Hi friends! For starters, thank you so much for reading my last post and the sweet feedback! It wasn’t easy sharing, but I felt it on my heart to share so thank you for reading. Those of you who reached out you really made my day. Thank yall for being so good to me!

Life isn’t always easy. Life is a challenge and I swear over the past two years I have done some major bending in my life. I am not sure how I haven’t broke yet. Jesus. That’s how. But the growth I have experienced is one you can’t pay for. Something I believe in is always finding the joy. Always finding the happy moments through the biggest storms. Call me overly optimistic. I’ll take it!

My last post was about the tears shed during a tough time. It was a time when my world was rocked. Life knocked me right in the face and gut at the same time. Ouch. So why don’t we change things up a little and talk about some of the good things that came out of tough times? Some of the moments that brought light to my dark days. The memories and oh so sweet life roses. I hope this one makes you smile.

Well for starters, my nephew was born. Braxton. Yall. I am obsessed with him. Obsessed. Pictures and videos of him are taking over my phone. When I need a good laugh I will pull up a video of him laughing. Those sweet baby belly giggles that immediately bring a smile to anyone’s face. He is an angel baby I am convinced. He has brought so much joy to my life and was born at the perfect time. I mean how can you be upset holding a beautiful, happy, sweet baby?? You can’t. Not humanly possible.

I went to counseling and worked on my marriage and myself. I dated my husband again. We had weekly dates that were fun and made me laugh. We did things we always talked about doing. It felt like we were in the early stages of dating again. The ones where you have butterflies, talk all night, text all day, etc. It was like we were high school kids again. I looked forward to our dates every week. I learned counseling is one of the best things you can do for you and your significant other regardless of the outcome. It is the real deal. It is a neutral space where you can express your true feelings and really work on things. If you are having issues, get help. There are so many resources at your finger tips.

I found my very best friends. Most are family. Some are new friends and some are lifelong friends. Yall need to get people like mine. They are the best. They help me. They talk to me when I can’t sleep or just need someone to listen so I can figure something out. They pray for me. They encourage me to lean into Jesus. They make me laugh until I can’t breathe. They are there without judgement. They listen. They support my decisions regardless if they agree or not. They love me for me and encourage me every day to be okay in my own skin. They are my people and I am so thankful for them. They hear thank you’s a lot, but I cannot tell yall how much they bring happy tears to my eyes when I think about my them.

I traveled. I ate good food. I ate dessert. I danced. I laughed. I smiled. I made memories I will cherish for a lifetime. I became more of a yes person than a no person. I gave up the need to control the future. I decided to not care what people thought or what rules I would break. I threw my judgement card right out the window. I found joy in the smallest things. I did embarrassing things and said things that were out of my comfort zone, and I don’t regret them for a second. I looked in the mirror and admitted my own faults. I said sorry. I loved hard. I worried about only Amanda for a hot second and that, my friends, was needed. Most of all, I prayed…a lot. I talked to Jesus all. the. time. I knew he would never bring me to something I couldn’t get through or handle. He knew I was strong enough to get through it, so I leaned into him and trusted. Trusted his timing and plan for my life. I didn’t have to know all the answers for once.

So often I feel like we get so caught up in trying to figure out the future we miss the precious and beautiful moments right in front of us. Look up, friends. Hang up and hang out. Quit scrolling on social media to see what everyone else is doing and start doing the things you have always wanted to do. Go outside. Play like you are a kid again. Laugh until you cry and can’t breathe. Go live your life and enjoy this season you are in. I promise even if it seems like you are in a season that is pitch black, there is a light… it’s in you. You are a light to this world. There is only ONE of you. The world needs you. We need your smile, joy and spirit. Bring the joy and spread your light. Go out and be YOU! We are going to end on that note because sister is about to get on a soap box and we should save that for another day. Agree? Yes. I am glad you do too! As always, thank you so much for reading and spending some of your day with me. I appreciate your support. Go be the light! Have the most amazing day!!

Amanda