Seven Years Later

"I'm so excited to get out of this town!" The words that came out of my mouth to my parents seven years ago as I was getting ready to graduate High School.

Seven years have passed as I have been up here in Morgantown, WV.  I got my degree here at West Virginia University, joined a Sorority, made friends, and made a million memories; some I remember, some I don't =)

If you could sit me down and ask me what all I have done in the past seven years, I could talk your ear off!  There is no where to start, not one memory beats another memory, not one event seemed to be better than the other.  I have lived my life up here for seven years.

As I sit here at work, thinking about all the packing I need to do when I get home; I take a stroll down memory lane, and I think about what is about to come.  I also think about the new and exciting journey God is giving me, us.

A new chapter.  A new journey.  A new adventure. 

If you asked me seven years ago where I would be right now, I would tell you in New York City, or in the Carolinas or Texas.  Well my loves, God had a very different plan for me!  Jobs were lost and new jobs came about; not in my field of course.  I don't regret any life decisions I have made, because you know what, everything happens for a reason and God has a huge plan for me, and all of us!  We just don't know it yet.

Valentines Day Weekend 2016 - After hearing the words out of Mr. Mans mouth, "I have been laid off" - my heart sunk, and my stress levels started rising rapidly.  Wondering if I should tell him to return my Valentines gift or if I should start selling clothes, wondering what our next steps were.  All the worries and questions and emotions just hit all at once.  Yes, I cried... I'm Grace Katherine (and I'm a Scorpio), would you expect anything less?

Long story short, Logan found a job quicker than we thought!  Praise the Lord!  I had my prayer warriors out there and we prayed for a new job...back home.

Walk down memory lane - Logan and I grew up in the same town, went to the same high school, and were very good friends in high school and in college.  Pretty much I always thought he was the one that got away - until we ran into each other, again, up here in Kroger, as I was going for some ice cream and he was wasting time until his apartment was ready.  And three years later, here we are!  But, I'll leave on that little love note.  =)  

Seven years ago, if you asked me where I would be today, the very last answer I would have given you would be back home.  Just because that was my kind of attitude back in the day.  I wanted to get as far away.  Well, you try being away from your family for almost 8 years.  It's not easy!  Seeing my parents having the ability to go visit my older sister or spend time with my younger siblings, really put me in such a depressed place.  Wondering, well why can't they come see me?  Well for one, I'm 3 1/2 hours away - and it's not a fun drive either!  So, after almost 8 years of being away from my family, I have learned to appreciate the time with them!  And, I freaking miss them!  I have prayed on this next step in our lives to know if this is right for me, for us.  And one day, it hit me; yes, it's time to go home.  I always worried that if I went back home, if we went back home that people would look at me and think, "oh she is a failure" - and that gave me a lot of anxiety and stress.  Well, you know what, I'm NOT a failure. Logan is NOT a failure - this was OUR decision.

Seven years later, today; ask me - where do you see yourself today?  I see myself back home with my family and with someone I can call my sweetheart and my best friend.  I see me raising babies where I was raised, and take them to church and picnics.  So yes, I'm coming home.  

So, friends come and go, memories will always be memories and places where you lived will always be there.  It's taken me a long to to really understand the true meaning of family.  I always thought I was so close to my parents and my brother and sisters.  I watch the way Logan is with his parents and envy him for how close he is with them.  I'm actually quite jealous of that relationship.  Yes, he is an only child and I have three siblings, shouldn't I be closer to my family?  I'm not, but I want to be.  I'm not saying I have no relationship with my family, I do! But, I want more.  

7 Years of Memories

(freshman year to now and these are just a few pictures I could find, I have so many more with many more memories so if any of my friends are seeing these and don't see their pictures, don't be alarmed...these are just what I could find with limited access.) 

Seven (almost eight) years have past.  And I'm coming home.

Thank you for letting me give you a little piece of me, a little Grace. xoxo

Let's talk about skin baby!

I know everyone has their own different techniques into their skincare routines.  Let's face it, every single one of us has completely different skin!  For example, I have pretty normal/combo skin; My T-Zone gets a little oily throughout the day, and the rest of my face is pretty normal.  But, in the winter, I'm a lot more on the dry side, so I really have to watch my skin when seasons change.  Most of us have to do that.

Lately, I have been really into this skincare routine at night, mainly because it is quick and easy and only takes a good 5 minutes of my evening.  Some of these things might be good for your skin, and some might not.  But, if you have about the same type of skin I do, I would highly recommend trying these products out!

Now, this routine is just what I normally do about every night.  Some nights I like to go into a deep cleanse with a mud mask or something, but that is another blog in itself.  If you want to see what I do every night, then just keep on scrolling!

Step One:  I like to get rid of as much make up before actually washing my face.  This takes me about 30 seconds to a minute, depending on the makeup I had on that day.  Lately, I have been using the Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes; they come in a 4 pack and a 5 pack at Sam's Club, so more bang for you buck!  You can get them at your local Sam's Club or even online from $11.00 to $13.00.  If you aren't a member with Sam's Club, you can find these anywhere!  I just really like to find some good deals when I can.

Step Two:  You can call these two a match made perfect!  I normally have a hard time trying to find a good drug store face wash, just because my face can be a Diva at times.  Though I do not have any acne, except for those wonderful days each month; ladies you know what I'm talking about, I have been using the Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Redness Smoothing Cream Cleanser ($10) with my Clarisonic Mia2 Sonic Cleansing System  (price varies on what style/package you want).  I like using cold water on my face when washing, just because there have always been studies on colder water and keeping your face looking younger longer, because of your elasticity...Gotta keep that face looking fresh and young!  

I wet my face with cold water, then apply the cream cleanser with it covering my whole face.  I do this just because I know I'm getting it all over, rather than just putting it on the brush.  I get the brush head wet with water and 30 seconds on your forehead, 30 seconds on your t-zone and 10 seconds on each side of your face (it beeps when it's time to change the area).  It's that easy!  After I rinse my face off with cold water, I take a face towel and PAT my face dry; do not rub.  If you pat, you help prevent stretching out your skin and have less of a chance getting those wrinkles.  All about that elasticity, my loves!

You can purchase the cream cleanser at pretty much any drug store near you.  Now as a reminder, when using a Clarisonic, you DO NOT want to use any cleansers that have beads in them; unless you want to completely ruin your Clarisonic - no bueno!  I love me some QVC, and found a great deal on my Clarisonic.  Those "easy payments" come and go, so it's all about searching and waiting.  If you want a good deal on a clarisonic, I would highly recommend keeping your eye on QVC.  I got mine with a year supply of brush heads and it was on 3 easy payments!  

Step Three:  I have always had time with moisturizers.  When my skin wants to be a little high maintenance, it can be very picky on which moisturizers it'll take to.  Currently, Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel ($26) has been my ride or die.  I have not found anything from the drug store yet that'll not make my face break out.  So for now, this is my love. 

I take 1 to 2 baby pumps into the palm of my hand.  I generously distribute it and rub it into my skin. I try to move my hands inward rather than outward just to prevent stretching out my skin.  Momma doesn't want wrinkles anytime soon!

Another moisturizer I have really enjoyed (I ran out) has been the Origins GinZing Energy-Boosting Moisturizer.  I would use this either in the morning or summer months.  It smells so good and left my skin feeling wonderful!

Step Four:  When you get a sample from Sephora, you gotta try it out, right??  And that's what I have been doing!  I got this Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream  ($30 full size).  I barely put my finger in the pod and put little dots under my eyes.  I've had this for months and you can see I have barely made a dent in the sample size.  I take my ring finger and start to pat.  I move inward with light patting motions; you do not want to rub, as we are trying to prevent those wrinkles.  Normally, If I have a little excess on my finger, I'll just dab it on the upper part of my eye.  

See, that was pretty simple, right?  As I mentioned before, I understand everyone has their own skincare routine.  I ain't judging!  This is what I do and if anyone has similar skin to mine, you can always try these products out!  I did not purchase these things at one time.  I did a lot of research and found the best deals as I could.  So, of course I always recommend waiting on a good deal!  

If this is something you enjoyed, please let me know in the comment box below!  I love to hear your feedback!

And as always, from me to you, it's just a little Grace.