29 And Fine

July 19th was my friend Jennifer's 29th Birthday! Jennifer has been my friend since my college days at Louisiana Tech. We met through our friend Kevon Bagot. Our connection was instant and she has been my friend ever since that day! Jenn is from a small town in central Louisiana but her whole life is bigger than any town. She is definitely a small town girl with big dreams. Her profession is working with people that may have mental and/or social disorders therefore she helps them deal with everyday life. Things that come easy to the rest of us don't come as easy to them and she is there to assist and make a plan to make it happen. It takes a special person to have that career. Jenn also LOVES her family. She has 2 sisters and also 2 nieces along with her mom and dad. She loves them and would do anything for them. She is truly selfless... She just finished coaching her nieces' softball team, who went all the way to the State Playoffs! She is actively involved in church. She does outreach in the community. The list goes on and on... which is why I wanted her to travel to Baton Rouge to celebrate her birthday! I called her best friend, Temika, and we gathered the details. Here is a glimpse of our weekend!

Jenn loves detail but she is also simple and easy to please. I knew whatever activities and restaurants we chose would need to incorporate these 2 elements. She was persistent on going places that she had never visited before. Our first stop was Perkins Rowe. Perkins Rowe has a movie theatre, several boutiques and some franchise favorites such as Urban Outfitters and Charming Charlie's. We browsed for accessories in Charming Charlies and then we ate at Kona Grill. The food was delicious and we timed it perfect because we were able to eat (and sip) during Happy Hour. I was more than satisfied. We had spinach and artichoke dip, barbecue chicken pizza and burger sliders. Everything was amazing and fresh, it may be my new go-to spot!

We had an action packed start of our day so we decided to head back to my apartment and just rest. Jenn started her rest a little early. HAHA!!!

After talking and lounging around for a few hours, we decided to get dressed and head to downtown Baton Rouge for the evening! Temika and I stepped out of our "box" and were extra fancy for Jenn's birthday. Jenn looked so gorgeous with her pretty dress and pretty hair. She is so effortlessly chic!

Unfortunately, the ladies had to head back home on Sunday. We had a great lunch and then said our goodbyes. This won't be our last trip!

Birthdays are so special and I feel that everyone needs to celebrate them. It does not have to be extravagant but a celebration is in order. Jennifer gives so much of herself that we needed to pour some of that love back into her. Temika and Jenn have been friends since junior high so their bond is so strong. Although I have not known her for that long length of time, I know that she is a great friend. I know that this next year holds many changes and promotions for her life. She deserves every blessing coming to her! I know that she will fulfill her dreams and look amazing doing it.

Happy Birthday Jenn!!! #29AndFine

Trina

"Sometimes you have to do things that you DON'T want to do just to make it in life"... These were words that my Aunt Trina told me back in 2007. I had a very rough year, I made poor decisions that ultimately made me take a hiatus from college. I did not know what I was going to do. My Aunt Trina told me that maybe I needed to consider working at Sonic and saving my money so I could enroll myself in school again. That was NOT something I wanted to hear, but then she told me again, "Sometimes you have to do things that you DON'T want to do just to make it in life". Reluctantly, I followed her advice. I worked hard, put myself back in school,and graduated 2 years later with my college degree!

My Aunt Trina is one of my mom's youngest siblings, yet somehow I look at her as more than my aunt. She's my friend, confidante and unsolicited advisor (just kidding). I talk to her everyday, sometimes 3-4 times per day. She has ALWAYS been there for me. There are so many times that I made choices that were not beneficial for me, but somehow she was there to motivate me and help me out of the situation (if needed). She always gave me the truth, whether I wanted to hear it or not. Sometimes the truth can be a bitter pill to swallow, but it takes a real person to give it to you. Her opinions are not always "sugar-coated" and she does not apologize for it. That is what I admire about her so much, she is genuine.

Trina is an overcomer. Her mother (my Granny) passed away her Senior year of High School. That was hard for her, I know it was. I know that she has dealt with her loss but it still hurts. She stayed in DeRidder after she graduated and she began to work. She worked very hard. She always wanted to go to college, so she would take a few classes here and there. Sometimes she would sit out semesters at a time but then she would go back. Eventually, she got married and then moved to Delaware. She was now a military wife. Then, she became pregnant and she became a mother. Now, she had a family. Deep down, she would always tell me that she was going back to school. She would still take classes when she could but it was not steady. When her family moved to Georgia at their current duty station, she told me she was not going to work. She was going to go to school full time. I was surprised but supportive. She enrolled in a local technical college and began her studies. Sometimes, it would get rough and she would tell me, "I'm just going to get a job, this school isn't cutting it". Or she would tell me,"I'm just going to be a part time student". I would motivate to keep going and everything would fall into place. Well she kept going, and she kept going. On May 8, 2014, she graduated with an Associate's degree in Accounting. She did it! I had to be there to celebrate with her. She kept telling everyone that it wasn't a big deal, it's just an Associate's degree. But it was a big deal to me. My encourager, friend and biggest cheerleader was achieving exactly what she motivated me to achieve. After graduation I asked her, "What is the next step?" She told me, "My Bachelor's degree". That is the spirit of my Aunt. She NEVER gives up and she keeps striving for more.

She has poured so much into my life, I don't know how to repay her. I try to tell her how much she is appreciated and how much she is loved. She sacrificed for her family. Her husband has had to travel away for his military duties, and she just takes the whole situation in stride. She has moved to different duty stations and has made it look so easy. She is a great mother and loves her son with all of her heart. She's his biggest supporter and you can always find her volunteering at his school when she can. She makes her life look so effortless but I know she has struggles just like the rest of us. She is resilient. I appreciate her for being a giver and being selfless. She loves her family and gives everyone the benefit of the doubt. She has told me many times that she is proud of me but I am proud of HER. I cannot wait to see what comes next in her life and I plan to be there for her, just like she was for me.