I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends

Understatement of my life.

I may be known to be a little dramatic at times, but in the last two weeks I have had quite the series of unfortunate events.  It all started one Friday evening. I was driving home from a longgg day of nannying Jordan and I got off on the Kingston Pike exit on the strip, and when I did I noticed Jack was making the most outrageous noise. It was a loud scrapping sound. I have no idea where it was coming from so I drove down the strip and decided to pull over in the OCI parking lot. (This summer has made me a first name basis regular, so I knew if I needed to use a phone, get some refreshments, hang out for a bit, I would feel safe. And I was right about that). My tire was indeed flat. Like soo flat. I obviously drove on it for quite some time.  This particular weekend, all of my girl bffs went home or out of town. Most of my guy friends went to Atlanta for the Braves game or home. After several phone calls to Jimmy, I knew of a good friend to call who would definitely know what to do in a Jack Jack issue. I called him and he was there before I even started to stress. I have never been so thankful of our friendship over my years in college. On a Friday evening, I am sure he didn’t want to be laying on the ground in the pouring rain to fix a tire, but  I needed him and he was there. My tire was taken off, a new one was put on, and with some air pumped into them I was on my way. The next day I was on an adventure that involved a 6 hour wait to get all new tires for my little red rodeo Jack.

I am homeless for two weeks. My apartment lease ended today. My new lease begins August 12^th. One of my best friends got a truck and helped me load and unload my belongings to her apartment and our other friend’s house.  We did this for hours, in 98-degree heat, and she did it with a smile on her face. I know she had a million things she would rather do, but a true friend is someone who is there not only for the fun times but the notttt so fun times as well.

Who knew a week later I would have another incident. I am known to be a bit clumsy. I often joke I am a very “clummby” lady. Walking to my summer class this past Thursday I take a tumble. When I say tumble I mean, I stepped off the stairs with my left foot, to completely miss the stair below and jam my left foot into the ground (5 steps down). I sat on the ground in tears, not sure if I could move. I am very glad there were no witnesses to this event. I hobbled to my class, turned in my group project, and called my two best friends Brooke and Allison to come get me from my class and take me to the Emergency Room. By this point my ankle had become a cankle and it was not cute and hurt so bad. Allison drove Jack to the ER and sat with me for hours (yes 3 hours to be exact). Clearly a sprained ankle will come behind the woman with chest pains and the man who is bleeding from his head, handcuffed and being escorted by a police officer. After a nice long wait and time to chat with Allison I was sent home with a brace, crutches and prescription. Today Allison took my apartment by storm, and moved every last belonging out of my apartment to her house. I sat and watched like a handicapped woman, unable to offer any help. I owe her my life.

Side Note: On the day of my foot and ankle injury, three hours after leaving the ER, I was in a wreck. Rear-ended in a hit in run. #toomuch for one day.

Yes, Animal Print on the crutches. Bedazzling will come next.

Over the past two weeks, I have never been so grateful and I have never felt so blessed to have such great friends in my life. Lots of friends have been offering to help me in any way possible. My friends literally moving my belongings out of my apartment and crawling around the ground, soaking wet from the rain to change my tires as I watched helplessly, reminded me that I am so lucky to have people who are there when I need them. 

When I need them most, there are right beside me.  

-SJP

This is My Now

I can’t believe in just a few short weeks I will officially be a college senior! Yikes. In exactly two weeks, I will be in charge of my sorority’s recruitment. It feels like I just went through myself. (If you have seen my UT id, you would see I not only have hair 25 shades darker, 7 inches longer, but I look grown up compared to the bleach blonde child in my freshman picture). By the looks of security men and university employees, I must also look like the girl who is using her friend’s id to get into the TREC and UT sporting events. UNRECOGINZABLE. The past three years have been a blast, and have gone by so fast that many days are just a blur.

Yesterday I was playing around town in Knoxville in search of ADPi recruitment essentials and my best friends and I were talking about funny events that have happened over the years. Mixers, date parties (typically the funniest stories come from the epic fails), days spent at someone’s apartment where getting off the couch would be too much activity & nights on campus were karaoke and dragons are just an ordinary sighting. One event in particular always seems to come up during these conversations.

For those of you who are not aware of my outrageous life, let me fill you in on one very intriguing fact about me.

People feel like they can tell me anything.

This is real, it happened, no exaggerations. When I think about it, I still laugh. It happened on a chilly Fall day my freshman year of college. I remember this day perfectly because it has become a widely referenced event and piece of clothing in my wardrobe. I woke up every day freshman year like I was going to conquer the world. This particular morning I woke up and chose to wear a sweater. Not just any sweater, but a navy sweater with a large bright yellow duck right on the front. When I say large, I mean it took up the entire front of the sweater.  Thinking nothing about it, I scurried off to biology lab. After a long lab of having to play with weirdo dna stuff, I enter the bathroom to wash my hands. There is a girl at the other sink washing her hands. I don’t know her at all, so when she says, “That’s stupid” I am confused as to who she is talking to. I look up and reply, “What?” She looks me in the eyes and says, “Your sweater is stupid.” I laugh. Then she walks out of the bathroom. I giggled about it all day. Who was she? Why did she think it was okay to tell me that?! In case you were wondering, yes I am fully aware it is weird to bring a duck sweater to college. Did I wear it many times after that-yes I did. Everytime I played a little game, hoping I would see her again.

Ordinary days often turn into events we will never forget. As senior year is rapidly approaching I pray I enjoy every little duck sweater moment. I don’t want anything to pass me by. 

"Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have."

I have no idea where I will be after college or what I will be doing with my little life, but tonight the one thing I know for sure is I have never felt so blessed and content with where I am right now, This is my Now. Thanks J.Sparks. 

-SJP

Forever Reign-Hillsong

Let me start off by saying I am in no way, shape or form a “runner”. I am a jogger. I “run” 3-5 miles at 6.2 speed. It is a struggle for me, but afterwards I feel so strong and powerful. When the world is overwhelming and stressful, nothing is better than strapping on my tennis shoes and running until my legs will not go one step more.

An unfortunate issue has come up in my life in the past month.

SHIN SPLINTS.

Yes, I have the worst shin splints I have ever had in my whole life. Worse than my cross-country days, tennis team trials, and any other attempt I had at being sporty. My little right shin has become so sore, and the sharp intense pain when running has left me in a workout war with myself.

I am at a loss to what caused my shin to break down. But what perplexes me most if how I keep trying to run on it. I can’t take a day off. I know that if I keep this up, I will find myself permanently in pain without the ability to run at all. 

I’m sure my running routine seems so small and insignificant to most, but this little situation has shown me a little life lesson. I want to be a “runner” so bad, but I pushed myself too much, too fast, too hard to get what I wanted. Now I am left hardly even a jogger, and I am forced to take a true break from running to get back on the treadmill one day. Something’s in life seem like they should be easy to achieve, accomplish,  and acquire. But just like running in my life, not everything is going to happen how I want it to. I can’t always have everything I have dreamed of, but that doesn’t mean my life won’t be even better than I have dreamed possible.

I truly believe that God has a plan for my life, and his timing is not in my control. Something’s in life are never going to be mine because they aren’t supposed to be mine, other things will never happen because something better is on the way, one door closes and another door opens, and the cliché phrases could go on and on. Being afraid of the future, holding on to the past, and not realizing what is in my present are all like my shin splints, they are holding me back from my true potential.

"Life, if you keep chasing it so hard, will drive you to death…At some point you have to stop because it won't. You have to admit that you can't catch it. That you're not supposed to catch it. At some point, you gotta let go and sit still and allow contentment to come to you."

— Elizabeth Gilbert

So tomorrow begins the first day of many where I stop running and allow myself to heal. Stop running from what is not best for me and continue to walk with God for my strength and comfort. 

-SJP

Enchanted

I have always found it kind of outrageous how music brings out such emotion in people. You can’t help but go back to the moment you heard the song for the first time or the moment in your own life that relates to the lyrics. Some artists seem to read your own mind and sing the thoughts of your own heart. One artist has been doing this for me and millions of young girls since I was 14 years old, just a little baby freshman in high school.

Long Live

Speak Now

Speak Now

Last Friday night, I stumbled upon a rare treat. My best friend Brooke and I got the chance to attend a concert… Well excuse me, THE concert of my dreams. Yup, ladies and gentlemen…Taylor Swift is the concert of my dreams. (Aside from seeing Brittany Spears two years ago with my Two Musketeers). As it may be clear by now, since I reference music all the time and every single one of my blog titles is a song title as well, that I am obsessed with music. And my obsession with TSwift is just short of weird.

Back to December

Brooke and I scurried to get ready and as I was driving to pick up our tickets that afternoon I was giddy with anticipation of what was to be a very magical night for me and my BFF.

Last Night

The concert was outrageous. Everyone around us was under the age of 10 with their mom. It made me sad I was not there with my momma bear, but Brooke would be top choice to attend this concert with if Robyn could not. Taylor Swift’s music has become apart of our lives. We often sent each other text messages when Taylor Swift’s newest album came out to give our thoughts on the song and lyrics. Every song reminded us of some event or someone who was in or out of our little worlds.

Dear John

Mean

The night was full of sprinkles, sparkles and magic just as I hoped it would be. I left the concert feeling so grateful for my life. My dad who so willingly allowed me to attend the concert, my friend Brooke who I am so comfortable with to just be my weirdo self, and my momma bear who has really helped me become who I am. When I get overwhelmed or stressed about silly things, nights like Last Friday Night remind me that my life may not be everyone’s dream, but to me my silly little life is a fairytale.