Life Lessons...
I connected with an old friend from high school via Facebook recently and it got me thinking. "I should blog about my life since high school, since I am connecting with more and more old friends." Many life lessons (LL) have been learned along the journey...
In 1993, I graduated ready to take on every party that may occur that summer! I dated Dan till mid July and we split. I hung out with Terra and we chummed along to every grad party we could get to. Right before leaving for Southwest State, Dan and I got back together. (LL #1) Do NOT rekindle a relationship the week before you leave for college. In fact, once you break it off with someone, move on and don't look back!
I arrived at Southwest State and moved in with my roommate, Robyn. My weekends were spent working for my aunt and uncle, home visiting Dan, Dan visiting me, and working at my roommate's parents' bar/restaurant. My first trip home for a weekend was my first time trying marijuana and I was hooked! (LL#2) Do NOT even TRY illegal drugs, they get you know where! I spent the next six months, smoking pot, drinking Mountain Dew, eating Ramen Noodles, working out, cheating on Dan (remember LL #1), spending time with Dan, and missing home like crazy!
I moved home! I continued smoking pot (remember LL #2) for the next two years! I continued dating Dan for the next two years. I worked at Nina B's, Nu Life Cleaners, and Cafe. I partied every day! In the midst of it all, I lost my BFF forever. Terra was tired of the smoking, drinking, and dealing with my highs and lows of a relationship with a fellow drug abuser. I can't say I blame her. (LL #3) NEVER let a guy or drugs ruin your friendships!
November of 1995, I woke up one morning and had a revelation...STOP SMOKING POT and I did just that! (LL #4) Set your mind to it and you can do anything! I was working at Cub Foods and Cafe at the time.
April of 1996, I was watching an episode of Party of Five and in the show, there was a couple and they were unhappy in their relationship, but wouldn't walk away from the relationship. Light bulb flashing...that is ME! I called Dan, went to his apartment, broke off our relationship and NEVER looked back! (remember LL #1)
For the next year, I partied it up with Trisha. During this time I was a bit promiscuous. I'm not proud of it, but it was part of my life. (LL #5) Do NOT have sex before marriage! Oh and I started working at prior to it even opening. I continued working there until 1998, when I started at State Farm Insurance where Trish and I worked together.
During my time at Wal Mart, I met some great people. I became a second daughter to Linda and partied frequently at her home. One day, there were some people talking about a play at the time clock and I asked what it was. They blew me off and said, "it's just a play at our church." So, being the person that HATES to be left out, I asked if I could go with them. The play..."Heaven's Gates, Hells Flames." It was a play that depicts who goes to heaven and who goes to hell and the bottom line for me that night..."I'm going to hell!" I decided to go down front and ask Jesus into my heart and for forgiveness. Ok, not really, I went with all skepticism with my friend for prayer and decided I would not have sex before marriage ever again! I continued on with life as is...partying nightly and at times not even knowing how I got home. (LL #6) Do NOT drink and drive!
February 3, 1997, I was date raped. I went out with friends and one of the guys we were with took complete advantage of my drunkenness. (LL #7) Do NOT put yourself in a position to be taken advantage of! (LL #8) If you are going to give God a PIECE of you, know that He really wants all of you! The ONE thing I gave God, He took back.
It was the last week of July, 1997. Dawn and Tina invited me to Forerunner, a young adults group at their church. I went and then the next night, I went to JC's Place, the youth group at their church. Finally, I gave all of me to Jesus! I went from the bar every night to church every night. It was the best decision I EVER made! Exactly one year later, I met Aaron. (LL#9) You do NOT need to seek your mate, God will provide it in His perfect timing!
Aaron and I knew within two months of meeting one day we would marry. We hadn't even dated! AMAZING! We met August of 1998 at Cross Current Camp through Tabby.
We officially started dating May 31st, 1999. We went to Pizza Flame after church for lunch and hiked down by the river.
On December 4th of 1999, Aaron proposed to me. My mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer on Monday of that week and had a mastectomy on Friday (worst week of my life). On Saturday, Aaron got down on one knee and said something like, "I wanted to make the worst week of your life end the best, will you marry me?" Never mind the fact that I had just given him a Nintendo 64 (very hot at the time) for his Christmas present. LOL He was so nervous, I could have given him a pair of socks and he would have had the same reaction.
On June 24th, 2000, we were married. Six months later, we were expecting our first child! Jonathan was born September 22nd, 2001. October of 2002, we picked up our little family and moved to Brooklyn, NY.
We resided in Brooklyn for 10 months as missionaries. We started a children's program to get kids off the streets on Friday nights. We lived in a Puerto Rican neighborhood and our son quickly learned two languages. We had many ups and downs while in New York. God blessed us regardless.
August of 2003, we moved back to Minnesota. December of 2005, I gave birth to our beautiful baby girl, Allie. We currently reside in MN.
Our lives have not always been peaches and cream (I only touched the surface), but (LL #10) we always TRUST GOD and he always BLESSES US!
In 1993, I graduated ready to take on every party that may occur that summer! I dated Dan till mid July and we split. I hung out with Terra and we chummed along to every grad party we could get to. Right before leaving for Southwest State, Dan and I got back together. (LL #1) Do NOT rekindle a relationship the week before you leave for college. In fact, once you break it off with someone, move on and don't look back!
I arrived at Southwest State and moved in with my roommate, Robyn. My weekends were spent working for my aunt and uncle, home visiting Dan, Dan visiting me, and working at my roommate's parents' bar/restaurant. My first trip home for a weekend was my first time trying marijuana and I was hooked! (LL#2) Do NOT even TRY illegal drugs, they get you know where! I spent the next six months, smoking pot, drinking Mountain Dew, eating Ramen Noodles, working out, cheating on Dan (remember LL #1), spending time with Dan, and missing home like crazy!
I moved home! I continued smoking pot (remember LL #2) for the next two years! I continued dating Dan for the next two years. I worked at Nina B's, Nu Life Cleaners, and Cafe. I partied every day! In the midst of it all, I lost my BFF forever. Terra was tired of the smoking, drinking, and dealing with my highs and lows of a relationship with a fellow drug abuser. I can't say I blame her. (LL #3) NEVER let a guy or drugs ruin your friendships!
November of 1995, I woke up one morning and had a revelation...STOP SMOKING POT and I did just that! (LL #4) Set your mind to it and you can do anything! I was working at Cub Foods and Cafe at the time.
April of 1996, I was watching an episode of Party of Five and in the show, there was a couple and they were unhappy in their relationship, but wouldn't walk away from the relationship. Light bulb flashing...that is ME! I called Dan, went to his apartment, broke off our relationship and NEVER looked back! (remember LL #1)
For the next year, I partied it up with Trisha. During this time I was a bit promiscuous. I'm not proud of it, but it was part of my life. (LL #5) Do NOT have sex before marriage! Oh and I started working at prior to it even opening. I continued working there until 1998, when I started at State Farm Insurance where Trish and I worked together.
During my time at Wal Mart, I met some great people. I became a second daughter to Linda and partied frequently at her home. One day, there were some people talking about a play at the time clock and I asked what it was. They blew me off and said, "it's just a play at our church." So, being the person that HATES to be left out, I asked if I could go with them. The play..."Heaven's Gates, Hells Flames." It was a play that depicts who goes to heaven and who goes to hell and the bottom line for me that night..."I'm going to hell!" I decided to go down front and ask Jesus into my heart and for forgiveness. Ok, not really, I went with all skepticism with my friend for prayer and decided I would not have sex before marriage ever again! I continued on with life as is...partying nightly and at times not even knowing how I got home. (LL #6) Do NOT drink and drive!
February 3, 1997, I was date raped. I went out with friends and one of the guys we were with took complete advantage of my drunkenness. (LL #7) Do NOT put yourself in a position to be taken advantage of! (LL #8) If you are going to give God a PIECE of you, know that He really wants all of you! The ONE thing I gave God, He took back.
It was the last week of July, 1997. Dawn and Tina invited me to Forerunner, a young adults group at their church. I went and then the next night, I went to JC's Place, the youth group at their church. Finally, I gave all of me to Jesus! I went from the bar every night to church every night. It was the best decision I EVER made! Exactly one year later, I met Aaron. (LL#9) You do NOT need to seek your mate, God will provide it in His perfect timing!
Aaron and I knew within two months of meeting one day we would marry. We hadn't even dated! AMAZING! We met August of 1998 at Cross Current Camp through Tabby.
We officially started dating May 31st, 1999. We went to Pizza Flame after church for lunch and hiked down by the river.
On December 4th of 1999, Aaron proposed to me. My mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer on Monday of that week and had a mastectomy on Friday (worst week of my life). On Saturday, Aaron got down on one knee and said something like, "I wanted to make the worst week of your life end the best, will you marry me?" Never mind the fact that I had just given him a Nintendo 64 (very hot at the time) for his Christmas present. LOL He was so nervous, I could have given him a pair of socks and he would have had the same reaction.
On June 24th, 2000, we were married. Six months later, we were expecting our first child! Jonathan was born September 22nd, 2001. October of 2002, we picked up our little family and moved to Brooklyn, NY.
We resided in Brooklyn for 10 months as missionaries. We started a children's program to get kids off the streets on Friday nights. We lived in a Puerto Rican neighborhood and our son quickly learned two languages. We had many ups and downs while in New York. God blessed us regardless.
August of 2003, we moved back to Minnesota. December of 2005, I gave birth to our beautiful baby girl, Allie. We currently reside in MN.
Our lives have not always been peaches and cream (I only touched the surface), but (LL #10) we always TRUST GOD and he always BLESSES US!
Comments
So glad that you both have been a part of my life even so far away. I wish we were closer often. I miss MN more then I thought I would.
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