Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Why Struggle Is Necessary

A few friends and I were discussing the absurd entitlement that children and young adults today employ when a situation arises that is less than favorable to them.  It's a disgusting epidemic that is circling the globe and it saddens me beyond belief, especially when I have my rare moments of entitlement.

Sure, we all have weak moments where we feel someone "owes" us something, or that we really, really "deserve" to get this/have this happen for us.  The people who have it right usually recognize this behavior is occurring within themselves and snap out of it.  Unfortunately, that leaves the rest of the entitlement generation who seem to consistently have it wrong.

During this discussion, we shared stories about where we have helped people younger than us, and we also had to divulge that in some cases, we probably weren't doing them any justice because they could always rely on someone else to "handle" things for them.  Sadly, I think this is one of the most rampant issues in America today - we are babying our nation's children to the point that they literally cannot fend for themselves.  This creates weaker adults, who then marry other weaker adults and produce children three times as weak.  The cycle goes on and on.

I was reading another article today, though, and came across a story similar to those we were sharing with one another, and it was accompanied by "The Tale Of The Butterfly," which I had actually never heard before.  So, I will share it with you, and I encourage you to share it with others!  Let's pass this thing around!

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A man found a cocoon of a butterfly.
One day a small opening appeared.
He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours
as it struggled to squeeze its body through the tiny hole.
Then it stopped, as if it couldn't go further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly.
He took a pair of scissors and
snipped off the remaining bits of cocoon.
The butterfly emerged easily but
it had a swollen body and shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch it,
expecting that any minute the wings would enlarge
and expand enough to support the body.
Neither happened!
In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life
crawling around.
It was never able to fly.

What the man in his kindness
and haste did not understand:
The restricting cocoon and the struggle
required by the butterfly to get through the opening
was a way of forcing the fluid from the body
into the wings so that it would be ready
for flight once that was achieved.

Sometimes struggles are exactly
what we need in our lives.
Going through life with no obstacles would cripple us.
We will not be as strong as we could have been
and we would never fly. 

(Author Unknown)

How fitting it was to read and to realize that sometimes, despite our own best intentions, we stunt the growth of others that so desperately needs to happen.  Trying to over-care and over-nurture others does not make you a bad person - quite the opposite, it makes you someone who genuinely wants to help.  But there has to be a point where you have to step back and realize that your help is crippling an individual that needs to learn lessons their own way - and most times, the hard way.

Until next time,

Friday, August 26, 2011

When You Have A Good Job...


...your birthday sort of rocks!  :)  Yes, I said it!  One thing that my company does that is super duper awesome is that they send you a package to your house for your birthday.  Granted, it's not always on your birthday, but it's usually the week of your special day.  Want a sneak peek of what's inside?  Of course you do!

Basically, anything from here is AHHH-MAZING!

Pretty packaging!

What's a present without a card?

Oh my goodness - what do we have here?

Cookies, peanut butter squares, and brownies - OH MY!

Double decker brownies!!!

Attack of the Chicken Wing!

HOORAY for birthday treats!!!

As I always say, it's the small things in life that mean the most, and it's little touches like this that can set a company apart.  It's easy to get busy with the hustle and bustle of your everyday duties, but it's really nice to know that your company cares enough about you to acknowledge you on your birthday!

As you're reading this, I will be hopefully figuring out how to settle into turning twenty-seven and enjoying my birthday treats with Comanche on the little birthday adventure he's planned for me!  Let's hope Hurricane Irene doesn't invite herself to my party!!!  I don't like party crashers, what can I say?

Until next time,

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY WISH!!!!


Just wanted to do a quick post for two people that I love so very much in this world.  In fact, you miiiiiiight just remember them (I've posted about them before around these parts).

One year ago today, back on my "golden" birthday, I had the distinct honor of standing beside these two as they tied themselves together for life in marriage!!!!  What a golden day it was for me because I got to see two people who deserve all the love and happiness in the world get to be celebrated by friends and family, and it genuinely meant the world to me that they asked me to be a part of it.  How blessed am I?

Without further ado.............



HAPPY



FIRST



ANNIVERSARY,



NAY & DK!!!!!!!!!

I can't remember the photographer's name in order to give photo credit, but I didn't take this last one! 

While I definitely don't see you or talk to you guys enough for my liking, I love you guys more than you'll ever know!  Can we just redo your wedding every year?!?!  I'd be down with that.  I'll wear my bridesmaid's outfit and everything!  Okay, it's a plan!


Until next time,

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Family Matters Pt. 3

Remember this guy?!?!  Yeah, you do!
Missed one of this awesome series?  Catch up here:
Family Matters Pt. 1 - The Preparation
Family Matters Pt. 2 - The Food

Warning, picture-heavy post ahead!  But, this post is dedicated to the point of the family reunion - THE FAMILY (and the fun and fellowship that comes with family)!  It was awesome getting to spend time with some of the ones I love the most in the world.  They are my connection to my dad, and because of them, the memories of him will stay with me forever.  Plus, this was the first time Comanche met most of the family, including my paternal grandparents! It was an exciting day!

Is he Hollywood or what?!?!

Cousin MB is going for it!

Perfect cannonball form!

Big splash for a little girl!

And she emerges after her long trip to the bottom!

Cousin M helps a little friend around the pool!

My adorable paternal grandparents, Grandma M and PaPa G!

Momma Chicken Wing and her new husband Dubya - it was his first time meeting the family, as well!

Little Sister CW and her boyfriend, Seatbelt, with one of our Aunt J's in the background!  All of the Chicken Wing girls brought new men to the family reunion this year!

Cousin F and Aunt J, looking adorable!

Me and Great-aunt M!

My Uncle H and me!

Sibling Love!  I absolutely LOVE this picture!!!!

Our little branch of the family tree, missing Little Brother CW, Uncle R, Cousin C, Aunt N, Uncle B, and their kids/grandkids!  (Our branch really isn't that little, as it turns out).


"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family." -Anthony Brandt



Until next time,

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Kasey & Vienna...I Have To Go There

Okay, the intention of my blog is NEVER to be mean, cruel, or judgmental, but sometimes....well, I'm not above it.  There are certain things that just have to be laughed at, and if you watched last night's episode of Bachelor Pad, you already know because you've already laughed at this.

Okay, what do you get when you combine this fine fellow

Source

with this dazzling young lady?


Fraggle Rock rocked the most, yes?

Well, you definitely get this - especially when you know Muppets and Fraggles love a good mushy musical opportunity.  What can I say?  Haters gonna hate.  And I am a def Kasienna hater.


Source

And apparently, so is Kirk...and the rest of the Bachelor Pad contestants.  High-larious.  And this is just one reason why Kirk is the hottest guy on the show.



Source

Until next time,

Monday, August 22, 2011

Oh, The Horror...And The Joy

One of my favorite and least favorite things about myself is that I can very easily see (and argue) both sides of just about anything.  While this is a good thing because I have little trouble relating to people in all kinds of situations and seeing someone else's point of view, it's also a very frustrating thing because I end up having a hard time deciding which side is the right side.

Case in point?  On Friday, I will be turning twenty-seven.  There, I said it.  The Chicken Wing will be another year older, and I can see the top of the hill that we all eventually go over.  Fact of life?  Sure.  Melodramatic?  Definitely.

On the one hand, I find myself completely overanalyzing my life - sometimes, it's hard to be a girl, y'all!  I find that as I get older, I do tend to revert back to my high-school mentality and I compare myself to other people.  Heck, more than half of my friends from high school are married and not just have one child - they have multiple children.  What?!?!?  We are totally not old enough for this to be happening - why am I constantly living an episode of "Sixteen and Pregnant?" 

But, it's time to face the facts, Chicken Wing.  We absolutely are old enough for this to happen.  People get married.  People have babies.  We really are grown-ups now.  That's life.  I guess I get a little hung up because I feel like maybe I'm a bit behind everyone else.

But, on the other hand, after I get done obsessively looking in the mirror and critiquing my progress in fighting the aging process, I have to have a laugh at my antics and smile real big (which undoubtedly will create more wrinkles on my face).  Why?  Because, let's face it - I have it pretty good. 

Yes, on Friday, I will be twenty-seven years old.  No, I am not married yet, nor am I engaged.  No, I don't have a gaggle of little chicks following me around.  Yes, I am still renting all these years later.  But, and there is a but....

I have multiple fabulous jobs when some people can't find one. 

Coworker/friend J-Man rocking the "WOW" face.

Full-time job family beach house dog pile!!!

Yes, that is my natural hair color (I'm in front!)

Part-time job = Full-time love!

I had the opportunity to go to and graduate from an amazing college and made some ridiculously awesome friends while there (to add to the ridiculously awesome friends I've had with me since childhood). 


College & Sorority sisters for life!  Alpha love!

My little sisters (both sorority and biologically)!

Love these girls like WHOA!

Two more college lady loves!  <3 my B & B!

So blessed to still have a lot of these Governor's School high school friends in my life!

You can take the girl out of the small town, but you can't take the small town out of the girl!

Best friends since Pre-K!

My little sissy growing up got married this year!  Love you to pieces, G-K!

I got set up on a blind date with literally the most amazing man I've ever met, and over the past year, he and I have created the kind of relationship that I've wanted my whole life. 

So in love with this man!

Thank you, sweet friends, for setting me up with the best gift I've ever received!

My family seriously rocks the most.  It's true, people, we're awesome.  You know it.  We know it.  Glad everyone's okay with that.

Tar Heels for life!

The Siblings Chicken Wing.

Everyone says we're twins!  What do you think?

Welcome to the family, Dubya!

I have the CUTEST furbabies on the planet.  Seriously, tell me I'm lying.  I dare you.

My heart swells with love and pride for these two! So.freaking.adorable.

So, here's to you, twenty-seven.  You may be taking another year off my life, but I laugh in your face.  Look back at all the pictures of what I've got (and if I posted pictures of EVERYONE I have in my life, I would certainly crash this blog).  Twenty-seven or not, who wouldn't want to be me?  That's why no matter my age, every year I can say that I will have a very happy and very blessed birthday.

Until next time,

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