New Transition

Small Town Girl will be having a little transition.

From my last post, you'll read about my life currently and how a few things have changed. These changes are less external, and more internal regarding my perspective and decisions. Let me explain a little bit more.

Recently, I'm more focused on my education and not just "getting by" but actually putting in all my effort towards my classes and grades. In my last semester of college, I only received A's & B's - that was the first time since 8th grade. I realized that if I'm willing to put in more work for a shorter period of time, then I will experience the benefits afterwards. So in the next couple of months, I will finish a summer class, register for state tests, and have an interview to get into The School of Education at UNW. To say I have a lot ahead of me, is an understatement, but I'm looking forward to those adventures. :)

Also, since I'm working 3 jobs this summer, I have a lot less time to blog and keep up with everything going on in my life. However, I still LOVE to write. I'm constantly typing up small paragraphs on my phone, writing quotes in a notebook, or occasionally getting on my laptop to type up a blog post. Writing is how I best express my thoughts and experiences.

So with all of that being said, my blog, will be transitioning to more of a journal. I've been away since March, and during that time I really felt no pressure to hurry and get a new post on my blog. Blogging is something that I love to do, but  I don't want to feel any pressure to have the most page views, or followers, or shares. I just want a place to document my life and have fun reading my fellow writers' blogs as well.

For the future, you'll still see posts, pictures, and life updates from me, but just whenever I have the time. I hope you'll continue to stop by, enjoy catching up, and looking at pictures. Feel free to follow me on Instagram, find me on twitter, or shoot me an email - I'm always checking my social media and texts or emails from people.

Thanks for always being such fantastic followers and great friends, too.

xoxo,

Michlyn

endless grace.

You guys! I have some exciting news!

My incredibly beautiful (inside and out) friend Brooklyn just began blogging again. She tends to make people smile, take incredible pictures, laugh continuously, be wise beyond her years, and give all the glory to our incredible God.

Go check out her blog endless grace and leave a comment telling her how awesome she is and check out her photography!

I thank Jesus that he gives me the opportunity to write, meet new people through blogging, and then calling them some of the sweetest friends I know. This blogging world is such a fun and blessed environment.

xoxo,
~Michlyn

The Story About My Mom

In my literature class this semester, we're reading this book called "Riding Shotgun" :Women Write About Their Mothers: I highly recommend it. It's raw and beautiful and realistic and full of old black and white photographs of incredible women. The stories are real and you can picture every single thing vividly in your head. So I decided to write my own story about my mom...
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My mother was born to a 17 yr old who's boyfriend was enlisted in the U.S. Navy. She was the first born to my young grandparents, Bonnie and Melvin, who had little to nothing figured out. By the time my grandmother was 19, she was married, graduated from high school, had a job, and was a mother to 2 children. Melvin eventually wasn't in the navy anymore and worked full time as a garage door installer. He would tell you every place he installed a garage door or what kind of garage door you had installed in your home. My grandparents grew up on the ghetto side of the city and raised my mother there for a couple years. By the time her brother was born, they had moved three times and eventually bought a house in the country. My grandmother was the middle child of 10 children and my grandfather the first son of 4 children. Together they raised 4 kids before Bonnie was 25 years old and they both worked full time. My mother, 2 brothers, and her little sister. Bookend girls who were 7 years apart and became best friends. 

My mother grew up to become the second mom to her 3 younger siblings and traded rooms between sharing with her brothers to sharing with her sister. There was only one major school district in their area, so kids from the nearest 5 towns all went to the same elementary, middle, and high school. My mother's mom used a gas stove and burnt everything she cooked. She grew up with the words "suck it up and eat what I made you" and "you didn't cook so you can't complain". Throughout the years, the sacrifices her parents made were difficult and having her mom gone even after she was home from school was hard. Because a woman in the workforce was a privilege and one my mother's family of 6 needed to maintain stable.

When my mother was 16 yrs old she met a boy who was a junior in high school and played for the hockey team. He was dating the snottiest girl in school, and when he walked by my mother in the hall, he winked at her behind his girlfriend's back. After that girlfriend broke up with the boy, he took my mother's best friend out on a date, changed his mind, and started dating my mother. One breakup before prom, graduating high school together, and dating for 6 years later...My mother married her high school sweetheart at the age of 23. For a couple of years they went on adventures, honeymooned in Florida, drank beer up at the cabin with their friends, and built a house on 5 acres. Five days before my mother turned 26, she gave birth to me on the snowiest day of the year. My parents brought me home in a blizzard and started a whole new life experience together. My mother was meant for motherhood. It was her calling, her destiny to raise a family with her loving husband at her side. My parents gave me a sister when I was 18 months old and we were best friends ever since. I remember my mother doing the dishes, and teaching us how to sing our ABC's. I remember her makeup-less face when I had a nightmare and woke up in her bed. I remember her getting the privilege to stay at home and raise me. I remember going to church every Sunday and her talking on the phone for hours at a time. 

My mom had birthed 5 children before she was 35, 4 down on earth and 1 baby girl up above. When I was thirteen we adopted a little girl from Africa and that meant 5 kids, a husband, a house, and a dog that my mom handled with pure grace. This was her job. Motherhood was her job. Girl scouts, snotty noses, dying flowers in vases, messy rooms, greasy hair. Spring break trips to the zoo, school musicals, sleepless nights, a sick husband, dirty dishes. That was her job. She didn't get paid but she sure did one hell of a job.

I remember staying with friends for 9 days because my mother was in Africa with my dad, and crying because I had never been gone from her that long in my entire life. I remember my mother always getting up and getting ready in her blue robe. I remember her pretending she was good at singing while she mopped the kitchen. I remember the toys she helped me pick up after playing with them all day. That was her job. My mother was "the mom". The mom everybody knew. Everybody looked up to. Who raised beautiful children. Who kept her life busy and messy but it was perfect. The one who taught morals and kept the neighbors kids in line to protect her own kids. She was the glue that kept everything together because her husband had chronic headaches his whole life. Together they lost their house and moved three times in 4 years. Together they lost a couple dogs, but just bought another one. Together they lived their life. Not lives, life. My mother was so intentional about everything she did. She was the mother and wife that made everything make sense and if other people did it differently, it didn't make sense. My mother was a role model. For my grandmother, for my aunts who were much too crazy, for her little sister, for her peers and her children. She was "the mom". Because motherhood was her job.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
xoxo,
~Michlyn

Liar, Liar

Oh boy, where do I begin? :) I always say "I'm coming back guys, don't worry" "I'm going to start blogging more again". Haha well if those aren't lies then I don't know what is.

My life is always busy, there's no doubt about it. Friends, family, church, volleyball, school, work...The list goes on and on. Thought I'd do a little catch up on my life since I've got some actual free time today!

School - This year I started my first year of college classes. I'm doing PSEO (Post Secondary Education Option) through my high school. Which means I'm still in high school but I'm also getting free college credits at the same time. My sister did PSEO with me this year and we have a lot of friends from school doing the same thing, so it's been really fun and a little more flexible. I'm also a senior in high school, which means I'm making the most of everything I can. :) Senior trip, school dances, sports games, etc...It's been a blast so far!

Work - I only work weekends because I have school and play a sport as well. So once volleyball is over, I'll get back to working more and making a little more $$$. I love my job and everyone I work with is really nice and fun. Really blessed to have an opportunity to work there :)

Volleyball - I am one of the captains on our varsity volleyball team this year. I have the pleasure of sharing the "title" of captain with 2 other really great girls and our small varsity team of 11 girls always knows how to make me so so proud in all that they do! They always make me laugh on my worst days and we're like one big group of sisters. :) I'm sad that it's my last season with these girls, but I know God has great plans for all of us in the future.

Summer went by way too fast and senior year is in full swing as we're already at Homecoming Weekend! I'll be posting some catch up posts on summer and scheduling some posts on my life currently, so get ready for those. Thank you to everyone who still stops by and reads about my life and leaves sweet comments. You guys keep me going!

xoxo,
~Michlyn

Wordless Wednesday

MY 200TH POST!

This is my 200th post!

I've been writing & sharing about my crazy life with you for a year, and this is my 200th post! I love writing! Sometimes I need to vent. Sometimes I need encouragement. Sometimes I just want to have fun. These are some expressions that show in my posts on my little ole' blog.

Some sad

Some hopeful

Some kind

Some encouraging

Some desperate

Some exciting

Some boring

Some fun

You've all been so encouraging and kind! I just love hearing from my followers, friends, and strangers alike! :) Here's to another hopeful 200 posts down the road...

~Michlyn

New Pages

Hi everyone! I added two new pages underneath my header.

Contact Me - This gives you info on how you can reach me best for questions, comments, or concerns.

My View on Adoption - Most of you know that I have an adopted sister. She's been home for about 22 months now. I decided to write this page, so I could reach out to others and tell you how I view adoption. You can go check it out, and read more about my view.

Thanks everyone! Hope you're enjoying this beautiful Summer day just as much as I am!

~Michlyn

Memories

In November of 2008 my grandparents gave me a diary or journal - whatever you want to call it, for my birthday. So for the past 3 years I've written some of my daily thoughts, and adventures in it.

No I did not write in it every day.

Just on the days that I remembered I actually had it, or maybe I just found it laying on the floor in my closet or something, and decided to pick it up.

Anyway... Today was the last day. The last day that I'm ever going to write in it again. Right before I posted this, I finished writing on the last page.

This journal has many memories, good times, and struggles written all over it.

And it's locked up, safe and sound. And where is the key you might ask? It's safe where no one will find it. :)

Yes I am definitelly a "doodler"... if that's even a word. I love to draw simple random things on any piece of paper I have in front of me. Or in this case, my journal.

~Michlyn