To Sporty?

This morning I was with a few friends and we were discussing what kinds of things we did as kids When it came to my turn all of my child hood seemed to revolve around 2 things. Sports and Theatre.

upon further discussion they deemed me to be the sporty friend.

From the ever young age of 3 my childhood was booked. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved it. My parents have never made me do things that I wasn't interested in.

At three I started dance class, and trust me the world just wasn't ready for my out of sync, clumsy self that I thought I could be. It was a disaster and one program was all that I wanted to do, after that I was over it and decided that I wanted to be a cheerleader. To know ones surprise but mine, you also had to have some sort of coordination and grace for this as well. Skills which, as an adult, I still lack. As any toddler would be, I was crushed that I didn't get to wear tutus and carry around pom-poms anymore.

Where I grew up, there wasn't much to do for kids at that age, so after exhausting all of their options my mom and dad found a tennis instructor that was willing to teach me. For 2 years I played tennis 3 times a week. I was never going to be the tennis prodigy that played at Wimbledon, but at the time it was something that kept me busy and helped to burn off energy.

When I turned 5 I was able to start doing other sports like softball, basketball, and soccer.

After one season I hung up my soccer cleats and decided that there was just to much running. I did however repurpose those cleats for the softball field. Softball was my first love. My sister was my coach and had been coaching for a long time before I came along. I started softball at 5 and played until I was 16. I would've continued to play, but after a couple of surgeries it just wasn't looking like playing fast pitch was a good idea.

Before my early retirement, a few girls from my team, myself included, had started to help my sister coach her team. On the weekends we would run between fields. Helping her on and off the field, then change uniforms and go play a field away. It was always funny to watch as our parents trailed behind us with drinks and snacks to make sure that we were ready for our game. I played third base, incase you were wondering. Another fun fact, I tripped on first base after an amazing hit that easily could've been my first homerun. I've also hit a foul ball over the fence on the 1st base side that hit a guy square in the back. It was his fault. We called heads up, haha.

Softball wasn't all year round, only in the spring and summer did I spend the majority of my life at the fields.

During the summer I would go to softball camps, and randomly I attended a couple of volleyball camps which we pretty fun.

During the winter was basketball season. and my coaches were fantastic. My coach's husband also coached a boys team and we would scrimmage almost every practice. It would always become a who was better, the boys or the girls. It was a blast. I took a bad fall and ended up having to have 3 knee surgeries because of it.

I'm not exactly sure what the point of this was except to share a little about myself and to tell you about my love of softball. I still go to the batting cages ever couple of weeks to release some stress and just enjoy myself.

This is from earlier this week. My friend and I went before we each had to go to work

Lets Go To Wonderland

As a little girl I didn't really have a clear understanding of just how vast the world was. I saw a globe for the first time when I enrolled in school. As you progress through the years you learn about different parts of the world. I never had the urge to travel until recently. I'd like to think that one day I will be able to go where the wind blows me. When I was in 9th Grade, I learned about a woman who won the heart of a kind, birthed one of England's greatest monarchs, and has had a lasting impression on those who have taken the time to study her history.

 

While studying King Henry VIII in my world history class we were told that we would write a paper and then read it to the class. I wanted to research Katherine of Aragon. I thought that because she was King Henry's first wife, information would be easily accessible. Our teacher chose for us. I was given Anne Boleyn.

After this presentation I continued to learn about her and in 12th grade painted a likeness of her for my senior project. After all of this time I am still learning things about her.

 

I will now get to the point.

 

I'd like to think that I am a free spirit and I wish that I was able to go where ever the wind blew me.   I have just finished a book entitled In The Footsteps of Anne Boleyn. It's basically a map of her life. The authors, Sarah Morris and Natalie Grueninger, start from Anne's birth and lead you on the journeys that she took so many years ago. For a while now, I have dreamed about a trip to England. This book had re-inspired that want to travel and I can't help but want to take this book along. Start from the beginning and reread it along my own journey.

 

The world is such an incredible place. New adventures around every corner just waiting for us. Now you know mine. Where is one place in the world that you'd like to visit?

Sweetest of dreams Butterflies,

Skin

This is my Truth

I read a post a few minutes ago that inspired me to write this one. I know that every person on this planet has something that they are struggling with. Sometimes I forget that. For a long time I just watched my life pass by. I wasn't working towards a goal or fulfilling a dream. Don't get me wrong; I had plans, dreams, and goals that I set for myself, but I never really cared.

I wish I could say that now I care and am setting my sails in their direction, but I'd be lying to both of us.

 

I have one major fear in life. To a lot of you it may seem really silly. I am afraid of the quiet. When it's quiet, I am alone with my own thoughts. I am left to analyze my actions and those of others. Mostly in negative ways. It was easy for me to find my own faults and surely if I could find them, sooner or later others would as well. I am my own worst enemy.

 

I had my world torn apart, and I am learning how to rebuild it. I am learning that not everyone is the same. There are people out there who know what love is and give it freely. I think the hardest thing for me, is learning to trust. I wasn't aware of what the word actually meant, or even what it felt like until recently. It's strange.

 

I'm sorry if this is a bit of a ramble or a rant, but I know that there are like minded humans out there that feel as alone as I did. I realize that saying I am here for you may be a cliché, but it's the truth. I have been paranoid, self loathing, mad at the world, so close to the edge that I didn't know if I could come back, and I have felt so numb that physical pain was the only way I felt alive.

You are not alone. Not now, not ever.

Later Butterflies,

Skin

Its Upon Us

A month ago smack talk started, cable bills increased, and honey-do lists were done by Sunday morning. It can only mean one thing!

FOOTBALL SEASON!

While most girls were getting excited about pumpkin spice lattes, most men were finding the perfect spot on the couch with a beer and some wings. Oh yea, drink responsibly and designate a driver!

Now that my adulting is done we can move on.

I'd like to start by saying that

 

 It all started in 8th grade when I sat between two boys who were arguing over which Manning brother was going to earn them more point in their fantasy league. I asked if I could help them settle their debate and per usually. They told me that I wouldn't be able to help them settle the argument because I was a girl and wouldn't know anything about football. They were right; I didn't know anything about football, so I spent the next Sunday sitting with my father and brother in law trying to wrap my head around the game. This was not the first time that I was sat between these two. It involved start wars and a weekend I will never get back, but that's a story for another day.

I was hooked ever since.

 

I will throw out there now that I am not necessarily a Panthers fan even though I am a North Carolinian. I am a cheese head, but I like to call my self a football fan as there are quite a few players that I like to keep an eye on. Julio Jones(since his Alabama days), Luke Kuechly, Jordy Nelson(even though he's out for the season), Clay Matthews, Aaron Rodgers, Luke Kuechly, Jonathan Stewart, JJ Watt, and Colin Kaepernick; just to name a few.

 

Flash forward to yesterday. I traveled to Bank of America stadium for the Panthers game against the Texans. Sadly, Luke Kuechly was out, but I did get to witness all the was JJ Watt, even though the panthers did a great job of shutting him down. I ill also say that A.J Klein did a fantastic job of filling in for Luke. The game was a nail bitter and it could've gone either way. Thankfully the panther did win their season opener. Cam newton was my top earner yesterday. He got me 26 points in my fantasy league. I only took one photo during the game. I was a little distracted, but I did get some before. I'll add them at the end of this post.

 

After the game, my friend and I had a headache and were hungry so we made our way to find some food. We went into Harris Teeter and hit up their salad bar for lunch and grabbed a box of raspberries for desert. After eating we made the 5 hours trip back home. In all it was a great day. The panthers stadium staff we all very lovely and couldn't have asked for a better Sunday.

 

Who's your team? What players are you rooting for?

Laters butterflies,

Skin

 

We had an early start. Let my house at about 5 am

Made it to Charlotte a little after 10

 



A few Texans out an the field stretching



AJ Klein is on the left.



JJ Watt warming up

Panthers doing team stretches

 

Someday

Every little girl dreams of living a fairytale. Having our "someday when I grow up" moment. We dream about the day when we finally meet the man of our dreams, fall in love, and begin our lives. As we grow into the people we were meant to be we find our dreams morph into other things. We obsess over making friends, where to hide our report cards, and before you know it were back to trying to find the best prom date. Eventually, we find our match, get married, and have children of our own.

Tonight, after a long conversation with my parents, I've decided to compose my thoughts here. We didn't just talk about marriage, though that is the topic that has weighed heavily on my shoulders lately. All of those that I graduated high school with are getting married, having babies, and some are even getting divorced. Meanwhile, I'm still trying to decide what to I'm going to do with the rest of my life.

I've decided to take a minute and write a letter to my future husband, whom ever he may be.

 

You have taken on a lot, considering you've agreed to marry me. I scream, cry, and sometimes it's enough to just breath. I will twist your words and actions into something they are not simply because that's how my brain works. I will struggle to trust you. Not because you are unworthy, but because my trust has been misguided. I hope that you will see my flaws and realize that they are the bad you have to take with the good. I pray that you will love me through my dark days and celebrate the good ones. I am not the easiest person to love or even get along with at times, but I will make you a promise.

 

I promise to always be honest with you; tell you what's on my mind even if you don't want to hear it. I will try my damnedest to put my trust and love in you without second guessing my own instinct. You have chosen to care for me, spend the rest of your life with me, and most importantly, you have chosen to love me. There is no way for me to express how much that means to me.

 

Here's to you and our someday!