Best days of my life
I'm probably going to be the sappiest, corniest, lamest girl ever in this post - but I'm just feeling this way right now. I honestly feel like these are the best days of my life so far. I feel like someday I'm going to look back on this time period in my life and wonder how I had it all put together, and was so in control, and happy, and accomplished. I'm feeling the best I've ever felt in my life - ever. I mean I've had some insanely wonderful times in my life. The whole first year of when I met Brett - I had butterflies in my stomach every single day. The whole weight loss experience - I had happy tears every single day. And I mean now.. I feel like every good decision I ever made has finally paid off.
I just won the studio excellence award at my college. The faculty sit down and have a meeting and discuss all of the students in their major and decide who is going to win this award. Only one student from every major wins - and I won for my major, which is digital media. I cried - twice - the day I received the letter in the mail. And sometimes a glaze comes over my face and I well up with tears because of how proud I am of myself. Let me give you a quick flash back - I was a terrible high school student. Most people never thought I'd even get into college and now here I am - a studio excellence award winner graduating with a bachelor's degree in fine art in digital media. I'm going to cry again! There is a dinner the night before graduation to celebrate... and my work will be shown in the studio excellence gallery. ::cry!:: If you have dreams and feel like you can't do something - trust me. You can. I never thought I'd get into the college of my dreams, let alone have this happen. Dreams do come true - if you work hard and truly believe in yourself.
This could very well be my most favorite outfit ever, but then again I have a new favorite outfit every week. Haha! I know it's so simple - but it's so old-school me. I never used to be crazy Tiek who threw together patterns and colors so crazily. I'm glad I can still have both styles and it's still my style. I threw it together in ten minutes before I had to fly out the door to take my husband out to lunch. I'm not sure if it's just because I feel like a million trillion dollars - but I felt like a rock star all day long. This skirt is 100% my favorite skirt in my closet right now - and it's comfortable and can be styled a million different ways. When I saw it, I knew I had to have it.
Okay. Now, I should be talking about my absolute best friend in this world, Jen, who is visiting from Denver, Colorado right now! We met when we decided to both go to Kendall College of Art and Design - she was an art education major, and without really knowing each other - we decided to room together (with two other crazies!) at the college apartment "dorms". And we've been best friends ever since. We're the same person - love everything the same. She lives in Denver - teaching art, doing her thing, loving her life, happily married - but gosh, do I miss her. Having her here and spending the whole day with her was just.. so amazing. She brought along some 80 degree weather and we lived outside the entire day - even ate outside for lunch and dinner both - and enjoyed every second we had. It was honestly the best day - I love her so much!
We lurked my vintage home two doors down, walked downtown to eat chicken mesa sandwiches on the outdoor patio at the kirby grill, enjoyed the warm lake breeze, dug our feet into the sand and tested the lake with our toes before screaming from frostbite and giggling back to the car. A perfect Michigan afternoon. We picked up Brett from work, forced him to ride in the back with his bike, dropped him off home. Then we took the back roads to Grand Rapids with the windows down and sun roof open listening to Two Door Cinema Club and enjoying the insanely gorgeous weather. We got caramel and chai chills from Biggby, sat on the corner of Monroe and Pearl on a park bench raving about the weather and letting the wind hit us from every angle. It felt like the perfect moment. The moments where you just sit.. and enjoy life.
We met up with our friend, Hailey, whom you've seen here before a couple of times! Lovee her! We went thrifting at one girl's treasure- and I picked up a cute little clutch. We walked around downtown, grabbed some shots outside some lovely spots in our artsy little city. Got a table at Friday's on the outdoor patio, sipped on tropical and blackberry mojitos, binged on three course meals and enjoyed every second of it (until I wanted to die from full belly syndrome afterwards)! It was so amazing having Jen in town - being with girlfriends!
Hang onto your girlfriends, girls. No matter how far away they live. Jen and I only get to see each other twice a year or so now and it's like she never left when she comes back. Good friends are truly hard to find - so if you have one, hang onto her! They make life so much fun and enjoyable. Laughing about silly things we've done in the past - those moments are some of my favorite moments. The moments where you just have someone to witness your life with you and laugh until tears stream down your face and your belly hurts so much. I wish I would have hung onto some of my best friends from high school, but lesson learned - and I'm not ever letting Jen go now. Sorry, girl. You're here to stay!
Outfit details:
Paper Bag Waist Skirt c/o ModCloth
Forever21 tee
Urban Outfitters cardigan
Recycled bullet brass necklace c/o Dolly and Boy Jewelry
Sam & Libby flats