Signed, the birthday girl xoxo

Thank you so much for all of the birthday love yesterday! I am so grateful that God allowed me to see 22 years of age. I would not be here without his grace and mercy. [Thanks to my family for the mass texts and emails. Thanks to my friends for surprising me lastnight with a lil' party. Thanks to Lea for my cake shaped like something unsavory and thanks to the Audster for working with my crazy friends to surprise me lmao. You guys are great!! ] Let's see what 22 has in store for me :)

thoughts dipped in snow

The Holidays. 

[The word holiday: derived from the notion of "Holy Day", and gradually evolved to its current form.]

Since I was accepted to Spelman College in 2008, I have really grown to appreciate the holidays...

Initially, being away from home was tough but only because of the culture shock. While I missed my dad, brother, friends and boyfriend (at the time), I halfway chose Spelman to escape the constant, gruesome reminder of my mother’s death two years prior. My life felt closed in and cluttered. Honestly, I thought Atlanta would be my sweet escape into the oblivion.

Silly me. Although I didn’t have to walk past her bedroom or drive by the hospital, my mother resurrected in other ways. When I left for school, I realized that she was more remarkable than I ever could have realized. What my mother instilled in me was more valuable than any AP class I took or any scholarship money. She gave me intangible things that Spelman couldn’t even begin to teach me. And I’m still trying to learn her tricks of trade- how to light up rooms with an entrance, how to ease a person’s soul, how to remain true to oneself, how to be salt to a tasteless world. Atlanta was a sweet escape- but only because the seclusion created a better place for me to marvel at my mother’s legacy.

In May, Samantha died. Just when I stopped walking on eggshells in life, one of my best friends died from sickle cell disease. They say you cannot truly see a situation clearly until you’ve had some distance from it. I’m still too deep inside that pain to understand like I want to. Yet, One thing is clear: Life and death are more fluid than most people know… so every breath, smile, laugh, cry, triumph and failure is valuable.

While you may ask what my mother and Samantha have to do with the holidays or even YOUR holiday, remember that the holidays are Holy Days. They are meant to transcend the trivial nonsense and shine light on the importance of God, family and friends. Being away from California taught me that the people I love would always impact my life, heavily- whether I am in my living room or 3,000 miles away. They will travel with me in memory, love, life or death. Embrace and cherish the people you love. 


Happy Holy Days ..

the difference starts with you .

This is Samantha Dancer (far left), one of my truest and closest friends . i call her my sister because she has been such an inspiration to me as well as a voice of wisdom . Samantha has sickle cell disease and it kills me to see her dealing with this . When i call and she's in the hospital or in pain, it ... tears me apart . Decades ago, sickle cell seemed like a hopeless cause, but these days (through donor registry and transplants) we can try to make a difference. of course, "a difference" is expensive and we are raising money for one of my best friends in the whole wide world . PLEASE DONATE ! any little bit helps ... and if you cant donate, spread her link :

About Samantha Dancer Samantha Dancer
http://cotaforsamanthad.com/

"With the cost of a transplant often exceeding $500,000, many transplant patients are unable to shoulder the financial burden of such a procedure. The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) is a national charity dedicated to organizing and guiding communities in raising funds for transplant-n..."

-- to donate, click "donate now" .

and please educate yourself about sickle cell disease :/

if loving you is wrong ...

man . my family . cant live without them .

*taught my auntie how to stanky leg today . she's 49 & has a black planet account . =[

*my nana showed meeeee how to jerk ! with a red bandana on her head like a straight thug . (well, it was the 1950's jerk and it reminded me of the blood walk lowkey...bandana part= true)

*found out that my nana & papa's 50th anniversary is in june . <--- thats pretty dope .

*ate my life away ... ribs, chicken, mac&cheese, greens, potato salad, and cake . check me out !!

*got some bootlegs off of my cousin .

*my auntie donated some sus weave hair to me ? =/

*fam filled up my gas tank .

*my uncle wayne insinuated that my nana was a stripper ...

uncle wayne: you ever heard of magic city ?
me: yeahh ...
uncle wayne: it used to be called "Mildred city"... her pole went down in the hall of fame !
me: lmaooo
nana: boy ! you goin to hell with all that lyin ....

* & uncle kelvin washed the car ... shiny . yummmm ;

i love them .