Path of the Single Girl- Beware of Words

This weekend I spent exploring my new hometown! I truly love this place and there is so much to see and do! I thought I would immerse myself in the Texas culture by going to a local country bar. 

I think I experienced complete culture shock when I entered. It should have been named honky tonk USA. The place was full of cowboy hats, boots, belts, and this really strange dance called the 2 step. 

My roommate and I sat at a table that overlooked the dance floor and people watched for about 2 hours. We watched everyone dance, twirl, spin, dip, etc. I quickly realized I was the only one in the bar without cowgirl boots on and kicked myself for not making it my first purchase in the state of Texas! 

After hours of just watching I was approached by my very first cowboy. I will remember him forever seeing as he was the first actual cowboy to ask me to dance. He taught me how to do the two step and gladly glided me across the dance floor spinning me, twirling me, smiling with his big bright white teeth. He made me feel so special telling me that "he had my back" and "would never let go" (I know I know, I should have realized that was a line from the titanic). Except I was too swept away from this cowboy I couldn't think straight. 

We talked for awhile after the dance, I learned a lot about him and his family. We flirted, we laughed, blah, blah, blah. Until he told me he was going to the bar and grab another drink….thats when I saw him on the dance floor with another girl! Spitting the exact same lines he told me! 

How could I have been so stupid!? I will tell you how, my love language is words of affirmation thats how. Words build me up and they make me feel loved and wanted. What I didn't realize is that actions actually do speak louder than words. How many of us have fallen for the charming lines that men may dish every once and awhile? The "I have your back baby," or "I will never leave." Those things melt our hearts! 

Why? Because thats what we see in society, just a lot of words that build love up and build up people to think they are actually in love. There is just one really important thing that these words are missing, and thats the actions behind them. The best thing about love is that someday some guy will tell me "I've got your back," and "I will never leave," and the difference is he will SHOW me that those words are true.  Very similar to how God SHOWED us that he loved us so much he gave his one and only son to die on the cross for our sins! He didn't just tell us, he showed us! 

So moral of the story: Beware of words that aren't backed up by actions, too many times we are told to believe one thing but never take the time to look at the intentions of those words and how the play out. 

5 Friday Favorites

I am linking up with Amanda this Friday with my Five Favorites of the Week!

1) My new home :) I truly love it here and I actually have not been too homesick….yet. I love the weather, then nice people, and the great food! I have to keep reminding myself I am not on vacation and because this food is incredible! 

2) My new room! I posted about creating and designing my bedroom on a budget yesterday, I did the whole thing for under $600! 

3) Football is back! Moving into a state that LOVES football suites me well. I haven't decided if I am going to cheer on the Longhorns or Aggies, but being closer to Texas A&M I am leaning one way ;) 


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4) Speaking of football, lets go Tom Brady! I also picked up a Houston Texans shirt so hopefully that number 1 draft pick lives up to the high expectations! 

5) Spending the week with my Mom and Dad. I am so happy they got to see my new home and help me set everything up! We also got to do a little sight seeing! I miss them like crazy but November is right around the corner :) 

Moving In

I think moving might be the most stressful thing that can happen to an individual! The past three days have been absolutely crazy and packed (hehe get it, packed?) I arrived in Texas sunday night, which if you follow my instagram you can see that it wasn't the most pleasant drive down (if you don't follow it you should because I post super cool pics…kind of.) Anyway Monday morning was finally move in day!! 

I can't believe I finally hold the keys to my very first big girl apartment all paid for by myself! It was so exciting, especially because I have only seen it via FaceTime with my roommate and never in person. 

The only problem is that no one told me unpacking was going to be a pain in the butt, especially when you live on the third floor. Luckily, my Dad, being the superhero he is, hired some moving guys to carry my trailer full of stuff upstairs :) Thanks dad!! 

After getting all my stuff moved in came the not so fun part of moving. The stuff everywhere and you don't know where to begin! I had a minor panic attack which brings me to this very important rule of moving

LABEL EVERYTHING!!!! 

My mom helped me put each box in each room by the way I labeled the box which made it much easier! 

I also had to decorate this bad boy and make it feel super homey so that when my mom and dad left I wouldn't drown myself in a pile of tears :) This is the finished product! 

I LOVE my new home and I am settling in. ALthough I was a hot mess last night when my mom and dad just left me in the middle of a big city like it was no big deal (just kidding, they cried like babies) I am surprisingly doing very well and I attribute it all to my brand new big girl bed with super cute bedding and the silver glitter sticks next to it, because whose day doesn't getting brighter with glitter.

The best part of my room is that I didn't have to spend a ton of money! I was able to design my whole bedroom for a budget! The headboard/footboard/frame, bedding, tables, decorations, and bookcase cost less than $600 (does not include the actual mattress)

headboard from overstock.com, bedding from marshals

    Bookcase from Walmart 

Table from Walmart, Lamp from Walmart 

Vase from Homegoods, Sparkle sticks Hobby Lobby, Table Walmart 


Next to come will be the dreaded organization of the bathroom…stay tuned!! 

Any good advice about being away from your family for the first time!? 

The Drive

I am finally in my new hometown!! Although it hasn't even been 24 hours I am in love! I have never actually live in a city, or even a suburb of a city and when I pulled in to my new apartment I was completely and utterly over stimulated. 

                                  

There is SO much to do, to see, to eat, to drink. At first I thought I was on vacation and I felt the need to go eat, drink, and see everything this city had to offer. Then I realized, wait I live here now, I can go do this stuff whenever I want to! 

                       

Although I am lovin Texas and I unpack my apartment later today. I really despised the drive down here for a few reasons:

1) How do people live Arkansas and Illinois. I don't mean this to be a bash on your hometown, I am sure its great! However, staring at endless amounts of soy bean fields and corn fields that went on for miles and miles and miles (8+ hours to be exact) about put me in the loony bin. All I have to say is God bless our farmers and farming families because that gig is no joke! I will never eat another veggie with out giving thanks to the hands who prepared it. 

                

2) There was nothing to look at. Literally nothing at all. Not a building, rarely did we see a home, it was just us and the open road. I thought I could live out in the country some day but this trip quickly changed my mind. 

Now there were some highlights:

1) Southern Hospitality. These people might be the nicest people I have ever met in my life! After night one of travel we stopped in who knows where in Arkansas and was directed to a local cafe. When we entered the cafe the ENTIRE staff, literally everyone that was in the kitchen and their moms, came out to greet us at the door! (okay maybe not their moms, but it felt like it). 

2) Southern Food. I don't think I have ever had such good Catfish before in my entire life! The food down here is no joke! I had homemade corn bread, catfish, the best roll my body has ever encountered, some green stuff that might have been the best green thing I have ever put in my mouth, and I even tried a frog leg. 

3) Palm Trees. Palm trees make me happy!! I can't help but smile when I see one (which means I will be in a good mood all year round now!) 

Moral of this post: Don't drive 8 hours in corn fields, and if you do go eat at a local cafe and have catfish, you won't regret it! 

Wish me luck unpacking today! 

Shopping for a New Top

Today is the day I pack up the trailer and tomorrow morning bright and early I hit the road for the great state of Texas! 

1,234 miles is about to separate me from my family and friends :( 

This is probably the most crazy thing I have ever done in my life. Moving for a job, that is over 1,000 miles away, where I don't know 1 single person, in a place I have never even visited. 

Some of you might be reading this thinking this girl is nuts, and sometimes I wonder that too. The cool thing about this experience is that it is a total leap of faith. The ONLY person I have to lean on is God and his faithfulness. Although it is super scary, it is has been the most humbling experience knowing that my faith has no boarders and that I have complete trust in his will for me life :) 

Over the past week I had to say goodbye to some pretty awesome people. I can attest that a lot of tears were shed Wednesday night after going to dinner and hanging out with my best friend Erin. However, the best thing about these friendships is that they will last forever :) Even though I may be 1,234 miles away I know that no matter what we will ALWAYS remain friends and thats a great feeling! 

One of my friends used this analogy to calm my nerves Monday night. He said,

"Think of this as a shopping spree. You have your one green top that you love and have been wearing for years. Sure, its hard to set that green top down because you have so many great memories wearing it. Except you are about to go on a shopping spree and try on a bunch of new tops. You might like the new tops and you might hate them but you know that the green top will always be there for you to put back on. Someday you might go back to only wearing that green top or you might find a new top you LOVE. Regardless the green top will always be there to support you and love you." 

Well here is to my new shopping spree! Although its hard to leave, I am so thankful for my green top and I can't wait to come back and "wear" it again in November :)