twenty two.

hello again! i have apparently taken a month long break from blogging. oops.

so a few weeks ago, i turned 23 years old. i realize that to most, this seems very young.  i am still trying to get used to the idea. it just seems that by 23, you are done with college and should have some idea as to what the heck you are doing. i do not feel like i have it all together at all, but maybe that is one of the myths about being an adult. maybe you just do your best and accept that you're never going to have it all together.

i have a friend who did this cool thing on her birthday, so i am going to copy her. here is a list of things i have learned while i was 22. they say your golden birthday is supposed to be your best year. twenty-two was definitely a wonderful year! i would like to think that it is not all downhill from here, though ;). i definitely think i have a lot more great years ahead of me!

okay, here it goes: 22 things i learned from 22:

1. people can know that i am flawed and still love me.
2. i really can do anything I set my mind to. this sounds cheesy, but i really struggled in college. james taught me that if i really worked as hard as i possibly could, i could do it. and i did!
3. pinterest is wonderful.
4. if a casserole boils (like bubbles) in the oven, it is not a casserole and you should have added flour to the sauce to make it thicker. at this point it is too late and you should just order a pizza.
5. dyeing your hair permanently makes your hair really dry and brittle. look for semi-permanent.
6. some people really are meant to be together.
7. it's okay to argue sometimes, as long as you attack the problem and not your spouse.
8. your wedding day really is the best day of your life (at least for now).
9. it is a good thing to take initiative in things you want sometimes.
10. a glass of good wine can make a crappy day considerably better.
11. distance doesn't matter with friends who really love and understand you.
12. meatloaf is quite literally a loaf of meat.  it sounds disgusting, it looks disgusting, it is probably horrible for you, but it is actually quite delicious [is it weird that i have never had meatloaf until now?].
13. some people are only in your life for a season, and that's okay. be grateful for the things they taught you and then move on. it helps you appreciate the friends who are there for a lifetime.
14. sometimes i take things too personally.
15. white beds are always better.
16. not everyone thinks the way i do. this is a good thing.
17. do not book a dj named dj cheetah.  he'll be as cheesy as he sounds.
18. i really do not like to be told what to do. ever. even when it is for my own good. i am working on that.
19. i can cook when i try! james has only disliked one thing i have made (the aforementioned soupy casserole). and even then he didn't say anything until i said, "i'm not going to make you eat this" and he said, "oh, thank you!"
20. God gives us such a beautiful picture of His love for us in marriage. to have a man who would lay down his life for me and who i trust wholeheartedly with our future and that we can love each other unconditionally is such a blessing from the Lord. i have definitely learned more about God's love for us from being married.
21. flowers do a lot to make a place look brighter.
22. it is a lot easier to keep a place clean when it is all yours!

so there's my list... that was easier than i thought! some were silly and some were serious, but i learned a lot in year 22! God blessed me soo very much this year and i can't wait to see what's in store for year 23!