Well helloooooo there!

I’ve gone pretty much this entire month without updating here and I kinda hate that but kinda don’t because I know how absolutely crazy this month has been for me and sometimes you need to just take a step back on some things to more intently focus on others and that’s what I’ve been doing. I suppose I could have mentioned I would be away before just seeming to disappear off of the face of the earth but to be honest, I haven’t really been able to see much in my life beyond a foot in front of me.

Over this past month, I have been smack in the middle of a job transition…or two…and things probably won’t officially calm down until – well… maybe 2016! Ha! I wanted to say middle of November but by that time, Holiday season will be in full swing and I don’t think anyone calls that time of year any word associated with “calm”. Not saying it’s bad, just fast paced with family gatherings and other events and whatnot.

So! I say all that to say that for those of you who venture here to see what I’m up to, I apologize for leaving you on the edge of your seat for so long but there hasn’t really been much to update other than the job stuff and I can’t even really update on that because I’m still in transition. BUT! When I’ve settled into my new routine, I would love to share and can’t wait to honestly :)

I have missed my blogging buddies, too! In addition to putting a blogging binder together and trying to figure out a course of action to keep this space updated more regularly (which made me realize how much I really have been collecting to share here!), I’ve tried to catch up on reading and commenting and all that a little bit last week but then went pretty much a whole ‘nother week without really having time to read any at all so I’m beginning to feel like I’m forever behind in seeing what’s up with everyone else too…non-blogging friends included! Hopefully as my new routine continues to iron out over the next couple of weeks I can get back to what feels on track with all of that.

There hasn’t been much time for extracurricular activities lately but that all changed this past weekend with a trip to my hometown! I got to visit Wilmington Friday-Sunday and it was amazing. I had a wonderful car ride there with my sister in law, checked a bunch of things off of my to-do list (like go see my Chiropractor! I refuse to change!) and even though things didn’t go exactly as planned, I got to spend time with some family and friends as well. Andre wasn’t able to join me on this trip but I still made the most of it and had a blast.

Friday after running my errands I went to visit a friend at the beach. The ocean, plus random fireworks obviously equals magic. Then I went downtown with my girlfriend Hayley to a trap music party. It was fun dressing up for the event and then continuing to bounce around from place to place dressed up. I didn’t know I would need a costume so I had to get something earlier in the day which ended up being a t-shirt that said “THIS IS MY COSTUME” and a pink wig. It was a big hit though!

I look like a tiny little alien creature and my friend looks like a voluptuous goddess with mermaid hair.

Selfie session…

 The best of times!

 Saturday I attended my very first Greek wedding with my friends Sarah and Patrick. Our mutual friend Alexii married her long time love Alex. Fairytale status right?! You may have seen my multiple posts on IG (@jlynnjustad). I don’t typically post there every day but I updated multiple times that night because I had SO. MUCH. FUN. They certainly know how to throw a party. Sarah performed a belly dance routine and it was amazing. Even with the back of her top popping open at the end of the song! Ha! Oops! After we decided to head out of the reception (that was going till 2am!) we found ourselves downtown before retiring for the night.

The crew otw!

The ladies

 Beautiful ceremony

helping SKB get ready for her performance!

Bffs!

The crew part 2!

est. 1996

Sunday I caught up on some sleep, went shopping for something I super excited to talk about in a couple weeks(!!) and spent some time at my grandmother’s house with my precious cousin, planning her Sweet 16 birthday party that is quickly approaching. It was so sweet to have dinner with them and chat about all the fun times to be had in celebration of her sweet little life :)

I love when I get to go back and visit my hometown even though it feels different every time, especially when Andre isn’t with me. I’m thankful though for every opportunity I get to go back and see as many of my loved ones as possible. Even though everything didn’t go as planned, I had so much fun and hope to see those I couldn’t see this time, next time!

I’m hoping to be able to update more frequently now…heres hoping. Ha! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend as well and you know that I love you tons and am sending you lots of good energy!

xx

 

 

 

Via

I can’t lie and say I know what legend that’s from or if it is a legend at all and someone didn’t just make it up for a pinterest graphic, but what I can tell you is that I love it. It sounds like it’s from a story I would have loved as a child or a sci-fi movie that I would love now as an adult (wait, am I an adult?).

I also can’t say that this post includes the entirety of my weekend happenings. I did something I’ve been waiting to do for MONTHS now and I just got home yesterday so the post will have to wait until a little later in the week. I’ve got sooo many pictures to go through. See, I’m doing much better!

What I can tell you that’s been going on (beyond this past weekend) is some seriously crazy dreams. So, no, I’m not awake at night possibly in someone else’s dreams but if you have been having a bout of insomnia…you are possibly awake in mine. The crazy thing is though, I can remember almost all of them in great detail. I haven’t been writing them down (I’m about to change that..) but I can still remember them so vividly. It’s weird.

I’ve even had a repeat of a dream I had literally years ago, that I still remember. What’s even more weird is that the scenery from that dream showed up in a movie a few years after I had it. I know that sounds like I borderline need to be institutionalized or maybe saw the movie poster and just didn’t remember, and that’s fine. I know, and I’m the only one that needs to know that I’m not insane. Unless I am?! Kidding. I’m kidding. About the insane thing, not the dream thing because I definitely had that dream about 2 years before that movie was even talked about.

And no, I’m not pregnant. When researching crazy dreams, you get many a article on how it happens in pregnancy a lot, but it seems it’s later on down the line anyway.

Today is my 25th birthday.

new baby jlynn with her granny

For some reason I’ve felt the need to post something and even had some things to publish but…nothing ended up feeling quite right.

This morning, I happened to stumble upon a piece of paper from high school. In chorus my senior year, our director Mr. Bron had us write our name on a blank piece of paper and pass it around the room. We were to all write encouraging things about whomever had been passed to us. Everyone wrote something about everyone then they were retuned and we got to keep ours.

I have been feeling weird today (I can think of one reason..) but everything else is just I guess a range of emotions about what birthdays mean. I suppose they are the day (as you get older) the universe of culture has you stop to celebrate, only to leave you reflecting on what it means in the future. It’s overwhelming me a bit so I think it’s no coincidence I found these pieces of paper (actually 3 stapled together), today.

Happy birthday 1 yr old jlynn! Smash cakes were a little bigger back in the day I guess. And No that’s not a ghost in the back that’s my granny ha!

I sat down on the patio and began reading through what the people I hung out with most in high school had to say about me. About this girl who was 1/2 100% real- totally there, and 1/2 hidden away. See, I was dealing with things but when I competed in a pageant or went to school, I could be myself more than anywhere else. I decided to stop competing in pageants when it got to be too much and luckily the year before that was when I graduated so it didn’t do too much damage on my grades. Although, if I’m being honest, I was a terrible student. Simply awful at math.

I’ve been talking a lot here on the blog about my past self and my new self – and then here on these few pieces of paper, they meet.

Princess tea party for 9 yr old jlynn

I can see the life of that girl I used to be played out in the different fonts and ink shades that dance across the pages. The first, home to a gigantic, purple “JLYNN” right in the center. “Write your name big enough?!” begins one excerpt. It makes me laugh. They were all anonymous but some, I’m able to identify. I find a passage from one who stopped speaking to me years ago, promising eternal friendship. I see bits from people to whom I was not their cup of tea, obviously trying to find nice things to say about me, but succeeding. Even those make me smile. And then there are the glimpses into those pieces of me (no Britney pun intended) to which I wanted to keep.

I realized, spelled out on these pieces of paper was a phase of life.

Some things don’t stay with you through your life but some do. Some things we can choose, like whether to be a kind person or a mean person. And some we can’t, like a friend who is done with the friendship or the loss of a loved one. Today, I find it easy to think of a world of unknowns. A life lived without anxiety of my past (what does that even mean?!) but also without anxiety of the future. I know I won’t always succeed in that, but I do want to hold on to those pieces of me that I’ve chosen and always want to choose to keep, regardless of how gentle or rough the waters may be.

I have a heart filled with such gratitude for this seven year old reminder to stay positive, choose kindness always, and that life is an ocean of waves that just keep rollin.

JLYNN

(a few of my favorites)

“The representation of the meaning of the word ‘joy’ is what describes my perception of her.”

“You are so well spirited and it is amazing how you are so positive most everyday.”

“Your beauty is true, inside and out. I will never forget you and appreciate your listening ear and your heart.”

“You are such an awesome, caring person that would always stand up for the underdog and your friends.”

“You are incredibly down to earth and so sweet. You are never afraid to stick up for others.”

(This one might be my favorite. I’m pretty sure was written by my friend Matthew)

“You are one of the most kind hearted people I know.”

I’m looking very forward to my 25th year with great gratitude for where I’ve been and what I’ve learned. I’m proud of the understanding of myself that I have thus far and can’t wait to discover more as my world continues to change on the journey of life.

I hope you all have a beautiful May 27th. ♥

x