Living up to expectations?

Some girls want to be a princess or a celebrity when they grow up. Not me, however, I always had much more realistic goals, like being an astronaut, becoming a bull rider, and marrying JC Chasez. Clearly those goals have worked out well for me.

Okay, so maybe some of my dreams weren't so realistic, but I did have some expectations for high school. I was going to be a varsity basketball starter as a freshman, date the star of the football team, wear his jersey and letter-jacket to all his games, be crowned homecoming, and live happily ever after. Totally achievable goals, right? Um, NO. Not so much.

This is where reality comes into play. I rarely started junior varsity games, even as a sophomore. I still have never had a boyfriend. Even as a senior, I attended the majority of the football games without a jersey or letter-jacket. And as for homecoming queen? Ha! That title actually belongs to my gorgeous, awesome, definitely deserving best friend!

It's pretty clear that my high school experience hasn't been quite what I was hoping for. I tend to have a hard time accepting anything less than perfection, but not in this case. I'm perfectly content with the life I have been dealt. I may not be perfect and popular, but who cares? I know I don't.

These silly measurements of high school popularity are just that: silly. I'm a little ashamed to remember I once desired all these things. Whether or not I'm "that girl" doesn't define me as a person. My success over the last four years isn't even defined in how many of these popularity measurements I've reached.

Sure, it may have been nice to accomplish such things during my teenage years, but in the long run none of it will matter. Nobody will care how "cool" of a high school student I was, so why dwell on what I didn't do? Instead of viewing these four years as a failure, I see them as a major success.

Maybe I didn't learn what it feels like to be the most popular girl in the school, but I'm also glad I didn't. Now that I'm older, I realize that I'm someone who enjoys the spotlight. My idea of fun is sipping on some coffee while watching a movie... in bed, a lifestyle far removed from that of the typical teenager.

And, guess what: I'm not the typical teenager. In fact, I wasn't even created to blend in with the crowd. I was made to stand out and be so much more: a light, a helper, a leader, and a servant. While sometimes choosing to be different might not be easy, I know it's necessary.

"Everyone will hate you because of me. But Not a hair  your head will perish. Stand firm and you will win life." (Luke 21:17-19)

Finding a routine

I really need to get into the habit of blogging! I keep reminding myself I need to update, but I never do. I'm a slacker. I also lack creativity, that could be a slight issue. However, although I'm a week late, I wanted to share my latest accomplishment, finishing a 5K while not being prepared whatsoever!

Okay, I had prepared a little bit by using my C25K iPhone app. However, leading up to the K-State Homecoming Race, I hadn't ran more than 2 miles in the last month, I wasn't going to let it stop me though, and if I had to walk some, so be it. Finishing it was all that mattered, and that's exactly what we did! It was my aunt's second 5K, so I was a little scared that she'd go off and be a champ, however, she stuck with me, even when I told her I was incapable of running and needed a walk break. I think she was glad she did take a break, though, she ended up beating her previous time!

I'm fairly certain it's IMPOSSIBLE to have a bad day when
you get to see a sunrise like this on the way to Manhattan.

Ready for the race!

The "after" picture. Okay, not really... it was staged. 

The real after picture! Ready for the next race! 

We finished in 34 minutes and 12 seconds, which isn't too bad if you ask me. It's not like either of us had prepared for it, and I had absolutely no experience in running a race! All in all, it was a fun day! To sum it up, we enjoyed a gorgeous morning, the joy of surviving, the deliciousness of Planet Sub, the greatness of Manhattan, and I even got to end the day with a youth group hayrack ride and bonfire... pretty great to say the least! 

Starting fresh

This isn't my first attempt at starting a blog. In fact, this is actually the third try. Here's to hoping that the saying "The third time's a charm" will apply here. I guess only time will tell.

I wish I could lay out my expectations, hopes, and plans for this blog, but honestly, I have none. I wish I could say I have one topic that I want to make a theme of this blog, but that's not the case. I'm an easily-annoyed small town teenage girl, and I'm sure many of my posts will probably reflect that. However, I'm also a Christian with big dreams, trying to make a small impact on the world, and I hope that some of my posts will reflect that, too. I guess we'll just have to wait and see! :)

Two bestfriends a girl could ask for... seriously.