Walk with me

I have always been told to never allow anyone to get in the way of my dreams (in my mom's advice it was always  to not allow boys to get in my way.) And I believe that to be true in many regards. God has a plan for each and every one of us here on earth. He has known what we were to do before we were born; He knows what will happen to us today before we know.

I think God puts people in our lives for a reason; whether they are meant to stay forever or whether they are just passing by, God puts them in your life for a reason. This is always something I have struggled with, mainly when friends who I thought were going to stay in my life slowly disappeared and no longer talked to me. Most of the time we want to know everything that's going to happen to us when the truth is we know nothing. Only God has that power to know everything...

The real reason I'm writing this is because I've just started a new relationship and it really gets me thinking about the people God brings in and out of my life as well as who is meant to get in my way or who is not. But in reality, the people who are brought into my life now I think are meant to walk with me, not get in my way or stop me. As I get older and experience more in my life, I realize I only need a few good people around me, my team, who is going to do anything and everything to help me follow God's plan for me and help me reach my dreams.

Pretending

"Pretending can help in so many ways."

So I'll admit it, I like to pretend. It's hard to explain, but inside my head I pretend different scenarios are happening and I play along with them. Sometimes I do it because I'm bored and other times I do it to escape reality. Don't get me wrong, I love my life and I love living in the moment, but sometimes I need a break; I think we all need a break every once in a while, but instead of laying in bed all day I tend to just pretend.

I read this quote in a book I actually never finished. Now that I think about it, I might have stopped reading the book after I read this quote because it hit me so hard. Do you ever have that happen? You read something or see something or do something that hits you so hard that you have to stop for a second and just let it sit with you...in some weird way it may even change you right then and there. That's what happened to me when I read this quote because I pretend all the time and pretending helps me; it helps me heal, re-focus, and sometimes re-energize me for what may lie ahead.

Life is hard. Sometimes things happen that throw us off the track a little, but how we handle those off road moments makes a difference. I like to pretend something else is happening so that I can escape life, even if just for a moment.

Friendship

Since the class of 2016 has graduated or is about to graduate, I have been reflecting on my college graduation which was 1 year ago, and where I am today. 

It's amazing how fast four years goes by, but it's even harder to believe that I graduated from college 1 year ago already. It was right before my senior year when I decided to play professional golf after I graduated, and it has been one wild ride so far! But one thing that I've been thinking about recently and something that has been affected after I graduated is friends.

I went to the University of Toledo not knowing anyone and counting on my teammates to be my best friends, and not just my best friends for the four years I was there, but to be my best friends for the rest of my life. Let me tell you something that no one told me: it doesn't work like that. I met a lot of great people at Toledo and I had the best teammates a girl could ask for, but when I graduated some of those friendships I thought were so great, didn't last. Don't get me wrong, I love all the girls that I got to be teammates with, I just wasn't prepared to have the cord cut with some of them.

But here's what I have learned: you only need a few good friends who really care about you. Once you have those friends you can trust 100% then hang on tight to them! My roommate down in Florida, Lindsey, has become one of my best friends and we just recently had this conversation about friendships. We both agreed that we were meant to be in each other's lives forever. 

I still struggle with the friendships that had died over the course of this past year, but I know there's room for new friendships to blossom in those empty spaces. God puts people in your life for a reason, some are meant to stay forever and some are just passing by.

Goodbye

As everyone knows, I am obsessed with Disney, and I love Disney quotes! When I found this one from Peter Pan I fell in love with it and since that day I have tried not to say "goodbye." But if you really think about it, it's hard to not say goodbye. We are, in a way, trained to say goodbye when we are leaving someone, but if you think about it, it's kind of sad to say goodbye and I think Peter said it best, "...going away means forgetting."

I bring up this topic because I'm making my way back up to Michigan for the summer and I had to leave all the people I met down in Florida, and say goodbye. Saying goodbye is hard. Especially when you realize how much of an impact those people and that place had on you. These past four months in Florida have been amazing! I have met so many great people and played some amazing golf courses that it was really hard for me to leave.

And it was hard for me to leave this girl...

Lindsey has become one of my best friends. When I first moved down to Florida, Lindsey and I hardly knew each other. We had played amateur golf in Michigan together and had seen each other at a few college tournaments, but beyond that we didn't talk much. When we were out at Q-school we hung out and had dinner together and got each other's numbers. A couple months later she texted me and asked me if I would live with her down in Florida and do this professional golf thing together, to which I responded, yes :) Being down in Florida together has been a blast and we have really enjoyed it! Lindsey comes back to Michigan mid-May so I'll see her soon!

Don't get me wrong, I'm very excited to go back home and see my family and friends in Michigan :) Right now, I'm in Toledo visiting my college teammates and it feels good to see them and hang out with them again! I'm excited to continue this crazy adventure and see what God has in store for me!

xoxo

Memorizing Scripture

Hello reader! :) Thanks for finding my blog and for stopping by!

Now I should be writing about my last golf tournament and tell you how I did, but in reality this is my blog and I didn't play great so I have some other things to talk about instead! (But in case you were wondering I finished T24th and shot 79, 78, 76 :p).

So I follow Mary-Kate Robertson on Instagram and when I found out she has a blog I signed up for email alerts because I just really like her:) Her most recent blog post was absolutely fabulous and it really helped me out too! She was talking about memorizing scripture and how difficult it can be (I'm raising my hand over here because I'm in the same boat). I love reading from my Bible and growing deeper in my faith, and I have been trying to really memorize scripture, but it's really hard! But what Mary-Kate has learned and now shared with everyone has really helped me out! Drum roll please........ She writes the first letter of every word and she actually writes it on her hand! For a visual go check out her site: www.thelittleduckwife.com

I discovered this little tip during my last tournament and wrote Deuteronomy 31:6 on my hand during the second round and whenever I had a little down time I would look down at my hand and rehearse the scripture and let me tell you, I think it really works! I'll have to write down some more scriptures and take a picture to post on my Instagram and if I remember I'll post it on here too! But I just thought I would share because I thought it was a great tip and who knows, maybe it'll help one of you out there :)

Believe

Hey guys! So this past week we played over in Lake Mary, Florida at Timacuan Golf Club. We played there earlier this year, but this time around it was a completely different course! The first time it was cold and windy, and when I say windy I mean 40 mph gusts :/ Lets just say it wasn't fun, but this week was absolutely perfect! 85-90 degrees every day with little to no wind. I was standing on the 16th tee today looking up at the sky and the trees realizing that it had been completely calm all day! Fortunately I played better this time around too. I shot 79, 76, 76 to finish T28.

Overall I would say I had a pretty good week. I am making a few swing changes right now and I wasn't completely comfortable the first day, but I managed to finish with a 79. The last two days were much better. My swing felt like it was coming together and I made a few more up and downs than the first day which helped my confidence. 

The past few months have been a bit of a challenge because I know I can play better than I have been, but I keep getting reminded that this takes time and I just have to keep believing in myself.

Sometimes it's hard to always stay positive or believe that you can do something when things are going wrong so I tend to write "Believe" on my wrist as a reminder to stay positive and always believe that I can do it. Although I may not be playing the way I want to be right now, I know that tomorrow is a new day and it only takes one round to really turn things around so for now I will continue to work hard and keep believing! 

We're a Disney Family :)

Hey ya'll! So my parents are in town this week (it's my mom's spring break) and I just got back from Orlando where I spent a couple of days with them at Disney World! Anyone who knows me and my family know how Disney obsessed we are. In my 22 years of being alive, I have probably been to Disney World at least 25 times. Crazy you say? I know, and I love it! We usually spend Christmas at Disney and almost every year I get the same questions: Don't you want to spend Christmas at home? Aren't you sick of Disney? Aren't you a little old for Disney? And I have answers for all of those questions:

1. Disney is home. I know to some people that may sound crazy, but ever since I could remember we have been spending Christmas at Disney World so it's not weird to me, and to anyone who has ever been to Disney knows what they say to you when you check into your resort, "Welcome home!" Hearing those words makes my heart happy and it really makes you feel like you're at home :)

2. You can never get sick of Disney. I never get bored of the rides or the characters or anything they do there; plus they are always adding on new and fun things like Star Wars Land, Toy Story Land, and Pandora (from Avatar). So how could you possibly get sick of it!?

3. You are NEVER to old for Disney. And that's all I have to say about that.

This quick visit was a little different because my younger sister could not come with my parents, but it was nice to have a little time with these two! I even got my Dad to go on Splash Mountain with me which never happens! :)

Being able to see my parents this week got me thinking about how lucky I am to have them. They support me in anything that I do and always make sure to tell me that I can do it! Growing up they never told me I couldn't do something, but they did tell me that if I wanted to be good at anything that I would have to work for it and earn it myself. They taught me to work hard, but to also stay kind and encourage others. I have been so blessed by the life they have helped create for me.

My advice of the day: go thank your parents and tell them you love them. They are the ones who gave you life, the ones who raised you, and the ones who are watching you grow into your own person.

I love you mom and dad! Thank you for everything:)