Friday, January 25, 2013

Friday letters

Dear Friday-
I'm so glad you always find your way back to me. I've missed you! Excited to spend this weekend 1. With Rayce, unlike last weekend and 2. Not sick, unlike last weekend
 
Dear Winter-
So over you. Go away.
 
Dear Crown the Empire-
I can't get enough of you
 
 
 
 
Seriously...I die. So sexy good.
 
Dear gym-
I'm so glad we found you. You are making me feel better about myself even though I can't feel or see any changes yet...but I'm glad I'm finally workin on my fitness!
 
Dear boyfriend-
Can we please move to NC now?


Tuesday, January 22, 2013

My hardest experience...shit's getting real over here

THE LIST:
1. List 20 random facts about yourself.
2. Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears.
3. Describe your relationship with your parents.
4. List 10 things you would tell your 16 year-old self, if you could.
5. What are the 5 things that make you most happy right now?
6. What is the hardest thing you have ever experienced?
7. What is your dream job, and why?
8. What are 5 passions you have?
9. List 10 people who have influenced you and describe how.
10. Describe your most embarrasing moment.
11. Describe 10 pet peeves you have.
12. Describe a typical day in your current life.
13. Describe 5 weaknesses you have.
14. Describe 5 strengths you have.
15. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
16. What are your 5 greatest accomplishments?
17. What is the thing you most wish you were great at?
18. What has been the most difficult thing you have had to forgive?
19. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?
20. Describe 3 significant memories from your childhood.
21. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and what would you do with it first?
22. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?
23. List your top 5 hobbies and why you love them.
24. Describe your family dynamic of your childhood vs. your family dynamic now.
25. If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you eat?
26. What popular notion do you think the world has most wrong?
27. What is your favorite part of your body and why?
28. What is your love language?

29. What do you think people misunderstand most about you?

30. List 10 things you would hope to be remembered for.
Today...6. What is the hardest thing you have ever experienced?
 Warning - Shits about to get real heavy around here...don't say I didn't warn you

Well, in my short 24 years I think I've had quite a few hard choices and decisions to make. Leaving a emotionally/mentally/verbally abusive boyfriend and moving back to Iowa away from my mom being the two that come to mind right away. But as far as really truly life changing experiences...the one that was the hardest for me was when my good friend, Brian passed away in 2009 at the age of 20. He took his own life.
This is us at high school graduation

Brian and I had history. We first became friends in middle school, probably 7th grade. We were both on AAU basketball teams in our small town and played at a lot of the same tournaments (and were both really freakin' good). 
The good old days

My 12 year old self thought Brian (and Ian and Scott) were the cutest things on the planet. But there was always something special about Brian. He was the all american preppy guy who was good at everything...and looked good doing it.
I mean look at him...he's beautiful

All through high school Brian and I were good friends. We had a great friendship and kissed a time or two, but always kind of joked about being more than friends. It just never happened. I had lots of different feelings for him that were never really explored, all I knew for sure was that I had so much love for him and that I would be there for him always. Brian was the type of person that put his whole heart into everything he did. He was overly emotional a lot of times and very dramatic. Now that things happened the way they happened, I realize he had some mental issues that he refused to get help with. I had always been one of the people he would go to for advice or just to talk. 
At our senior class party

This picture makes me laugh...such good times!

He had SUCH a good laugh...I can still hear it :)

Brian talked about killing himself multiple times. Most people kind of brushed it off and chalked it up to him being over dramatic. My graduating class had already lost two people to suicide...I wasn't taking it lightly. First it was Andrew who I went through grade school with but we weren't super good friends...still something super hard for a high school freshman to go through. Then, it was Hannah. We had our periods of being really close and hanging out everyday to times we went months without hanging out. 


One night (which happens to be 2 years to the day before Brian took his life,) late...I was texting Brian and I just knew something was wrong. He hadn't responded to my last text so I drove to his house. I figured he was probably in the garage smoking cigarettes so I walk in and he's about to step on a step ladder with a noose above his head. I ran and kicked the ladder away from him, grabbed him by the face, and screamed at him. We cried and hugged and talked for hours. That itself was such a hard experience for me...to walk in on something like that...knowing that there's only so much I can do. I can't stay with him 24/7. I can't make him to to therapy. If he really wants to do it, I can't stop it. No one could.

Conversation started June 21, 2007

  • brian you really scared me tonight...im so glad i got there when i did. i seriously dont know what i would do if that would have happened...believe it or not you are one of my best friends and i seriously love you to death. we've been through a lot of shit and im ALWAYS here for you, no matter what. you know this, and it will never change. call me in 7 years if you need me, i'll be there.
    love always megan
    (Facebook message I sent him that night)




      I remember it like it was yesterday...June 21st, Father's day, my friend Audra called me crying hysterically. She said "guess who fucking killed himself" and right then I knew. My mom had run to the store or something and when she got home I was in the kitchen absolutely hysterical. She had no idea what was going on. I manage to spit out "Brian...he killed himself last night." We cried and cried. The rest of that time was kind of a blur. I know we spent a lot of time the next couple days at Brian's house with his family and sooo many of Brian's friends. I'm so glad we were all there for each other. 
      Bracelets we had made for him

      I was leaving for vacation either the day before or the day of the visitation which made for a hard decision on my part. I sooo badly wanted to stay for the services and be there for and with all our friends. But I decided that the most important thing was for me to have my closure. So Brian's parents let some of his closest friends go to the funeral home early to see him and say our last goodbyes. It was so hard. Seeing him. Knowing it's the last time I'd ever see him or touch him. Thinking of all the times we shared together, good and bad. Seeing my closest friends in so much pain. Thinking that there must have been something I could have done to stop it, but knowing I really couldn't. 

      I don't really know how to end this. I just miss him.




      Wednesday, January 9, 2013

      My relationship with my parents

      THE LIST:
      1. List 20 random facts about yourself.
      2. Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears.
      3. Describe your relationship with your parents.
      4. List 10 things you would tell your 16 year-old self, if you could.
      5. What are the 5 things that make you most happy right now?
      6. What is the hardest thing you have ever experienced?
      7. What is your dream job, and why?
      8. What are 5 passions you have?
      9. List 10 people who have influenced you and describe how.
      10. Describe your most embarrasing moment.
      11. Describe 10 pet peeves you have.
      12. Describe a typical day in your current life.
      13. Describe 5 weaknesses you have.
      14. Describe 5 strengths you have.
      15. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
      16. What are your 5 greatest accomplishments?
      17. What is the thing you most wish you were great at?
      18. What has been the most difficult thing you have had to forgive?
      19. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?
      20. Describe 3 significant memories from your childhood.
      21. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and what would you do with it first?
      22. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?
      23. List your top 5 hobbies and why you love them.
      24. Describe your family dynamic of your childhood vs. your family dynamic now.
      25. If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you eat?
      26. What popular notion do you think the world has most wrong?
      27. What is your favorite part of your body and why?
      28. What is your love language?

      29. What do you think people misundertand most about you?

      30. List 10 things you would hope to be remembered for.
       
      Today...3. Describe your relationship with your parents.
       
      Well...my relationships with both my parents are different now than they were years ago (mostly high school). I was a...how should I put it...difficult teenager. I made my mom cry way way too many times. I'm not proud of it. I thought I was the shit and that my parents were too strict and were trying to ruin my life. Obviously. So in high school I had a rough time having a really good relationship with my mom.
       
      Growing up, I often times thought my dad hated me. Looking back, I realize I was ridiculous. My dad and I had a rocky relationship when I was living with him, some say because we are alike it some ways, so we often butt heads. Once my parents divorced when I was 17 and I didn't live with my dad anymore, our relationship got soooo much better. We weren't around each other enough to fight and get on each others nerves but we saw each other enough to keep and grow our relationship.
       
      Now...
      My mom and I have the best relationship. The only problem with it is that we are 1000+ miles away from each other. When I was choosing whether or not to move back to Iowa from NC the only thing that was holding me back was that I would be so far away from my mom. Now that I am far from her...I wish I would have stayed (Rayce was willing to move to NC at the time.) I talk to my mom at least once a day and she's the first person I call for advice or questions or to tell her any news. I really don't know what I would do without her...like really.
       
      Now...
      My relationship with my dad is also great. Since moving back to Iowa I get to see him a couple times a month, which is great. We don't talk on the phone all the time like my mom and I do and aren't as close as my mom and I are, but we still have a great relationship.
       
      

      Tuesday, January 1, 2013

      2012 recap...aka longest post I've ever done

      2012 has been quite the year for me. It's been really amazing (being with Rayce) and really challenging and sad at the same time (being away from my mom, wahhh! )
       
      January
      Flew back to Iowa for Christmas and started the best relationship I've ever had with my best friend and quickly fell in love
       


       
      Had lots of fun with old friends


       
       
      February
      Flew back to Iowa again for a small vaca and spend Valentine's Day with Rayce in his tiny dorm room where I apparently didn't take a single picture
       
      March
      Rayce flew to Raleigh during his Spring break. It was his first time flying in his whole 24 years. I was dog sick the day after he arrived and he took such good care of me.
       
      Celebrated St. Pattys Day
       
      Went to the beach..Rayce's first time seeing the ocean!
      (Pissed I didn't take more pictures)
       
      Quality time taking a walk around Lake Lynn
       
      April
      MOVED BACK TO IOWA!! Biggest thing I did in 2012...wishing I would have let Rayce move to NC when he actually was willing to
       
      Had to say goodbye to these beautiful babies
       
      And these handsome little men

       
      And my family that I got to know better and loved spending time with
       
      Made one last beach trip with my mama, sissy, and best friend who flew to Raleigh to road trip back to Iowa with me!


       
      Moved into a little duplex with Rayce
       
      Went to one of my best friends bachelorette parties
       
      May
      Went to a friend from high school's bachelorette party and wedding


       
       
      Cousin Nicole's wedding in Chicago




       
      June
      Personal attendent at Maddie's wedding


       RIP Nick...You are missed!!
       
      Went to Road America for June Sprints with Rayce's family



       
      July and August
      I can't remember anything exciting or significant...
       
      September
      Lost a great man to a tragic car accident
       
      October
      Flew to NC for cousin Rose's wedding/see my mom and sister finally!



       
      Rayce's 25th birthday
       
       
      November
      Scavenger hung 2012!


       
       
      December
      My 24th birthday and Christmas
       


       
       
       Here's to an amazing 2013!!