

If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship . . .
LET IT GO!

If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves . . .
LET IT GO!

If you're feeling depressed and stressed . . .
LET IT GO!

If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying "take your hands off of it," then you need to . . .
LET IT GO!

Let the past be the past Forget the former things. GOD is doing a new thing for 2014!

Get Right or Get Left. 

Think about it and then . . .
LET IT GO!

"The Battle is the Lord's!""

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You Should Know

That if we're gonna be best friends:

I don't eat seafood. And yes, this is me in seafood restaurants that don't serve anything else.

I LOVE giraffes and elephants.

I'm overly sarcastic.

I'm overly dramatic. I mean... you saw the use of three gifs for the sarcasm so clearly this is fitting...

I like to have text conversations in gifs and emojis. 

I give a lot of advice. 

You will come to me for the advice. 

And I will deliver. 

And you will love me.

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#speechlesssunday

Usually a #BFTP post would be here, but I'm skipping this week. 

I've had so much on my mind and on my heart lately.

 I have no idea how to convey anything I want to say and I have had long moments when I don't really feel like myself.

Thus hopefully explaining the lack of posts over the past two (?) weeks.

Today, I leave you with some quotes that caught my eye on the beloved Pinterest.

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