"Behind every good man there is a woman, and that woman was Martha Washington, man, and everyday George would come home, she would have a big fat bowl waiting for him, man, when he come in the door, man, she was a hip, hip, hip lady, man."

"So we drove on toward death through the cooling twilight."

If

By: Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;
If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son! 

I want these little guys.

They're Kodama from Princess Mononoke.

Appreciation.

Abbey Crain and Tess Davis, my beautiful roommates. 

Without them, I would have to make late-night runs to Taco Bell and Dairy Queen alone.

There wouldn't be someone to sing the Tangled soundtrack to.

My life would have a very small amount of Celine Dion and Phil Collins in it.

I wouldn't be friends with Mormon missionaries. 

My blog would have a lot less views.

Strawberry mojitos,

whiskey sours,

more chocolate-covered strawberries,

crepes,

fruit pizzas,

yellow cake with chocolate frosting,

games of charades, 

and all of my friends dressed to the 9's.

After a blissful few days in Florence with friends and family, I came home to my beloved roommates and my beautiful house decorated with me in mind. Brown birthday banners with subtly patterned bunting adorned the walls, little presents wrapped in brown paper and tied with string, little tables were set up with dreamy delights, and all of my friends were dressed to impress.  It really was something special. Just the thought of it makes me blush.  

Well, I'm twenty now.

I won't forget the excitement of turning thirteen and feeling like the coolest thing on the planet. Or the feeling of being fourteen and desperately wishing I was fifteen. Then, being fifteen and not caring that my mother was in the car, but just enjoying the feeling of the steering wheel under my hands and a feeling of empowerment when I held car keys in public places. At sixteen, braces, a boyfriend, and the realization that I never actually was the best thing since sliced bread. At seventeen, my love for nature grew, the braces were removed, and every day after school was spent either playing Zelda, "resting", or in downtown Florence. Eighteen brought an experience abroad, Bonnaroo, college, and recognition that I lacked a certain level of maturity. At nineteen, I grew up. I matured. I sought after meaning to things that I previously overlooked. I made realizations about myself and found out what kind of person I wanted to be. I made a conscious effort to let my better qualities blossom and further develop, while trying to make the lesser qualities wither away and I made a promise to myself to let every year be like that one.

And now, I am twenty. I'm a sophomore at the University of Alabama. I am passionate about personal growth, literature, nature, art, the sea, and people. 

I'm nostalgic, honest, easily pleased, and I plan to keep my promise.

"Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should."

The best is yet to come,

and babe, won't that be fine?

I had such a wonderful time celebrating my birthday with my family.

I ate the most incredible food that I thought only existed in my dreams.

Chocolate-covered strawberries, raspberries, heavenly cupcakes, and pink champagne for dessert.

Being in the presence of such loving people for even a couple of days can really warm your heart.

Everyone deserves a family like the one that I was blessed with.