Category: Lifestyle

Your early 20s — what an interesting time. 

You’ve either been there, are currently there, or after reading this, you’re unsure if you’re excited for those “best years” coming up. Sorry to pop that bubble!

Who are you during that time? Do you even know? Most people don’t, but I’m pretty sure everyone is trying to figure it out. 

There’s a saying that says, “there are 2 types of people in their 20s: the ones that have it all together and the ones who don’t.” I’d like to add a 3rd person to the equation – the one trying to figure it out. 

Maybe you’re the one planning a wedding, or are you the one who dreads the thought of spending forever with the same person? 

Did you take that corporate job out of college, or are you working a part-time gig with more free time? 

Have you set up roots in your hometown, or did you make the big move to the city you’ve been dreaming of forever? 

Are you all of these? Are you none? 

Aren’t we all just trying to find our feet under us? Just trying to figure out how to make a mortgage payment, a pressure cooker meal, or a game-plan for our lives. Aren’t we all just trying to find ourselves? 

It’s the beauty of your 20s, though. The unknown. The chaos. 

It’s the perfect time to make mistakes, to fail, to fly. Never again will we try and fail so many times and still bounce back like we’re unstoppable.

We’re all just trying to bridge the gap. 

You know, that metaphorical gap from childhood to adulthood. 

We’re not innocent children anymore, dependent on Mom and Dad. We’re not the old, wise ones, either. 

We’re in the gap, and if you’re in your 20s, you’re most likely trying to figure out how to bridge it. 

Let me stop you there – this bridge isn’t like most you think of. It’s not the strong, London Bridge, powering over the city. It’s not the Golden Gate, either. It’s more like a swinging bridge — unsteady, risky, and at times, dangerous. 

It’s full of trial and error. Do you run or walk? Charge ahead or fall to the back? Power through or freeze in the middle? Do you embrace it? 

Your 20s are the time to find yourself — find who you are and what you want in life. It’s the time to find ways to connect with new friends and reconnect with old ones. The time to take your life by the reigns and guide it wherever you want to go. 

Young enough to create your narrative and old enough to make it happen. 

But here I am, 22 – the early stage of that awkward waiting period. I’ve figured a few things out, but others, not so much. 

Yet, in the midst of the chaos and unknown, there’s peace. A kind of peace where I don’t need to have it all figured out. A peace that allows me to fail and start over – however many times I need to. It’s peace in the waiting. 

It extends far beyond your early 20s – it’s more of a lesson learned on how to keep going in the midst of crazy. 

Maybe that’s what your 20’s are all about. Looking to find yourself and embracing whatever comes your way. Serendipity, if you will. And overall, it’s about finding joy in the journey! 

Whether the bridge is wavering and unstable, just as your 20’s (or 30s, 40s, or 50s) sometimes are, finding peace in the waiting and joy in the journey is what bridging the gap is all about. 

2021: A year of the good moments, the “eh” moments, and all the other moments in between. A year of firsts. A year of excitement and new beginnings. A year of loved ones lost and loved ones gained. A year of growth in places I wasn’t expecting. A really great year. 

JANUARY:

Celebrated the new year with sweet friends. Planned last-minute details for the wedding. Started my last semester of college. 

FEBRUARY:

Had 2 bridal showers. Got really excited to marry my guy. Partied with my best friends at my bachelorette weekend. Started the countdown to wedding day.

MARCH:

Rescheduled move-in to our house. Stressed about that. Stressed some more before March 27th. Married my best friend. Stopped stressing about the wedding. Started stressing about my husband’s laundry dilemma. 

APRIL:

Lived in an Airbnb for a few weeks. Loved it. Finally moved into our house. Spent a lot of money and time making it a home. Worth every penny.

MAY:

Graduated college with honors. Started my first big girl job while working from my home office. Grieved the loss of my grandmother. Still am.

JULY:

Watched fireworks. Went to the lake. Cut off all my hair. Went to the lake again. Started gardening. Turned 22. Act like I’m 42. Not sure how I feel about it.

AUGUST:

Drove to Millidgeville to pick up our Craigslist puppy, Olive. Fell in love with said puppy. Made her an Instagram. Turned into a crazy dog lady.

SEPTEMBER:

Decorated for fall. Watched Olive grow up fast. Went to the Braves game. Baked a lot. Ate a lot. Saw Lauren Daigle in concert. Spent a lot of time with friends and family. 

OCTOBER:

Explored some new trails with Olive and Tyler. Continued our tradition of recreating our first date. Dressed up and handed out candy to our neighborhood kids. Got really excited about that. Accepted that we have old souls.

NOVEMBER:

Decorated for Christmas. Had a puppy play date with my best friends. Celebrated Christmas early with my siblings. Woke up at 5 a.m. on Thanksgiving to run a 5k with my sister. Realized how out of shape I am. Realized how crazy we were. Realized how thankful I am. 

DECEMBER:

Baked some cookies. Shopped until I dropped. Left the country for the first time. Didn’t get my passport stamped but left with some amazing memories. Celebrated the holidays with friends and family. Kept old traditions and made new ones, too. 

It’s been a year of growth and love. I’m so grateful for the blessings in 2021 and can’t wait for what’s to come in 2022. Happy New Year, friends!

Why does time seem to pass faster as you get older? It feels like just yesterday when we were celebrating Thanksgiving, but somehow a year has gone by and here we are again, watching the trees shed their leaves and the days get shorter. Patiently anticipating the family gatherings and delicious food we are sure to see in a few short weeks. 

Each year on Thanksgiving, my entire extended family would go in a circle and share what they were thankful for. There is no moment I dreaded more than when the circle inevitably came to me. It was at that moment when I had to conjure up some ridiculous answer to what I was thankful for. Thinking back, I can’t really remember what I shared, but I’m sure “chocolate” was my answer for many years — it still is. 

If only I could go back and tell my shy, childish self that there is so much to be thankful for. Not only on that day but every day! 

As we prepare for this season of thankfulness, let’s remember all we have to be thankful for. Here are some of my favorite times the Bible mentions thankfulness:

1. Colossians 3:16-17 

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 

2. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

3. 2 Corinthians 2:14 

“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.” 

4. Psalm 79:13

“But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.”

5. Hebrews 12:28

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,”

6.  Colossians 4:2

“Continue steadfastly in prayer,  being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”

7. 1 Chronicles 16:8

“Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!”

8. 1 Corinthians 1:4

“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,”

9. Psalm 107:21

“Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!”

10.  Psalm 86:12

“I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.”

11. Philippians 4:6

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

12. 2 Corinthians 9:15

“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!”

13. 1 Timothy 4:4-5

“For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.”

14. Psalm 95:2

“Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!”

15. Ephesians 1:16

“I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,”

16. Psalm 136:1

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

17. Colossians 2:6-7 

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

18. Jeremiah 30:19

“Out of them shall come songs of thanksgiving, and the voices of those who celebrate. I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will make them honored, and they shall not be small.”

19. Ephesians 5:20

“giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

20. Revelation 7:12

“saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

I pray you find yourself surrounded by many blessings and love during this season of thanks. Whether you are thankful for macaroni and cheese or another year with your loved ones, give glory to God for all your many blessings!

It feels like yesterday when Tyler and I said our vows and sealed the deal with a kiss. I still get butterflies in my stomach when I think about that perfect March day. Somehow, I blinked and five months have passed since then. FIVE!

Marriage has been such a blessing.

Half of the time, I feel like we have spent our entire lives together, bickering as we will in 50 years. The other 50% feels like we are honeymooners straight off the plane, giddy with excitement and eager to learn new things about each other.

Both are good feelings; it’s a nice balance.

The past five months have been the absolute best of my life. Not without a challenge, of course. But I love a good challenge!

You learn a lot about someone when you are with them 24/7. Their highs, their lows, and everything in between. Some marriage advice from a newlywed is to find joy in the journey!

Here are some fun lessons I have learned along the way:

1. Marriage is easy. Living with someone is hard. 

I love Tyler to death! 

I love everything that comes along with him being my husband. I love his friends, his family, his boyish obsession with his Jeep. (Ok maybe I don’t love that.) 

That stuff is easy to love. But I do not love that he leaves the same pair of gym shorts on the bathroom floor, 2 inches away from the laundry hamper. Who does that?!

I don’t love his dirty dishes in the sink when the dishwasher is clearly dirty, either. And unfortunately, I am too stubborn to just put the shorts and dishes away. 

Living with someone is hard. (Disclaimer: coping with my stubbornness is harder. Kudos to Tyler for dealing with that.) 

2. Money is not everything, but it matters. 

Something I have picked up on when talking to most couples is that there is typically a “spender” and a “saver” in every relationship. It maintains a healthy balance. 

It’s important to find balance in your relationship, especially when it comes to your finances.

When Tyler and I went to premarital counseling, money was a topic that was briefly discussed. We felt confident in our financial plans. We figured out what would work best for us and made it happen. 

A lot of arguments can stem from money. I would be lying if I said we didn’t argue about it at times, but a good framework will help lessen those. I think time helps, too. 

Learning what financial balance worked for us was a game-changer. Once we were on the same page, everything else fell into place.

Money is important, but we cannot take it with us. Don’t let it control your life!

3. Say ‘goodbye’ to your selfish ways. 

Let’s be honest, we are all a little selfish. 

The other day I read a post on Facebook that encouraged all twenty-somethings to enjoy their “selfish years.” I instinctively laughed at the notion because how can a marriage work if you are selfish? 

Oh, that’s right, it can’t! 

You can’t always buy things you want and you have to plan things if you want them to happen, but it is so worth it. 

I am so thankful to be spending my selfish years working to be selfless.  Not only is it making me a better wife, but also a better person and Christian. 

Putting others first – isn’t that what we are called to do? 

4. Get ready to schedule.

I didn’t know two seemingly unimportant people could have such hectic schedules. 

For about 5 minutes, Tyler and I thought we were popular. 

This was until we realized all of our time was now being shared amongst 2 full-time jobs, 2 families, and a lot of friends! Not including any time for just the two of us.

Gone are the days where we could make last-minute plans for the weekend. Now, we have to check our family calendar and plan dinner with friends weeks in advance! 

Boy, are we in for a surprise once we have kids?!

Maybe this is a sign we are adults now. Or maybe, just maybe, we are popular?

I didn’t think so either.

5. Can I love someone too much?

I don’t know if it’s the fact that Tyler got me a black lab puppy, or how he surprises me with “just because” flowers, or because he is just so cute, but I cannot get enough of this man! 

(Except when he leaves his clothes on the floor or dishes in the sink.) 

And hey, I guess we are only five months in, but that is five whole months spent loving each other like crazy! 

We are so blessed to have found each other young. I am constantly thanking the Lord for this extra time we spend loving and cherishing one another. 

We may still be in our honeymoon phase, but I hope that love never fades. I pray we still love each other at 50 years like we love each other at 5 months. 

Let’s normalize a forever honeymoon phase! 

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Marriage has been the greatest blessing I have ever experienced. I have grown individually, spiritually, and collectively with Tyler. 

In five short months, I have seen a glimpse into what the future holds for two adult-ish kids who are madly in love. A future filled with love, laughter, and many more dirty dishes. (Let’s just pray they are in the dishwasher this time.)