Loving Olivia.

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called 'Opportunity' and its first chapter is New Year’s Day." -Edith L. Pierce

2011 was quite a year for me. I learned lessons, cried many tears, laughed many laughs, and experienced happiness like never before!




I never in a million years thought I would be attending school in a little town in Kentucky known as Williamsburg. The same school where my parents attended, met, and married. I certainly couldn't have imagined how much happiness it would bring and how much I love it there. An experience is what you make it. If you want it to be miserable, it will be. If you want it to be filled with happiness and love, it will be!

It all started with moving in, becoming friends with my roommate, and settling in to my new life in Kentucky. I learned pretty quickly people are not always as they seem, but some are just as wonderful as you think they are- if not more so! Needless to say, my friendship roommate went up in smoke and it went up in smoke FAST! With every bad, there is good. I met a guy by the name of Tyler and found myself a new lifelong friend. We definitely went through our share of shit this past semester, but we're still alive and possibly happier because of it. I auditioned for my first musical EVER (Into the Woods) and got cast as "The Giant". Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned and was unable to perform my role come opening night (pneumonia can really take a girl down). However, I came out of that experience with several very dear friends who have kept me sane in a not-so-sane world (Cumberlands can be quite the environment at times...). I learned that while cussing may not sit well with some people, you just need to do you and if cussing is part of that, KNOCK YOURSELF OUT! I also wasn't aware just how much one person could miss Tex-Mex and boy have I missed it! The most important lesson I have learned from just one semester at University of the Cumberlands is that some people may not understand you, they may not always believe what you tell them, and they may just flat out hate you, but there are always people who love you waiting around the corner to pick you back up. NO MATTER WHAT! My friends have made UC such a wonderful experience! I have been beyond blessed with such wonderful people in my life!

Leaving home has been quite a learning experience for me. Once you leave, home will never be the same. I hate that I'm not very close to certain people anymore since leaving, but for every friend that walks out of your life, a new, BETTER one enters.

I'm excited to see what 2012 has in store for me. I am more than ready for it arrive! It's going to be good people! My advice for going into the new year is, BE YOU. Always and forever. Try to be as nice as possible, but understand that at some point you need to stand your ground and the niceness needs to end.










P.S. I got stung by a bee for the first time in my life today. And for whatever reason, I failed to mention in the last blog I had written that I FINALLY got my Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice from Northwest Vista College!!