things are good.

hi hi hi hiiiiii, friends!!!
julia here- ya know, the blonde behind this little ol' blog. it's been over a week since i even logged into this baby and boy does it feel good to see that i still have some loyal followers!! i'm talking really good.

work is amazing thus far. i've been in lots of trainings and i'm shadowing coworkers like a little lost puppy dog. i'm taking in so much information each day that it's a little mentally exhausting.
not to mention i've also worked a 15 hour day in that mix... with a crazy last minute trip to charlotte as the main reason. it's been fun though. i have loved meeting all of the kids in foster care and i honestly don't mind not having a set schedule all of the time. it keeps me on my toes to say the least.

outside of work i have been spending all of my time with that sweet, sweet boy of mine. and of course traveling back to my home town to snuggle with my muffin of 4 nieces. i'd have to say that life is good right now. real good. and i don't plan on letting that change.

thank you all for believing in me and sticking around for random updates. it means the world.

i feel like this should be a PSA.

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whoa, nelly.
i knew that taking on this new job was going to mean big changes in my life- both personally and professionally. changes that i was, and still am, very excited about. changes that were much needed, changes that were a long time coming, and changes that i believe will ultimately lead me into doing the work i feel i have been called to do.

these changes have brought a lot of new scheduling though and i have already (yes, even in the first week) had to adjust quite a few things in order to accommodate those changes. such as the gym, socializing, and of course blogging. i was used to a strict 8am-5pm job within DSS and i got accustomed to that. now, however, my days don't really have a time frame. i may leave at 5, 6, 7pm, or even 2am... all depending on my case load and any emergency situation that may arise. but that's fine with me. knowing that i am helping children is what it's all about. if that means waiting at DSS for hours until we find placement for a child... bring it on.

my blog posts are going to be a lot fewer and more far between though. i just know they are. time is the main reason and then of course there is the fact that i hate the blogger app on my phone. but don't think i am abandoning this little blog of mine. you will still know the important details of this little gal's life. and if you just can't stay away from this face... you can always follow the twitter and instagram. that's how i'll be keeping up with most of ya'll anyways...

birthday weekend and baby girl recap.

ohhhh my goodness gracious, ya'll. between a birthday celebration (lasting all weekend of course), a baby gender reveal for my best friend, spending time with family, andddd starting my new job yesterday... i am one worn out girl. and it is honestly a miracle i'm even getting a chance to share some pictures from the last few days! but i am.

friday night M took me out for a birthday dinner followed by birthday drinks in asheville. we had a ball, naturally. and then saturday was spent celebrating with family and friends. M and i celebrated my birth so much that he actually asked me if i was "really having another birthday dinner" at one point... i guess 4 might be a few too many... but then again... i guess not.
he did an amazing job on all of my gifts though. and ended our weekend with my final present... a necklace that he had custom made with my birth stone and everything. like i said- he did an amazing job.

my best friend from high school, college roommate, and cutest little baby momma ever also found out what her and her hubby are having this weekend...  A BABY GIRL!!! i could not be more excited for their little family... let the shopping begin!

and now i'm off to a training for the rest of the week.
ps- my first day at my new job was amazing!!!

bathroom baby.

on october 3rd, 1987 (26 years ago) (the best day ever) (the day i was born, obviously).
my precious little momma was at home alone giving my sister a bath. my sister was 5 years old at the time.
my stubborn self decided to sucker punch my mother square in the gut and break her water. at home. in the bathroom. with nobody else around. my biological father was never really around (and never has been), so she was already in this thing by herself.  
strongest woman i know, ya'll.
naturally my mom called her best friends that were on stand by and then 911.
however, by the time anyone arrived, i was already on my way into this world and my mom could not be transported to the hospital.
so i was born... at home... in the bathroom... on accident.

my mom and i had dinner and wine last night to reminisce over my childhood and of course laugh over my birth story. she is such an incredible person in my life and i owe absolutely everything i have, and everything i am to that woman.

now i'm gonna finish my work day and celebrate the rest of the weekend!
ps- i start my new job on monday!! eeeeekkkk!!!

i have this philosophy about birthdays...

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it's a serious one too, people. just hear me out...
this was the day you were born. the day that this world was given a precious little gift such as yourself.
so hey, why not treat yourself in every way possible- all day long? or all month long- let's be honest here.

today is my birthday. so naturally i am allowing myself to do anything i want in honor of, well, ME!
vanilla iced coffee this morning. my favorite biscuit for breakfast. endless lunch opportunities. a mid-day birthday treat. a date with my momma to re-cap my hilarious birth story (coming tomorrow if you're lucky, and if i have time). and then who knows!!! the possibilities are endless. so is the wine.
and no calories count on your birthday. just so ya know.

and ps- you are never, ever, ever too old to be a birthday princess on your special day. so wear that crown, do a little dance, wear a pretty dress, and eat all of the cake you want! you're a princess!!

my favorite month is finally here!

happy october, ya'll!!
i'm ready for pumpkin patches, pumpkin beer, corn mazes, flannel shirts, scarves, boots, bonfires, starbucks PSL, crisp air, halloween, and MY BIRTHDAAAYYYYYY (which by the way is in 2 days). i'll start accepting gifts now, pleaseandthankyou.

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a princess wedding and a gypsy camp.

oh my goodness, ya'll...
can we just pretend we're not back at work and instead we're living in castles and pretending to be pricesses?
because that would be pretty much ideal at this point. and it's exactly what i did all weekend.

castle ladyhawke might be the most gorgeous place that i have ever been. between the scenery, the magic of the castle, witnessing two amazing people tie the knot, visiting my alma mater and strolling through the campus that taught me so much, and ending my sunday by visiting family... this weekend was down right perfect. in every way possible.
castle ladyhawke sits nestled in the mountains of western NC. it was once a home to a family who realized that it was too big for them when their children graduated and moved away (go figure). they sold it and it became the ultimate wedding destination. it has everything and more that a bride and her guests could want. seriously.
everything is on site and the shuttles take you wherever you want to go. hello perfect set up.

even the cabins on site are mixed in with the fairy tale theme of princess, castles, and happily ever afters. one set of cabins are known as "the fable village", while the ones we stayed in are called "the gypsy camp."
they were ridiculously cute and decorated in every perfect way possible.

the rehearsal dinner, ceremony, and reception were an absolute blast (and we can't forget down right gorgeous thanks to our great smoky mountains). plus i had a pretty hott groomsman as a date ;) he even put on his dancing shoes for the night!

since we were so close to the campus of our alma mater for the weekend... we strolled around, reminisced, bought some new WCU t-shirts, and of course grubbed down at the mad batter- my most favorite place to eat over there! om nom nom.

sunday M and i headed over to my home town for the afternoon.
my precious 9 year old niece was being baptized, so of course we had to be there!
her heart for Christ at such a young age is truly amazing and inspiring. it was the perfect way to end our weekend!

can i be the castle's princess?

happy friday, lovely readers of mine!!
i for one, am over the moon excited that it's the weekend.
ever since i got the official news on my job switch it seems as if i have been in this constant rat race with myself to see just how much i can fit into one work day. ending one social work career and starting a new one within 2 weeks is quite stressful. especially when i have 30 or so clients to say goodbye to... hello tears.
and don't get me started on my coworkers. i just can't go there right now.

in other news- M and i have yet another jam packed weekend coming up.
what are we doing, you ask?
we are going to a wedding.
i know, i know, i am just as shocked as you are. we've lost count this year as to how many we've been to.
M is actually in this one though, so it makes it a little more fun (and hectic).
however, did i mention that it's at a castle?
if not- it is. i'm pretty stoked about that as well.
i went to a wedding at this same castle last fall and it was by far the most beautiful event i have ever been to in my life.
but i'm a little partial to princess things and such.

via. castle ladyhawke in tuckaseegee, NC.

gorgeous, right?
i may never leave.

fall faves for 2013.

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in honor of the first day of fall this past weekend (and my utter obsession with the season)...
i've been pinning my little heart away with plans for the next few months. which honestly though, who isn't??

one:// add a jean jacket and boom. i just fell in love.
two:// so cute. so so cute. every last bit of it.
three:// seeyabye egg nog. pumpkin pie nog is where it's at, ya'll.
four:// give me all things cozy this fall. especially all of the big sweaters in the world.
five:// pumpkin spice pancakes. do i really need to say more? other than i'll take those in bed please.

one:// in all honesty- i would be using some fake pumpkies for this idea. but i love it.
two:// absolutely stunning. i will be finding myself a view like this asap.
three:// get in momma's belly right now. pumpkin pie stuffed muffins.
four:// someone please let me only wear fall items all year long.


if these don't get you excited then i'm not quite sure what will.
now i'm off to find me some pumpkins, candy corn, a bon fire, a flannel shirt, a corn maze with a hay ride, lots of scarves, my boots, and of course some pumpkin beer. duh.

big changes for this little girl!

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alright, alright, alright... no more waiting. i finally got around to actually writing this. so, here ya go:

for the last 3 years i have been a social worker in adult services at DSS. i have worked with some of the absolute best people in the world (both coworkers and clients), and i have been rewarded every single day by the work and services that i have been able to provide.
i can honestly say that i have had the best career i could have thought possible upon graduating from college.

with that said- i have always had a passion for children. a passion for helping children that cannot help themselves. a passion for serving those that are without parents. a passion for seeking justice for little souls that have been abandoned and abused by the people they lean on the most. and a passion for uniting children with individuals that will love them.
i went into social work in college with the dream of working with foster care and adoption because of those passions that i have. i was actually voted "most likely to open up an african american adoption agency" by my cheerleading coach my sophomore year in high school, everyone that knows me knows that one day i will work with kids and i will do big things. things i have always wanted to do. i just haven't taken any steps in making it happen yet.
and i have been reminded over the last 3 years on many occasions that i haven't made any move toward this dream- at least any move that's worked out at least. i have mentioned here on le'blog before that i have been ready for a change and i have been looking for something more.

i applied for graduate school this past spring, but was not accepted due to the program only taking 4 applicants. i have struggled with this a lot because i truly thought that grad school was my ticket to my dreams. i have not been able to find any jobs in the foster care or adoption field that will accept just a BSW graduate. and that has been very disheartening.
however, i have turned to the one thing in my life that has never failed me- and that's prayer. God always has our best interest at heart and never, ever lets us down.
that is something i have had to keep reminding myself in order not to get discouraged and keep moving along.

i recently got to the point where i was begging God for something to happen in my life. i needed it more than i feel that i ever have.
and then... an opening at the DSS i am currently employed at came along.
an opening as a foster care social worker III... and i applied.
however, so did one of my closest friends. a friend that already has the foster care experience AND has her masters in social work- double whammy. and i knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she had it in the bag.
but then... God happened. He took over and He sought out His plan for both of our lives.
she got the open position. but i ALSO was given a position. a position that will be open just in time for my pre-service training to be completed. 
and... WE BOTH START (TOGETHER) ON OCTOBER 7TH!!!! EEEEKKKKKK!!!
i get teared up every time i think about it.
we serve an amazing God ya'll. and this, THIS was all him!!

oh, and my next big dream i want to pursue? africa. an orphanage in africa to be more specific...

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mondayyyyy.

so this week you are finally going to get the details of my life.
of all of the big changes happening and why i've been so MIA as of late.
however, you have to wait until tomorrow. sorry folks.
while you wait you can gaze at that cute boy of mine though ;)

happy monday!! stay tuned tomorrow!!

just checking in.

oh hey. little baby blog and followers of mine.
sorry i am not keeping everyone as up to date as you, or i, would like... but i promise i will fill you in on my life as soon as i can!
this girl has LOTS of changes coming her way soon!
sorry ladies, but no ring OR baby in this forecast, but... stay tuned!

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ps- i am officially an iOS 7 fan. cudos to you, iPhone, cudos to you!
pss- i am only 1 follower away from 500. when in the world did this little thing get so big?? and yes, 500 is big in my eyes... that causes for an extra celebration today! or maybe just another cup of coffee to get me through.

happy dance weekend!!

when the boys are away... the girls will play.
which is exactly what happened this weekend while M laked it up with his guy friends for a bachelor party in SC. i couldn't imagine sitting at home, alone, while he was out having the time of his life. i mean, come on.
so i high tailed it to charlotte to see some of my best girl friends, do some celebrating (more on why i was celebrating later), and relax with some cute pups.

 

oh. and the highlight of my weekend, you ask?
meeting the one and only alexa herself! i just couldn't imagine making a charlotte trip and not getting to meet her in person.
and by the way- she's just as awesome as you all imagine her to be! yeeeeee!!! my heart was so happy!

even though M and i both had great weekends out of town with our friends.
it was the best feeling in the world to come back home and snuggle on the couch.
distance really does make the heart grow fonder.

9/11/01, never forget.

i can still remember being shuffled into my math class that morning at macon middle school.
i was 13 years old.
laughing and carrying on with friends- with no idea as to what was going on.
my teacher's face was streaming with tears and she was telling us that we needed to get in our seats, sit quietly, and find a friend.
she had something to show us.
on came the tv and there we all sat. in utter shock and despair with what we were watching.
that was the first day that prayer was said in my school. all day. by everyone.
it was also the first day that i, as a 13 year old teeny bopper, realized that this world is so much bigger than macon middle school.
i don't think i ever hugged my family and friends as close as i did that day and night.

image via.

i will never be able to fathom what the victims and families of those victims endured that day, and every day afterwards.
i just pray that our great nation never has to experience such a thing again.
my deepest sympathy and prayers will forever stay with NYC, DC, The Pentagon, American Airlines Flights 11 and 77, United Airlines Flights 175 and 93.

where were you on 9/11/01?

i don't know about you, but i need this today:

Phillipians 4:6-7, via.

weddings are normal weekend outings now.

aaaaand here we are. another day another dolla.
remember on friday i said that we should pass a law about 3 day work weeks? i meant that one... really i did.

moving on- guess what i did this weekend...
i went to a wedding.
i know that's just about as shocking as miley cyrus twerking it at the vma's, but what can i say?
i'm working on that professional wedding guest status and all.
especially considering the fact that we still have 2 more to attend before the end of this year...

this one was for M's coworker, kyle, and his gorgeous little wife, jessica.
it was at a farm tucked back in the mountains, and i must say that it was absolutely breath taking!
wedding photos compliments of ruby people's photography.

their wedding was early though, and since we were already somewhat close to asheville we just decided to continue on with the fun. we met up with our friends phillip and stephanie to play catch up and check out some spots in west asheville that we'd never been.
ps- M and i met at phillip and stephanie's wedding last year. so we kind of love them even more for that little fact ;) well for that and because they're super fun to be around!

that was about the extent of my weekend. some shopping was done and lots of food was consumed, which always means that it was a success.
happy monday, pretty friends!!

oh hey, i posted a whopping 2 times this week!

1. i did it. i took the plunge. i cut 5 inches off of my hair!!!
and i am absolutely, completely in love with it!
my hairstylist might be my favorite person in the world right now for it too, because she took my vision and placed it on my head...

2. short work weeks should become law. because i could so get used to only 3 days of office work every week.
sidenote: two days ago i spent the entire day thinking it was monday, and when i realized it was actually wednesday it was a darn good feeling.

3. jim halpert. can we talk about him for just a second? because really, this quote? has me swoooooning.
every man should feel this way about love in my opinion...

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4. i've recently started reading the bible from the very beginning- starting with genesis, naturally. this is something that i have never ever done (and i regret every day), but also something that i am truly excited about. i crave learning more about our Lord, His story, and ultimately ours. i cannot wait to see where this journey takes me and i am looking forward to the joy and peace i find from it!

5. and there you have blog post #2 of the week. i promise i'm gonna work on that for next time...

craft beer festivals, family time, and aunt julia duty.

whoa, whoa, whoa. talk about the longest weekend in weekend history right there.
i left work friday at 5pm and just now got back in the office bright and early this morning at 8am.
it's funny how i was actually kind of relieved to be coming back in.
call me crazy, but i get to where i actually enjoy being on a schedule...

my weekend included a lot. and i mean a lot.
to be honest it actually took me a minute to remember everything i did and which day it fell on...
friday didn't entail much. M and i went to dinner in asheville and then came home and watched a movie.
i love nights like this! especially after a long work week!

saturday a bunch of girlfriends and myself attended our town's 1st annual craft beer fest, which was an absolute blast!
our little town did a great job putting this together. there were over 20 different, local breweries there...

 

and even though most of the day was spent in a carolina poncho because of the pouring rain...
we still somehow made the best of it!

sunday i went home and got to spend time with my little brother.
we had a little sibling date including mexican and a movie.

ps ya'll... if you have not seen we are the millers yet then i suggest you get on that pronto!! it was by far the funniest movie i have ever seen! i'm talking the hangover times ten- that funny!

monday and tuesday were spent babysitting my 4 precious nieces.
their mom and dad (my sister and brother in law) are celebrating 10 awesome years of marriage in NYC, so all of the family has taken turns watching the girls... and monday and tuesday were my turn!

even though i am down right exhausted this morning... those girls were so good for me. my sister and her husband have done such a great job raising them to be kind, respectful, and overall good kids. i was actually really sad to leave them last night and come back home.
but then again i was super excited to sleep in my own bed. in the peace and quiet...

fivesies.

1. at 5pm today i will officially be off for 4 whole, glorious, beautiful, long days. and i am one excited girl about it. thanks labor day! however... my sister & her hubby are flying to NYC for their 10 year wedding anniversary and guess who has niece duty monday night-tuesday evening? meeeeee. so yeah, keep me in your prayers. these 4 little girls might be the cutest things this side of the mississippi, but they can wear you out quicker than anyyyyything.

2. i have clear eyes. i have clear eyes. i have clear eyes. seeyabye pink eye. that is all.

3. thanks for all of the input on the hair do biz-nass yesterday! i think the verdict is in- and the hair's getting chopped.  
sidenote: i could still, and seriously might still chicken out.

4. crockpot ranch chicken tacos via pinterest (duh). ya'll, this might be my new most favorite dish in the world. i made them wednesday night and they did not disappoint. the fact that they were ridiculously easy helped too. of course i didn't manage to snap a picture, but the one on pinterest is better anyways. find the recipe here.

5. cupcakes. do i need to say more? really, no, except that i think every week my work needs to throw someone a party- birthday, retirement, we're still alive, anything really. i don't see why we need a reason to have cupcakes anyways.

i need your advice.

i gots me some cleeeeear eyes this morning, ya'll. woop woop!!
that little fact right there... plus the thought of my 4 day weekend coming up has me in quiiiiite the good mood today. despite the fact that i am literally freezing at my desk and i need to be back in my bed asap.  
i just want a snuggie and a nap. is that really too much to ask for?

in other news- i am seriously toying with the idea of chopping my hair off a little baby hair cut. 
and i need expert advise on the matter. hence why i'm turning to you blog readers for that help.

via. via. via. via. via.

what do you think? can i pull it off?
be honest. brutally honest. i like that.

 

yucky eye and some good new tunes.

alright, so guess who woke up this morning with freaking pink eye.
this girl right here.
as soon as i hopped out of rolled off of the bed this morning and took one look at my horrendous morning face...
i knew the fate of my day.
i had the pink.
(the pouring goop out of my eye might have been another indication.)
and don't ask me how it happened. my thoughts are either 1) my roommates cat took a little stroll across my pillow after doing her business in the litter box last night... 2) someone farted on my pillow while i slept... or 3) the contact fairy has been a dirty little girl lately.
who knows. whatever the cause- it sucks big ones.
but no worries- i'm not touching a single thing on my face and i'm swimming in eye drops right now.
in hopes i will no longer be a red, 4 eyed monster the rest of the week.

moving on. because i know you don't want to sit here and read about my nasty eye this morning.
let's talk music instead, shall we? good music. duh.
one of my DZ sorority sisters, anthea neri, has been living in NYC the past few years making big, big moves in the music industry. i have mentioned her on le' blog before in hopes to spread her name as much as i can.
but now... now she has her very first single out on YouTube and available for purchase on iTunes.
that's a pretty big deal in my opinion, ya'll.

have yourself a listen and check her out.
i promise you will not be disappointed. home girl's voice gives me cold chills!
(you can find more of her music on her YouTube page, here)

a charity racin' and lake livin' weekend.

busy weekend. busy monday.
so let's keep this little weekend recap short and sweet shall we?
i have coffee to drink...

friday my friend izzi and i ran in the main street mile marathon for shriner's children hospital in greenville, sc. truth be told- her and i were both hoping either for a freak thunderstorm to cancel the race, or for the other to back out last minute. we don't really do running in public... but we did it anyway and we didn't do half bad!

1 mile in 8 minutes, 50 seconds.
the free pizza, beer, and live music afterwards didn't hurt either.
ps- yes those are fire fighters that ran in full turn-out gear. talk about some heroes.

saturday and sunday M and i headed out to Fontana Lake to spend the rest of our weekend with friends. this might be my favorite lake in the area. it actually covers 5 towns that were once bought out and covered in the process of forming the man-made lake. it is such a remote, quiet, and peaceful area. i think all of my anxieties and stresses instantly went away when we pulled up.
a majority of the homes are house boats only accessible by, well, boats ha... and there is rarely ever a crowd. i love it.