The South will forever be my home

It sure has been awhile...

With trips back home to VA and a beach trip to Charleston, SC, I felt very far away from the life I live here in Los Angeles.

Everything felt comfortable and familiar back at home...hanging out with my family and celebrating weddings and engagements with my friends. It reminded me of a simpler time - one that I hope to achieve again at some point in my life.

It really is the little things that can make all the difference. No matter what's going on in life, sometimes all you need is to be around the people and things that feel like home to you. These are a few of my favorite things from my trips back to the South that remind me to stay grounded and be grateful for all that I've been blessed with in this life:

A day at the lake
Petting my little Gabby girl
Holding baby Jude
My best friend Hannah getting engaged!
Celebrating my best friend Breanna's wedding!
Mom and daughter chats
Spending quality time with my Meme
Eating at Chef Heather's with family and friends
The Johnson City mall
Running into people you know everywhere you go
6 hour car rides to the beach
Lots and lots of country music
Sweet tea
Watermelon on a sunny day
Cheer stunts in the pool
Riding the waves at high tide
Sightseeing in downtown Charleston
Family dinners

And the list could go on forever...

I don't know what it was...but I couldn't have asked for a better trip home.

When I was sitting at the beach in Wild Dunes with my feet in the water and the hot South Carolina sun beaming down on my face, I felt such a sense of peace. It's like I knew that's where I needed to be at that exact moment, and it felt so right. I just couldn't stop dreaming...

Then after a cancelled flight and finally making my way back to the big city...it made me question what really matters. It makes me think harder about my goals and dreams and has forced me to focus on my faith and trust in the Lord. Without that faith...every little struggle would seem like a huge mountain. But I don't have to worry like that because I trust that there is a plan set for me, and really I'm just along for the ride. I will always cherish my trips back home because they remind me of who I really am and what really matters to me deep down.

How lucky I am to know the small town Southern life and to experience all that the big city of Los Angeles has to offer! Life is definitely a journey, and I am where I am for a reason. I can't wait to see where God leads me.

Here are some pics (lots more to come) from my trip home and of course from my 4th of July celebration back here in LA!

Always have faith!!