Justine Magazine Photo Shoot & The Never-Ending Bucket List!

Life without curveballs would be like pancakes without butter and maple syrup.
A week and a half ago, I got thrown a speeding curveball that turned into a home run!
We got a call from a Southern Belle who publishes, JUSTINE, a national magazine, telling me her magazine wanted to fly me to Memphis for an interview and photo spread. They had selected me as one of their REAL GIRLS!

Gotta love the curveball!

I made a whirlwind trip down to one of the coolest cities in America, had the photo shoot and was treated to a FUN time by Miss Southern Belle and her entire crew and family. I LOVE THE SOUTH! I WANNA BE A SOUTHERN BELLE, TOO! :)

I flew home the next day, making it out of Memphis Airport minutes before it shut down due to snow.....get this, fellow Idahoans...they had an entire inch on the ground! Guess any excuse to eat barbecue....! LOVE THE SOUTH!

Just before I left, Miss Southern Belle, (and what a lady she was!) informed me they had also decided to put me on the cover of the April/May issue.

Now, to any of you girls out there, who feel stuck, or that your life isn't going anywhere, or that your hopes and dreams will remain just that, let me speak to you.

Your hopes and dreams can become reality. It takes work and sacrifice. It requires making decisions that may cost you something. In my case, it meant making a decision not to date until I finished high school. Yeah...I know. CRAZY!

I like boys as much as the next girl. I like feeling cared about and getting Valentines and roses...at least I think I do. I havent ever gotten any from a male, (other than my dad so I'm just guessing!)

But I decided to forego all the Girl-Boy drama and concentrate on academics, hobbies and turning my dreams and goals into reality.

I made my own Bucket List and got started on it when I was 13. Five years later I have checked off almost half of the original list.

Funny think about Bucket Lists, as you check stuff off, and grow older, and hopefully wiser, you find you ADD stuff to the list. I hope I NEVER finish my Bucket List! I hope that on the day I die, I am still finding things I want to accomplish and try and experience.

Anyway, not dating in high school resulted in me being able to accomplish TONS of stuff I probably wouldn't have even tried to do had I been dating, breaking up with some kid who's name I wont remember in ten years, or out partying.

Choices. It all comes down to choices.

So if you have dreams, hopes and goals, remember to GO AFTER THEM! Count the cost and prioritize.

By the way, I finished my high school credits in December and during winter break had a very nice first date, (and a few more after that) with a guy I have known for 5 years. He went back to school and I am back to my Bucket List. Hmmmmmmm. Maybe I should add HIM to my Bucket List?