I have unfortunately been on dating sites for over 15 (yikes, I didn't realize it'd been that long!). I that time, I've posted my own profiles and read thousands of profiles. There are a couple keys ways to make your profile stand out and I'll share how here:
1. Post as many photos as the site will allow
Whether is works in my favor or not, I want potential matches to know what I really look like. I hate when people just post one picture or they look totally different in each of their pictures. Other pet peeves are when people post old photos. All photos should be from within a year. Also, I don't need to see your travel photos that you aren't in. Write about your love for travel and keep the photos for showing what you look like. There should be close-up and full length photos of you dressed up and casual. If you include a group photo, share where you are.
2. Avoid one-word and short answers while filling out profile
It's your dating profile, you want to stand out. I want people to have a feel for my personality, values, etc. from reading my responses. What you've written should make the reader want to know more or decide you're not the right match. Rejection of your profile isn't a bad thing, it helps weed out wrong matches.
3. Avoid silence/ghosting
I hate when I message someone and they look at my profile, then never respond. If you don't like me, delete me. It's okay, I know how this works. Don't leave me in limbo.
4. Short replies or lack of asking questions
I'm looking for a good conversationalist, so it annoys me when you start a conversation with only "hey," do one-word replies, or don't help carry the conversation by asking questions. That exhausts me and is a deal-breaker.
It's okay to talk to me, then decide you don't like me. Just wish me well and delete me. Don't just ghost me and delete; it's called closure.
Yes, I actually follow my own advice. Let me know if you have anything you'd add to this!
I really feel like this pandemic has really provided a slower pace to start assessing if we're living the life we want to live. In many ways, it's been helpful for me to really reassess my life.
What I've kept in my life or added(in no particular order):
-time to work out
-healthy meals
-tracking calories via Noom
-working on my spanish via the app Duolingo
-time to read my Bible (In a journal, I'm summarizing what each passage/chapter is saying and write what the application for my life is) and pray using a prayer journal
-creative hobbies (blogging and diamond painting currently)
-writing down three things I'm thankful for each day
at least eight hours sleep
communicating with friends and family
I've also been reading the book, Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist.
The heart of what she's saying is essentially the quote below:
Shauna encourages readers to focus on what's important and to say no to those things that shift your time and focus away from your priorities. It seems so easy to do, but it isn't. I would definitely recommend the book, Present Over Perfect. It helps you realize what's most important to you and to not feel guilty for prioritizing your life. So many of us run at breakneck speed to get "everything" done and it becomes a vicious cycle that never ends. Thankfully, we can end that unhealthy routine. While I'm not enjoying the pandemic, I am enjoying the slower pace and I hope you are too.
The author also encourages readers to say yes to things you're scared to do, but that align with what's important to you. Don't be too scared to live and step out of your comfort zone.
Another key thing Shauna covered was getting rid of things you don't use. She used the example that she prefers wearing blue, white, gray, white, and black. She never wore any other colors in her wardrobe, so she got rid of things she just wasn't wearing. She also pared down her kitchen by focusing on keeping white and silver colored dishes and tools. I think that what she said makes sense. Many of us buy things we think we should wear or use, but then we don't. Once you get rid of those things, you have more room for what use you and you feel more free. Over the quarantine, while at my parent's house, I'm getting rid of childhood/unused craft supplies. Who knew such old things could bump up my bank account?! I've also gone through my shoes and clothes. I'm hoping to move to a house within the next year, so getting rid of things I don't use is going to make it easier. Also, why keep things I'll never use at my parent's house? Why not go through them now when I have the time? Use your time wisely now.
From January to May of this year, I was in Tulsa pretty much every week. While there, my and the fam would try to see the sights in between appointments. On my list of things to see was always the Philbrook Museum, since I like art. We finally got to visit the museum in October.
Inside, they have a generic gift shop. In the museum, they have hundreds of paintings. The museum structure itself is beautiful on the inside, as well. You could spend hours looking at all the art. Since they don't allow pictures inside, all my photos are from outdoors. The balcony overlooks a pretty garden.
In addition to the art, I LOVED the gardens and outdoor landscaping. They also have some trails, so you can get in a decent walk. Walking around the gardens is not conducive to a stoller, wheelchair, or walker. I follow their social media accounts and got to see the gardens covered in Christmas lights; it's beautiful.
If you ever get the chance, check out the Philbrook Museum in Tulsa. Here are several of my favorite photos of the grounds:
We've all watched every Christmas movie there is. Some love the new movies and some love the classics. I happen to really like, White Christmas. While it's pretty old, I love the story, the music, and the dancing.
It centers around two old army buddies who are now successful entertainers, Bob and Phil. An old army buddy asks them to go see his sister's performance, Betty and Judy. Betty catches Bob's eye and Judy catches Phil's eye. The girl's performance is pretty good. Unfortunately, a crazy landlord is searching for them, so Bob and Phil create a diversion and Phil gives the girls their train sleeper car tickets.
A grumpy Bob doesn't know his tickets were given away. Phil tries to talk Bob into going to Vermont where the girls are going for a show, without telling him that's why. The girls come out to thank them for the tickets and next thing you know, they're all headed to Vermont.
While at the inn in Vermont where the girls were doing a show, they found out that business wasn't going well at the Inn and their shows got cancelled. To the guy's shock, they learn that the failing inn is owned by their former Major General. The guys plan an elaborate scheme to get their former army comrades to come to the inn and for there to be a Christmas show there. The girls are on board. They plan it as a secret for the Major General.
The inn is soon bustling with life, they're doing prep for musical productions and elaborate Christmas decorations. Love starts blossoming between the two couples, but complicated things too. Judy becomes convinced that Betty won't pursue a relationship with Bob due to her not wanting to leave Judy behind. So, Judy and Phil concoct a fake engagement story to help push Betty into Bob's arms. Well, that backfires and Betty leaves to do shows on her own. Bob explains what happened and gets her back in time for the show.
The show is a massive success, the inn is saved, the Major General is surpised, and the two couple end up together. The music and costumes are the best in this movie.
I've watched literally every version of Little Women throughout the years. The ending has always left me sad. So when I watched the latest version, I held my breathe. What I liked about this version is that it started at a different place in the story. That helped it all feel fresh to me. I felt like the characters were stronger and better developed than ever. I found each character to be endearing in their own way. Many notable actors and actresses were in the movie: Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Laura Dern, Timothee Chalamet, Chris Cooper, and Meryl Streep.
Like always the scene where Jo refuses Laurie's proposal made me cry. I did like the ending though. So, check out the trailer below and see this sweet movie.
This year, I've started to listen to podcasts. My favorite is the "Whoa That's Good" podcast by Sadie Robertson Huff. Her site shares that, "the 'WHOA That's Good' podcast, welcomes you into meaningful conversations with authors, athletes, musicians, speakers and stars of film and television in search of the answer to just one question. What is the best advice you have ever been given? Hosted by Sadie Robertson, best selling author, founder of Live Original, and star of A & E's Duck Dynasty & Season 19 of ABC's Dancing with the Stars, this fun and lighthearted podcast is sure to leave you saying, 'Whoa That's Good!'"
My faith is super important to me, so I like to fill my mind with things that encourage me in that endeavor. Sadie looks at everything through the lense of her faith. Her guests are her friends and family members, including Christian artists, Christian speakers, and famous athletes. She starts off each interview by asking her guests, what the best advice they ever received is. Each segment ends by her talking with her mom, dad, or husband to help her decide if advice gathered from her followers on Instagram is good advice or bad advice. I would wholeheartedly recommend this podcast to anyone.
I love flowers; the shapes, the colors, the scents! So, I literally take the time to stop and smell the roses whenever I get a chance. So, it is no surprise that I really enjoy the Rose District in downtown Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Not only does the Rose District have beautiful roses for blocks, it also has restaurants, stores, bars, gelato shops, etc.
Here are some of my favorite pictures in the Rose District:
These beautiful flowers were so uplifting that I plan to try to paint some of these or at least try.
There's something about CAIN's song-Rise Up (Lazarus); the lyrics and the tone of his voice just gets me. It reminds me of the power we have in Christ and I think we all need that power now more than ever.
My family and I are going through a really trying time with my mom's health. Lately, things has been especially trying and we've been relying on our faith in Christ. This week, I heard this new song, Jericho by Andrew Ripp and it was everything I needed to be reminded.
All my fear like Jericho Walls gotta come down, come...
In all the traveling that I've done over this year, I've listened to a lot of radio stations. Somehow, I discovered Air1 Radio and I absolutely love it. While I work I listen to it online. Check it out, here. Listen, you'll love it too!
My family has been having a really hard time this year Tasha Layton's music has encouraged us so much. I don't know what we would do without God sustaining us. I hope you're encouraged by her music too!
I told myself that when I ran out of my Degree Clinical Strength deodorant, I would switch to a deodorant without aluminum. I know aluminum isn't good for me, but I hate sweaty pits and my sweat can smell icky. I decided that I didn't want to risk breast cancer, especially since I've watched my mom's fight with it.
Ironically, I made my switch in the summer. At Natural Grocers, I ventured to the deodorant aisle to try to fine something that would do the job and smelled good. There weren't as many options as I'd hoped for, so I started reading labels and smelling the options. What caught my eye and nose was Magic Mud Pineapple Mango Charcoal + Magnesium Aluminium-Free Deodorant. I appreciated that it was cruelty free too. That it contained charcoal was attractive as it has such great properties, such as removing impurities, cleansing skin, and removing dead skin cells. The product also said it neutralized odor and reduced wetness, so I decided to try it out.
What I didn't realize is that it can take some time for your body to regulate to the new deodorant after going off traditional ones. After the first day, I thought it wasn't working and almost gave up. Then for at least a week, one of my arm pits smelled worse than the other, which was so annoying and odd. Thankfully, after a few weeks it regulated. I'm glad I stuck with it. Now, roughly six weeks in I'm happy with how it's working. For those thinking about making the switch, remember to give it time.
We're back to watching movies again and thankfully, the library is up and running again. We started out with the movie, Harriet. It shows the life of Harriet Tubman. I knew that Harriet saved slaves, but I really didn't know her story until now.
She was a slave along with her mom, brothers, and sisters. Her dad and husband were free. Her sisters were sold off to another plantation years before. Before he died, their master had promised to free Harriet's mom and the rest of her family when she turned 46, but alas she's in her 50s. Since he died, his wife and son won't honor his wishes. Harriet who goes by the name, "Minty" is the son's favorite slave. She gets visions from God of the future.
Harriet wants to be free. She decides to go escape on her own. She's directed to talk to the local minister, even though he doesn't seem sympathetic to fellow African Americans. He gives her the name of contacts to help her in Philadelphia. Her master's son tracks her and traps her on a bridge. But she's not going back, she jumps off the bridge. She wakes up hours later, coughing up water. She picks her free name as Harriet Tubman.
Once she arrives in Philly and with the help of her contact, she gets lodging and a job. She works a year as a maid. It's an emotional year without her family and husband. She goes back for him. Unfortunately, she learns that he's remarried with a baby on the way. He was told she died. She is absolutely gutted. Instead, her family sends her with her brothers, their wives, their baby, and some other friends. She hadn't planned to take so many. With God's help, they cross a large rover and get to Philly.
Over time, there's a large bounty for "Moses," who they're calling the person helping slaves run away. That doesn't slow down Harriet, she's passionate about helping free slaves. Laws change and people are allowed to go get their slaves back. This brings violence and trouble to Philly, as well. Harriet looses her close friend to someone looking for Harriet.
Harriet frees her mom. They all move to Canada. This was a great movie. It wasn't overly graphic, but still showed what slaves went through. This is a must-see movie. Check out the trailer here.
Driving my mom back and forth five hours from cancer treatments weekly, this year, has been draining to say the least. To help, I started ordering iced caramel macchiatos from Starbucks. They help me have a little more energy and be sharper for the long drive.
Unfortunately, they were pretty expensive and at that point in time, Starbucks closed due to the pandemic. When they closed, I started going to get something similar from McDonald's. While they were MUCH cheaper, they couldn't substitute in almond milk, which left my stomach feeling unhappy. So, here and there, I tried alternative iced coffee drinks like one at Aldi's and a healthy version from Califia Farms. Unfortunately, the Aldi's version didn't have almond milk and was very sweet. The Califia Farms version just didn't taste good.
I've always loved Panera food and their iced green tea, but I never realized they made iced coffee drinks. Through their emails, I learned that they did have iced coffee. I also learned about their coffee subscription for $8.99/month and their promotion for signing up for the program and getting free coffee through the end of August. What I like most about their coffee is the fantastic taste of the drink. They can fulfill my preference of using almond milk and add caramel. I actually like it better than Starbucks. With the coffee subscription, it shows that I'm saving $2+ per drink and that adds up. I place my order online and the pick up process is super easy, as I just go to the Rapid Pickup area in the store. To learn more about their coffee subscriptions, check out this link: https://www.panerabread.com/en-us/mypanera/mypanera-coffee-subscription.html?ref=COFFEE8f161d or click here.
Before quarantine, I was going to the gym 3-4 times a week. I most enjoyed fitness classes like Zumba and yoga. At the gym, I also worked out on machines like the elliptical and stairs. Working out helps me deal with my stress.
Since the quarantine, I miss the gym and have struggled with finding and keeping a new workout routine.
When it's nice, I like to go outside for a walk, as I'm struggling to get my steps in.
So, let me share what I've found that's helped me:
I recently found, Fit by Larie. I really enjoy her challenging barre workouts. I like that she uses minimal equipment like light weights, resistance bands, and a yoga mat. I'm always sore from her classes and I like it. Check out this one with resistance bands:
For yoga, I do Yoga with Adrienne. I like that her workouts feel doable and help me relax. Her dog, Benji makes cameos in her classes and is the cutest! Check out the first of her, Home series:
I'd love to hear about what you're doing to work out without a gym. Any workout video suggestions?
Growing up watching Mister Rogers' Neighborhood wasn't my jam; I didn't like puppets. I did think Mister Rogers was pretty chill and seemed nice. So, I was up for seeing the new movie, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. I wasn't sure what to expect with the movie. It shows his kindness.
A controversial journalist gets the assignment to write a article on Mister Rogers as part of a series of interviews of heroes. The journalist, Lloyd Vogel goes to interview him and Mister Rogers always just wants to talk about Lloyd. Lloyd's life is a mess. His career is hanging on by a thread and he has no relationship with his dad.
He goes to his sister's wedding and their estranged father is there. The night ends with Lloyd getting a black eye and having a scuffle with his dad. Lloyd's dad abandoned his wife and kids while his wife fought and lost a battle to cancer. That is the cause of Lloyd's bitterness.
Mister Rogers asks about Lloyd's eye, but Lloyd is always deflecting personal questions. Lloyd and his wife have a baby son. Mister Rogers delays the start of his show, so he can visit with a child in need, to the disdain of his staff.
Lloyd arrives home and finds his dad and the dad's girlfriend at his home prepping dinner. Lloyd is enraged and wants his dad to leave which results in the dad having a heart attack. He's now dying.
Lloyd blacks out during one of their meetings and wakes up in Mister Rogers' house. Through all their interactions, Mister Rogers keeps teaching him lessons of the importance of family and treating people kindly.
Lloyd and his family go to help care for his father. Mister Rogers comes, brings pie, and visits with them.
Lloyd's article on Mister Rogers ends up being longer than expected and gets the magazine cover. Lloyd is changed by this friendship and his relationships are all the better for it.
I have grown up watching all the Rocky and Rambo movies that Sylvester Stallone made. So, obviously I had to see Rambo: Last Blood. Sly is gotten older at this point, so I wasn't sure what to expect. What I ended up with was a movie about Rocky's family and his last fight. I digress, so here's my short synopsis: Rocky lives with his niece and another older female family friend. They live out in the country, have horses, and a barn. His niece is just out of high school. The live near the border. In his spare time, Rocky builds tunnels under their land. His niece wants to go to Mexico and find her dad. Rocky hates the idea, since the guy abandoned her and her mom who died of cancer. She sneaks off and goes to Mexico to see a friend who says she's found Gabrielle's dad. The "friend" seems super sketch. She takes Gabrielle to her dad's apartment. At first he seems happy to see her and then breaks her heart as he speaks harshly about her and her mom. He didn't want to be found. Gabrielle is devastated. Her friend takes her to a club where where Gabrielle's drink is tampered with drugs. Next thing you know, she's being trafficked.
Fortunate for Gabrielle, her uncle figures out she has gone to Mexico, searches out her friend, and finds her jerk dad then beats him up. He then figures out she's been taken and he goes to war against the people who took her. He finds her, breaks her out, and she dies on the way home. he's beyond destroyed. Her aunt is so upset about her death. She packs up and moves out. Meanwhile, Rambo prepares for the bad guys to come. He prepares weapons and many traps.
Here's where all the blood and gore starts. It felt super intense. He triggered the ground to explode around and destroy their vehicles. He rigged pitchforks to spring out of the tunnel walls and made pits with nails for them to fall into. In the end, the bad guys lose and it leads you to believe Rocky dies of his injuries.
I've been making weekly trips to Tulsa from my home in Manhattan, KS with my mom. She watches Pioneer Woman and we'd talked about visiting. Unfortunately, around the time we were wanting to visit Covid-19 hit and Pioneer Woman closed. Almost weekly since then, I checked Yelp to see when they'd reopen. Finally, the end of May they were set to open. That coincided with our weekly visit. I was nervous about potential lines, but we arrived and got a table right away. They spaced us out The hostess staff weren't very professional. We walked in and they just stared at us. I was expecting a welcome at the least. Our waitress was terrific and warm. Their menu is nice, but doesn't accommodate people with dairy-free and gluten-free needs. Just a couple items for those with food allergies would be great. My fried chicken sandwich topped with coleslaw was fantastic, but hard to eat with the six inch long slices of carrot. The fries were the best I've had all year. My mom's house salad was great. Her pork chop was kinda boring, since she couldn't eat the sauce with it. The cornbread and jam that came with hers was so good. The store was massive and had something for everyone, though the prices are a little high. The bakery had vast offerings, but none that were both dairy-free and gluten-free. Please create a couple new items to accommodate allergies. The staff in the bakery were very nice. We'd like to come back, but unless a few food allergy friendly items are added, I'm not sure I'll be able to come back with my mom.
While there, I checked out some of the cute stores downtown. At Simply Jane, I found these super cute, colorful, and budget-friendly earrings.
I have really enjoyed the show, Songland from the beginning. Last week, I just loved the song that Florida Georgia Line selected and recorded, Second Guessing. I especially love the play on words. Such a sweet love song and so very catchy!
Each week for the last several months, I make a five-hour drive to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Tulsa is a place I'd never been previously. I have relied on Yelp in prep for those trips and while there for good restaurants close by, including menus and photos, but especially the ratings. My mom has a lot of food allergies and Yelp has been a God-send. Not all the places we've been to from there have been great, but using Yelp is a solid start.
Through Yelp we found two of our favorite breakfast places. We also use it for sights to see or at least we did use it until quarantine. I find the wait-list feature to be so helpful. I just signed up to do the cash back and I hope to try unlocking free food offerings soon. To give back, I've started posting ratings, reviews and photos on Yelp also. Click here to see my reviews and follow me.
Yelp has really helped us enjoy our time in Tulsa more, as well as getting there. Check it out for yourself; so helpful!
In elementary school, my mom read me Call of the Wild. That was until I couldn't hack it, the dog-fighting scenes got me. So, that was the end of us reading that book.
This year we've been taking near weekly five hour drives. Once, I heard they were making the Call of the Wild into a movie, I decided to get the audio book from the library. In one trip, we finished the book and were pretty hooked. Obviously, after the audio book, I really wanted to see the movie. Plus, the trailers were so good.
The movie essentially follows the life and adventures of Buck, the dog. Harrison Ford plays John Thornton, the main lead after Buck, the giant dog. It's said that the dog that they modeled Buck off of was picked up from a pet shelter in Kansas, my home state.
The movie follows Buck from a life of luxury in California as the dog of a judge. Then he gets kidnapped and sent to Alaska due to his big size, he was eyed as a sled dog. He gets purchased to be part of a dog-sled team that delivers the mail. He definitely has a learning curve. He makes friends with all the other dogs minus the lead dog, Spitz. Buck finally stands up to Spitz and leads the team. With Buck in the lead, they make record time. Just as they're hitting their stride, their lead gets a message to sell the dogs. The telegraph is on the way in and their mail delivery skills are no longer needed. The dogs are all sold together.
Eventually, the kind John Thornton rescues Buck and they have the best adventures. The scenery in the movie is breath-taking.
Thankfully, the book and movie are different; nobody wants to see dogs die from dog fighting, animal abuse, or dogs ripping out people's throats. I would've preferred an ending where everyone walks away happy, but that's not what the book or movie gave you. It did let you walk away knowing that life would go, as it should.
Welp, this quarantine has lasted 5.5 weeks now and unfortunately, there's no specific end in sight. Here are some of the things I've doing to try to maintain my sanity:
1. Maintain a routine
Each week day, I get up and dressed for work. No working in my pjs, I wear work-appropriate clothes and not just because on any given day, I may be on several Zoom calls. Dressing up helps keep my mind in work mode.
I work in a dedicated spot each day and try to keep my space clean and organized.
I work from 9-12, take a half hour lunch, and work again until 5ish.
2. Get some fresh air
The weather hasn't allowed it everyday, but whenever it's nice I try to go for at least one walk and sometimes three.
3. Stay active
Generally, I try to work out each work day. If it's nice, I'll go on a walk or run.
After not touching a basketball for at least a decade, I've started shooting baskets some evenings. It's been a good addition.
I've also been doing a ton of yoga. My gym has been offering it live a few days a week and I found Adriene's at home yoga. She's great and her dog, Benji is the cutest.
I did a barre class that my gym also offered and really liked that.
I've done some Zumba, as well, which I also enjoy.
I'm super burned out of working out at home, so I'm looking for new ideas.
4. Find a creative outlet or several
I've been doing a bit more acrylic painting lately, which has been fun.
For my birthday, a friend bought me some diamond painting projects. I first saw it on Cheryl Burke's Instagram and thought it looked super interesting. It's really easy and addictive.
My current project
I decided that it would be fun if I painted my nails each week of the quarantine. It's been fun to come up with different combinations and use more of my nail polish supplies.
Also, writing this blog has been a bit cathartic too. :)
What things are keeping you sane during this time?
I've wanted to see the movie for ages, I've been familiar with Jeremy Camp's story since college, when I heard him in concert. So, for my birthday, we rented, I Still Believe. Jeremy married super young and his wife, Melissa died of cancer. He's now a famous Christian musician and remarried with kids. I've always enjoyed his music, but was interested in watching the movie to see more of his story. That and the actor that plays him, KJ Apa has played in some shows and movies that I enjoy, Riverdale, A Dog's Purpose, and The Hate You Give.
Here's the movie trailer to pique your interest a bit more. :)
The story opens with Jeremy moving from Indiana to college in California. His first night, he sneaks into the back stage before a concert. He introduces himself to the lead singer, Jean-Luc La Joie of Kry. Next thing you know, Jeremy is tuning Jean-Luc's guitar and swapping out guitars for the band during the concert. While doing that, he spots Melissa for the first time. He can't take his eyes off of her as she sings and praises Jesus.
After the concert, he awkwardly introduces himself to her. Later, she spots him on campus playing his guitar and singing. She says hi and it's still awkward. As she leaves, she asks if he has plans for the night. Some friends and her are going to the beach. He says he'll be there and it's a date. She tells him to bring his guitar. He shows up and it looks like she's having a flirty conversation with Jean-Luc. Apparently, she's friends with him too. She makes Jeremy sing in front of everyone. She joins in too, as they sing a song I've never heard of, Find Me In the River. I did't know it was also sang by JJ Heller; love her. I love that song, it's so sweet and soft.
Here's the music video:
Somewhere after that, they started hanging out more. Jeremy asked her what was up with her and Jean-Luc. Apparently, they'd been longtime friends, but his feelings had changed, but she didn't like him like that. Melissa finally agrees to go on a date with Jeremy. They go to somewhere that simulates the stars. Melissa loves looking at the stars. At the end of the night, they agree to keep their relationship quiet. Jeremy thinks they should tell Jean-Luc about their relationship after an awkward lunch with the three of them when Jean-Luc asks to talk to Melissa alone. Melissa doesn't want to hurt him, so she doesn't want to tell him about her and Jeremy. The conversation doesn't end well.
The next day, Jean-Luc let's Jeremy use some of his studio time to lay down some tracks. Jean-luc also invited Melissa. She shows up and they all take a break. Jean-Luc heads out to take care of something and Melissa goes into the studio with Jeremy. They patch things up and he sings her a new song, with the lyrics, "I love, I love you, I love you." She's not sure what to say. She asks if the song is about God and he says no, it's about her. They share their first kiss, only to look up and see Jean-Luc witnessed the whole thing. He's mad and hurt. Now, Melissa is mad that they hurt Jean-Luc. So, she breaks up with Jeremy. He goes through the rest of the semester heartbroken. He heads back home for Christmas.
While on Christmas break, Jean-Luc calls in the middle of the night to tell Jeremy that Melissa is really sick and in the hospital. With his parent's okay, he drives from Indiana to California. He finally arrives and falls alone on a hospital couch. Melissa's family wakes him up, they've heard all about him. He goes to her room and everyone leaves so they can visit. She had a tumor the size of an orange removed from her stomach. He's not sure what he should do, but Jean-Luc asks him if can live without her.
The next day, Melissa tells Jeremy that she loves him. He's shocked and leaves saying he needs a minute. He next takes her to the chapel in the hospital that he decorates with lights to resemble their first date. He asks her to marry him and without hesitating, she says yes.
Jeremy heads home and his parents are shocked to hear the news. He packs back up to head to California, but not before his mom gives him her engagement ring to give to Melissa. Melissa gets released to go home and Jeremy is there to give her the ring. <3
He takes her to appointment and they learn hard news; she needs a hysterectomy due to cancerous ovaries. She's devastated, she wants kids. Jeremy and Jean-Luc rally people together to pray for Melissa's upcoming surgery. She goes in for surgery and they learn, the cancer is GONE!
Six months later, they marry on the beach. It's perfect and they're so happy. Next, they're on their honeymoon in Hawaii. They're having the best time. One night, Melissa starts to have stomach issues and not feel well. She wakes in the middle of the night and wakes Jeremy, telling him something is wrong. They fly home and head straight to the hospital. The tests reveal cancer has spread everywhere and there's nothing the doctor's can do for her. They go to their new apartment for the first time and are greet by wedding photos and gifts. They're beyond sad. Melissa locks herself in the bathroom and breaks down crying.
One night, Jeremy wakes up to hear Melissa vomiting in the bathroom. He runs in there to see her vomiting blood. He takes her to the hospital. She's near the end. She asks him to play the song he just finished. It's "I Still Believe." She raises her hand is praise to God while Jeremy sings.
She wakes screaming to Jeremy and her family that she's healed. She tells Jeremy that he has to believe her. He runs to get a doctor and before they can get back, her sister, Heather is screaming Melissa's name. She passed away. He's devastated that he didn't get to say goodbye. He's broken. His dad drives from Indiana to California. He arrives to find Jeremy collapsed and lying on the floor of Melissa's hospital room. Together the get ready to leave and Jeremy nearly collapses while signing her death certificate.
They have her funeral and Jeremy heads home to Indiana with his family. One particularly hard day, he sees his guitar and smashes it. While leaving the room, he sees something. Amidst the shards of his guitar, He sees some paper. It's a letter from Melissa. Essentially, she tells him to pick up his guitar and start playing again. His dad is relieved to one day hear Jeremy playing again.
From there, it pans to Jeremy being introduced as a successful singer/songwriter. He sings, "I Still Believe." He leaves and a girl who introduces herself as Adrienne. She says Melissa impacted her life.
In the end they marry and have three kids.
Such a good movie; I laughed and I teared up. See this movie!
I have fallen in love with the music of Terrian. It's so spirited and deep. Her voice and lyrics hit me right in the heart.
Thankfully, over spring break, I was able to hear her sing on the Toby Mac Hits Deep Tour. She's also in Toby Mac's DiverseCity band. So, let me share some my favorites with you.
I can not wait to hear more music from Terrian and follow her career.
While in Salina, Kansas visiting a friend, we explored downtown. We got hungry and decided on Johnny Rotten's Burger Bar & Wienery. They had a nice, cool interior.
They had build-your-own burgers and build-your-own wieners. I like being able to customize my food to get just what I want.
I loved my burger which had a pretzel bun, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, and guac.
I really enjoyed their sweet potato fries!
I can't wait to go back once this quarantine is over!
Every time I go somewhere, even for one night, my bag becomes a mess. I can't find anything and it's so frustrating. For awhile, I've thought that maybe packing cubes would be the answer to my messy bags with lost items. So, when Christmas came, I added them to my wish list. My cousin got me a Veken 6 pack with various sizes in a vibrant purple.
It also came with a guide of how to best fold different types of clothing. The cubes are all different sizes which is so very convenient. The shoe bag is perfect for two pair of shoes. There's even a dirty laundry bag.
I won't go anywhere now without my packing cubes. They keep everything so much more organized. I know where to find each type of clothing. I would most certainly recommend them for all travelers.
Recently, my parents and I have been spending a lot of time in Tulsa. Since we're there pretty much every week, we've been exploring restaurants.
Back home in Manhattan, Kansas we barely ever agree on a restaurant we all like, but in Tulsa that's another story. Our go-to breakfast/lunch place is First Watch. We've probably eaten there at least five times in the last two months. Everything I've ordered I've loved. They have the best orange juice; so fresh.
Their morning meditation juice is so good. We also get great service. They're very helpful with my mom's gluten and dairy allergy which is really rare. Getting on the wait-list through Yelp is smart.
Chicken salad melt and salad with lemon dressing
A.M. Superfoods Bowl
Tri-fecta (eggs, sausage, and banana granola pancake)
And...writing this just made me crave their food and I'm not in Tulsa now. :(
I really enjoy avocados, so I was excited to try avocado toast at Ladybird Diner in Lawrence, KS. I'd always wanted to eat at the diner, but it was always closed when I was in Lawrence.
So, here's the consensus, avocado toast wasn't my thing. It was super savory, which also isn't my thing. But isn't it pretty?!
The diner was uber cute though and I'd like to go back and try something different. They're known for their pies and I'd love to try them.
I also loved this sign. Who doesn't love Steel Magnolias?!
When on that trip with my best friend, she found Pinot's Palette. They were hosting an open studio for a ridiculously good price. We brought some of her friends. We each got to pick what painting we wanted to do and what size canvas for $15!
The guide
Mine and I LOVED it!
Yay!
Next, we headed to Topgolf! I'd never been, but had always wanted to. Even though it was freezing outside, the heaters they had kept us really comfortable. The balls each have a chip in them, that tracks them, so you can aim for targets, distance, etc. While none of us was amazing, it was fun and I'm excited to go again.
I had the BEST shrimp tacos at El Potro Mexican Cafe in Bonner Springs just off I-70. They were so flavorful. I went back there two months ago and they were just as good. I wish I lived closer to that place.
Later, we met up with more friends of my friend at Blue Koi. I found that place with my mom a few years ago when I tried my first bubble tea. Awww, memories! The dumplings are what they're known for and they are the best! We all got bubble teas, I got the green tea bubble tea, so good!
