I can't believe that another week has come and gone so quickly! It seems like the days are just ticking by faster and faster as my time here in DC starts to wind down. The past week has been the first full week in what seems like forever that I have not had a visitor during the weekend so I was able to rest my feet a bit and just have a relaxing weekend. Not that I minded having visitors, because if I am being real honest I would rather have family and friends here with me every weekend than no visitors at all. But, the good thing that came out of my somewhat boring and lackluster weekend was the thinking and reflecting I was able to do.
Thus, I came up with the perfect topic for this weeks blog. I realized that this year has been a year of many "firsts" for me. So, for the purpose of all of this actually making sense in the end, I am going to give you a lists of all of the things that I can think of that I have done or tried for the first time. Some of them may seem small and silly, but I promise all of them have, at some point made a meaningful impact of some kind for me.
So to start it all off, this year began with a first that many girls have "accomplished" way before they are 21 years old, but because of sports and the sheer fact that I am a baby, I finally decided to get my ears pierced! Haha while this may sound silly to most of you, it was kind of a big deal for me. Not only was it the first time I had ever gotten my ears pierced, but it marked the first time that I was able to do it because I was no longer playing a sport of some kind for the first time in as long as I can remember. I think up to this point I had been involved in some type of sporting activity since I was 4 years old, so for me, piercing my ears was symbolic not only because it showed that I was "growing up", but essentially now that I think about it, it signified the end of my time in sports. Obviously I will really never stop playing sports, but I am no longer involved in a school or organized league sport and that has definitely been a tough transition for me. However, I do have to say that piercing my ears was definitely a meaningful thing because it is what started my "growing up" phase in my eyes.
The next first on my list was quite possibly one of my favorites, and that was receiving a pay check for working for someone other than my parents! I have worked as an assistant coach for the LCHS softball team and gotten paid for that before, but for some reason, working various Child Nutrition Workshops around the Texas area this summer felt like it was the first time that I had ever had that experience before. It was essentially my wake-up call into what working hard will get you. It was also a first for me in the sense that I took every single paycheck I earned over this summer and put them directly into my savings to be able to have for spending money during my time here in DC. I obviously have saved money before, but never like this, and I am beyond thankful that I was given the opportunity to make the money that I did so that I am able to have a little more fun while I am here! And I promise I am not spending all of it while I am here ;) Well at least I am trying not to!!
The next first, and probably most obvious if you have read or know about any of my other posts, would be moving away from my family and the house that I grew up in for the very first time. I am sure that it goes without saying, but this has by far been the hardest of my "firsts". While I am enjoying this experience more than I ever thought possible, I sure do miss my family and friends more than anything. However, moving away for the first time, 1,700 miles away, has probably been one of the best decisions of my life! I am sure that sounds a little funny after saying that I miss my family and friends so so much, but in all honesty I don't think that I would be where I am at mentality wise if I wouldn't have taken this opportunity. As silly as it sounds I have grown up so very much in the 2 months that I have been here, and every single day I learn something new about myself and the world around me and I have no doubt that I have become a better person because of it. While I have been in DC I have had more time than not to think about my future and what I want to do with my life, and slowly but surely I am beginning to answer those questions and know that they are true. Before coming here, I was so set in my ways and satisfied with how easy life was, and I guess you could say that I was "sheltered from reality" a bit. Although my parents have always instilled in me the values and life lessons of what it takes to be a grown up in the real-world through their hard work each and every day, I never truly grasped that concept until I moved up here. I now have a whole new outlook on life and what it takes to become your own person, to pursue your own dreams, and to work each and every day to try and learn something new, not only about yourself, but about the world around you.
The last and most interesting of all my "firsts" would be pertaining to living in DC itself. While this is technically my 2nd time to be in DC (my mom and I came to visit back in March), this is obviously the first time that I have been in the city longer than 5 days. Because of that, I have had numerous "firsts". It would probably take me and entire day to list all of them, so I will just do a quick run down of some of my favorites off the top of my head: I have tried crab cakes, swordfish, vegan pizza (vegan cheese, fried eggplant, garlic, and onions), calamari, mushroom ravioli, and many other types of food for the first time, and I have to say most of them were actually pretty good (other than the vegan pizza! That won't happen ever again!!). I have had the pleasure to work with several Olympians including swimmer Kate Ziegler, tae kwon do champion Daba Keita, and cyclist Sam Schultz, along with Redskins defensive end Adam Carriker, radio personality Chuck Carroll, and perhaps my favorite one of all, Michael Phelps sister Hilary who is an amazing person inside and out and such a sweetheart. Working with all of these wonderful people has been quite an experience and has definitely shown me that hard work really does pay off, because in the end I am being rewarded with some amazing opportunities to meet and work with some of the worlds best athletes. I have had the opportunity to meet people from all across the world; China, South Korea, India, Mexico, Gibraltar, Puerto Rico, Canada, Brazil, and many more through the Washington Center program and I have no doubt forged some life long friendships with so many of these wonderful men and women. All of these things have been such a tremendous addition to my lists of "firsts" and I am sure that there are some things I have left out, but for now I am sure you get the idea! This has been an AMAZING experience and dream come true for me.
I hope I have not bored you with my "lists of firsts" and that you are able to see where I am coming from when I mean that every single one of these has in some way impacted my life for the better. This year has been a year of growth for me; from getting my ears pierced and stopping sports, to getting my first real paycheck, to moving away from my family and all I have ever known, to coming to DC and experiencing a whole lists of firsts that many people will never have the chance to do, I am blessed to be able to say that there is a first for everything. While in the beginning we may not be able to see the effects that these "firsts" have on us, when you delve deeper, every single life experience we have, whether it be the first or last time that we have it, will somehow have an impact on the way we view things. Last year at this time I would have told you that you were crazy if you said that I would be where I am at today!
I have no shame in admitting that I was just a young woman who thought she had life all figured out and while I admit that at times, I am still not sure that I do, I can assure you that I have grown leaps and bounds since I have begun this journey. By no means am I saying that I no longer need my family and friends, or that I am ready to go out and conquer the world all on my own. Lets all be real; I am a mommas, daddys, grandma and grandpa, brothers, and entire families girl who will never grow out of wanting to be home and surrounded by the ones who love me most. However, I am now able to firmly say that if and when the time comes for me to leave once again, I know that I will be ready. I am well aware that the career I wish to have will probably not allow me to end up in Lubbock, Texas, and before now I am not so sure that I was okay with that (and if it happens to lead me to stay in Lubbock, I will be happy as can be, that is for sure!!). But because of this experience and this past years "firsts" I can look by and see just how much I truly have grown up. I know this is hard for my family to read, (sorry daddy and momma!!) but is just so gosh darn true. I will ALWAYS, and I do mean always be a "small town" girl from Lubbock, Texas and I am beyond thankful for that. It is just the simple fact that now, when life comes knocking at my door in the next few months with opportunities for my career, I won't be afraid to answer it!
I am beyond blessed to have the love and support of all of my wonderful family and friends, and without all of you this experience would not be near what it has. I firmly believe that because of all of your words of love and encouragement I have been able to calm my fears, and just live the life that I imagine it can be. While the "grown-up world" is still a scary place to think about, I strongly believe I am ready for it. After all, considering that I graduate from college in a mere 36 days, I better be ready for something!
Life is probably going to throw me a ton of curve balls over the next few months and years; I am probably going to swing and miss many times, and strike out a time or two, but in the end I know that I will hit a home run!! I may not know exactly where I am going yet, but I have a pretty darn good idea, and I hope that each one of you will continue to run around the bases with me! As I have said over and over again, you all truly mean the world to me and without you I would be nowhere!
I want to end with one of my favorite quotes that comes from Coach Lou Holtz (former college and NFL football coach), "Life is ten percent what happens to you, and ninety percent how you respond to it." I know for a fact that many more "firsts" will be coming my way in the near future, and I look forward to responding to it in the best way possible!
Thank you for sticking through this entire post! I love you and appreciate you all more than you will ever know! I am going to post a few pictures from some of these "firsts" below. I hope you have a great week!
Kalee
Redskins Defensive End, Adam Carriker and I on the day of his TV interview with Varney & Co.
Some of my favorite International guys, (LtoR) Paul from Gibraltar, Yoon from South Korea, and David from Mexico
Olympian and World Champion in Tae Kwon Do, Daba Keita. Such and amazing guy!! This was taken yesterday during his photo shoot for a healthy living campaign. Great times!!
One of the many interesting foods that I have tried for the first time while being here, this was a butternut squash salad, and I would brutally murder the actual name of it if I even tried so we are going to stick with that for now!
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