There was this time in my life; I believe most people call it high school, but I call it the wonder years. I wasn’t a great student but I was a good one. I made the grades but I didn’t spend my entire high school experience doing homework and studying. I didn’t drink or do any sort of “partying” and I was and still am MORE than OK with that. Instead, I had a great group of best friends. We called ourselves the Ya-Yas – yes, after the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (don’t judge). There were four of us and we literally did everything together. I always had a boyfriend. First there was Justin, then Jared, and finally Neil – the only boyfriend I ever loved. Of course, I now call him husband <3 I played the piano. I sang in the chamber choir. With the choir I performed in New York City, Washington D.C. and Chicago. I was in the color guard all four years and in the winter guard for the first 3. I was flag captain my junior year and guard captain my senior year. I was very active in my church. I worked part time at a catering company for a while and then as a pharmacy technician at a retail pharmacy for even longer. During the summers, I also worked at my dad's office. Also during the summers I swam every day and played tennis at the country club. I was daddy's little girl and my momma was my best friend.

There also was this time in my life – I'm pretty sure everyone just calls it college. I went to school full time… for 8 years, at two different schools. First I studied pre-pharmacy, stopping just short of applying to pharmacy schools; then I studied accounting, following in my father's footsteps; and also went to school for nursing – graduating with my associates in nursing in May 2012. I worked part time – first in a hospital pharmacy, then in another hospital's pharmacy, then at a tax firm, then at a restaurant, then at a retail store, then at a nursing home, then as a web designer, and then again as a retail pharmacy technician. Can you tell I like variety? I lived in the dorms for one a one-half years, then moved into a house with my best friend for 6 months, then moved into an apartment with that same best friend for a year, then I got married and moved into another apartment with my husband for 2 and one-half years, then we moved to another town and lived in my parents' lake house for one and one half years, then moved into an apartment for one year. Again, can you tell I like variety? While I lived in The College Town (2004-2010), I was in a sorority, I went to parties, I went "clubbing", but I never got into any trouble. I went to the gym and the theater all the time. I had good friends, great friends, and a best friend who is still my best friend to this day.

And then, there is now. I'm 26 years old, soon to be 27. I will be celebrating my 6th wedding anniversary this July with the love of my life. I'm a homeowner and a business owner. I'm a full time photographer and a full time student. Yup, I'm going to school online for my Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN). I'm also a full time registered nurse with a good job at the hospital I've always wanted to work at. Needless to say I'm a little busy. I try to still be active in church and keep up with my friends, but it's getting harder and harder the more successful my business grows.

I'm not going to lie and say that I have no regrets. Of course I do. I regret that it took me 4 years to decide to become a nurse, because I could have not wasted so much time trying to figure it out. I regret that I didn't find my passion for photography until I was 24 because I could have been doing what I love for a long time now. I regret not staying active in church. Getting back in the swing of things is harder than I thought it would be.

Essentially, all of my regrets have to do with not doing what I am currently doing sooner. We've heard that God has a plan for us, and that if we just put our trust in Him, He will lead us. Well, if I wasn't a firm believer in that before, I definitely am now. My life is changing and it's all because I've been trying my hardest to follow where I truly believe God wants me to go. Can I be 100% certain? Not until I'm standing at the Pearly Gates can I ask that question and it will be answered. But as much as anyone can be, I am. Here goes nothing!