A Great Treasure

As this past school year ended, I've learned a lot about myself, but mainly my friends. 

People say you find out who your true friends are as you grow older and I most certainly have. I had a large group of friends in high school and after graduation, we all ventured out to different colleges. 

I've met some pretty amazing people in college and I can't wait to see what the future holds for us, but my friends from high school have been there from the beginning. They know more about me than most and crazy enough...they still love me. Sometimes, we take for granted those days at the lunch table discussing what we were going to do on Saturday. I look back now and know...

As we've grown apart, we've also grown up. That's the biggest part. People change when they start to find themselves and find out who they are. And when those friends are changing, is the time to be there for them the most. That's the time to really love people through the good and the bad. 

Last summer, two of my friends and I decided to plan a cruise. This summer, it happened. It was the best part of my summer. I hadn't seen some of my friends in months. It was great to spend time with them because we all know once the semester starts, we don't get the chance to see each other much. 

Wow, if you want to get to know someone well, go on a cruise. You can't go anywhere without seeing the same people. Plus, the rooms are so tiny..there's no getting away. I got to know my friends well...again. 

I remember all of us not wanting to talk about life, but ended up chatting about it anyway. Some of us will graduate soon and others already have full-time jobs. The point I am trying to make here is that we're still apart of each others lives. We're all anxious, nervous and scared about the future, but we keep each other accountable. When I look back and read this one day, I hope we have all established ourselves and we remember those FRIENDS that we made many memories with. 

I saw this quote the other day. The truth in it gave me chills. 
"The Faithful friend is a secure refuge; whoever has found one has found a treasure." - Sirach 6:12

Bahamas Summer 2015

Hey, I made it

I experienced moving away to college a little late, but ultimately I think it was the best decision for me! 

I can remember my mom and I crying after high school while we were trying to decide if I should go to Jacksonville State University on scholarship or attend the University of Alabama on no scholarship. It was a tough decision. 

I ended up attending Jacksonville State University on scholarship for two years and it was the best decision I have ever made. I gave myself time to grow up while still being close to home. I met so many people that were just like me on their own journey of finding themselves through college. So, thank you Jacksonville State University for helping me grow.  

I still had hopes to attend the University of Alabama at some point, but I never knew if it would be something I would be able to pursue. Finally, the time to apply was close and when the acceptance letter came through the mail, I was all smiles.  

Summer, for me, was like an everyday wait because I was so excited to finally be apart of the Bama family in the fall. And if you know family, we're all those crazy Alabama fans people always talk about! 

After I finally moved in a couple of days ago, I realized how fast time really goes. Two years seems long, but as I look back, it all happened so fast. 

I have also realized that God knows my heart better than I do. We may think one way is better and we may fail, but that is only because he has a better plan for us. 

So, as I start my first day of work a little on the sleepy side, I look back on great times at JSU, but continue to look forward to my journey at UA knowing I am exactly where I am supposed to be. 

There's five of us and we're best friends: Maggie

If you don't have a certain friend group to cling to after high school...get one, start one now. It's true, you never see your friends from high school after graduation because everyone is growing up and is always too busy.
I can say, though, there are four girls who always manage to still drop the books, plans, and dates to get together when everyone is home. We call ourselves MCL Double A.
Yes, it's cheesy, but we made it up in high school. It's the beginning letters of our first names put together and it all started with spray paint and ex-boyfriends.
I've gotten all of them to email/text me the reasons they can truly say we're still best friends. And this is what they had to say.

Maggie.
She's the stern, smart, cute, little one. She always seems to keep us in line when we're veering off into trouble. She may be small and tiny, but she's got a big heart and would basically do anything for all of us. It takes a bit to get things out of her, but eventually she'll open up to you.
Here's what she has to say.

"ok so this isn't going to be real good because we all know i'm not mushy.

what do i think my life would be like without our friendship?

Honestly, I would have a lot more simple, but ultimately lonely and boring life. Everyone says college is where you find your closest friends, but i don't think that's true. I could never be closer to a group of friends than i am with y'all. You have shaped me into the person i am today just as much as my family because over the years you have became my family. One of my favorite things now about our friendship is that even though we all go to different colleges and dont' see each other for months it's like a week hasn't even gone by when we see each other again."

"Last but not least" NYC four.

The last full day of our adventure included Chelsea Market, Kleinfields, Dash, cupcakes, and Le Miserables.

My mother, my sister, and I first ventured out to the subway because we thought we could do it all on our own. If you're from the South, figuring out the subway system takes time. We were lost for fifteen minutes, but we finally found our way to a part of New York called Soho.

Our first visit was Chelsea Market and it was interesting. Definitely something I've never been to before. It's literally like an underground market. We bought cupcakes, coffee, jelly, and Thai food.

Next, my sister is a huge Kleinfields fan (Say Yes to the Dress) so we headed to see the bridal shop. Lucky for her, Randy was actually there filming an episode. We couldn't take pictures or walk into the area with the dresses, but she got to see him and she was extremely happy.

After Kleinfields, we walked to the Kardashian's Dash store which was a definite let down. A lot smaller than I thought it was going to be and there weren't that many pieces to choose from.

My night ended with Le Miserables broadway play and it was by far the best thing about the trip. It was a tear jerker to say the least, but I wouldn't have had it any other way.

"Allyson, we've been walking for an hour" NYC three.

Monday March 24, 2014
Our first stop was a quick decision while we were on the blue bus. The Cathedral of St. John the Divine was one of the most beautiful cathedrals I've ever been in. As we approached the long aisles, hanging from the ceilings were pieces of art made from scratch medal and everything you can think of. It just goes to show you can take anything and make it beautiful. While in the cathedral, a choir was practicing for their upcoming show and that made it even more magical.

We walked through Central Park in order to get to the Museum of the City of New York. It was...well, interesting if you're into that kind of stuff. We learned a lot about the history of New York, but most importantly, we got to see some of the very first pieces from Tiffany and Company on display.

After the Museum, we walked and walked...and walked. Allyson and I kept saying, "We know where we're going. Don't question us." And Kim would reply, "Allyson we've been walking for an hour." And once we reached The Loeb Boathouse at Central Park, we realized she was right...haha. We still reached our destination so whatever. I ordered the Crab Cakes and basically it was the best decision I had made all week.

Our next stop was the Plaza hotel where we sipped on some tea and drank sparkling water. Not really..those were the plans, but they fell through so we just grabbed some coffee and cupcakes instead. Sounds like a real Southern thing, I know. We hit up the Apple Store, F.A.O Schwartz, and Tiffany and Company.

Perhaps the best ending to one of the best days was at The Waldorf Hotel. Inside is a place to sit and dine for anyone. They also have a bar. We all got at least two rounds of Peacocks. And it was funny to see my mom, Michelle, and Susan let loose a little. And afterwards, we headed to Grand Central Station. Our last stop was Junior's where they have the best red velvet cheesecake in New York City.

"We have Macy's coupons" NYC two.

Sunday March 23, 2014
After the very fast, hectic first days  in New York, the second full day was filled with the Statue of Liberty, the Twin Towers Memorial, St. Paul's Chapel, and Macy's.

As we began our journey towards the National September 11th Memorial, our taxi cab driver picked up on our Southern accents the moment we sat down. He told us his story of living in Mobile, Alabama for quite some time and being the only Chinese boy to attend his high school. He said, "they're not used to seeing Chinese people like me" and laughed afterwards.

Approaching Ground Zero was heartfelt all in itself. If you haven't been, it's something you don't want to miss. Two memorials are placed where the towers once stood and around them are the names of hero's who lost their lives. In between the two memorials is the only tree that was still standing after the towers fell which was perfect to me.

St. Paul's Chapel is in front of the memorial and served as a place for food, shelter, and hope during this time. They kept the flyers, letters, keychains, crosses, etc... of those who were missing. What a tear-jerker!

We were crunched for time to catch a ferry and ride to the Statue of Liberty. We literally hopped in a cab and hopped out in still traffic. Just imagine my mother, my sister, and myself weaving in and out of New York traffic. (Yes, you can laugh) Our friends on the other hand...weren't so lucky. Their cab driver "got lost", wasn't sure where he was, and still made them pay. They didn't make it. I knew once our drivers were going in opposite directions, that something was wrong.

On the Ferry, we had the chance to ride under the Brooklyn Bridge and experience its beauty. Although we didn't get the chance to see her up close and personal, the Statue of Liberty was still as perfect and green as I remember from three years ago.

"I have Macy's coupons so we have to go." - Aunt Jenny

Nine stories, confusion, and mannequins made of real flowers is really all I remember about Macy's. Seriously, if you have nine hours (an hour for every floor) then go shop at Macy's on Herald Square. I did get a good pair of  25% off Levi's though...so I was satisfied. 

NYC one.

This past Spring Break, a group of women decided to spend a bunch of money in a place called New York City, New York. I am not kidding when I say we spent a bunch of money. But it was worth it. We took on the big city like real southern girls knew how to with friendly smiles on our faces that never went unnoticed. Everyone New Yorker knew we were from the South. So, here it is...This is our journey.

Friday, March 21, 2014
We took off around six p.m. from Atlanta, GA and landed in the big Apple around eight p.m. First thing on the list was to see Times Square. My sister has never seen Times Square so this was a must upon our arrival. Here's the funny part. As my sister and I are walking across the street, this woman (my mom) trips and falls in front of me in the middle of the street in Times Square. This was a leaping fall. She looked like she leaped for the ground. Talk about embarrassing. That gave us a good laugh for the next few days. Sorry mom. Before we went back to the hotel, we had to grab some NY pizza and cheesecake around midnight because it is the city that never sleeps.

Saturday, March 22, 2014
First full day in New York was a little confusing because we were all turned around. All the streets looked exactly the same. This is what iPhones are for! This is important: Prepare to tip every character you take a picture with. Susan got so mad at one of them she said she had to "walk away before I punch one of them" -Susan Adderhold. Thanks for the laughs Susan. Of course, I had made my Starbucks run before we even got started, but for lunch we dined at this Italian restaurant called Carmine's. With nine starving women, the family size lunch plates were gone in about ten minutes. Get the lasagna and the chocolate bread pudding. It's the best I've ever eaten. Yes, better than Granny's.

Lasagna at Carmine's

After Carmine's, we hopped on the City Sights big blue bus and rode to the Empire State building. The view at the top was incredible. Make sure to walk all the way around the top. It's true, the inside is exactly like it looks in the movie Elf and I was the only excited one because Allyson couldn't remember that part of the movie.
Later that night we saw the Broadway play, Chicago. I personally fell asleep during the performance, so that's all I will say about that. But it's an older play. So for those of you who know more about it, then maybe you will enjoy it a little more than I did.

Our first nights required a lot of walking and confusion, but as the days went on, we began to figure it out. In between all these stops are many sight seeing moments where we just stood and looked around us to take it all in. Which is why it took us so long to get somewhere. haha.
(The rest of the trip is coming in the next few blogs)