“Fall I’m going to let you finish, but I have to talk about how good summer was to me!” – (in my Kanye voice ha.)

Being overseas you long for summer like a high school student getting ready to graduate. For me this summer was all about reaching goals, staying busy, and growth. And, I’m happy to share that through all of the “busy” and travel that I managed to accomplish all of that and then some. As I boarded the plane back across the water for another basketball season, I had a quick moment of reflection — this special time that helps me remain grateful and on track to Painting My Purpose. My trip down summer’s memory lane took me back to some pretty unforgettable memories: 

Falling in Love with Weddings

 My oldest brother Prince got married, and surprisingly this drew me closer to my own hubby, Jarrod! Weddings always make me really happy, I get so tingly inside as if I’m getting married all over again, and this wedding was no different. Weddings really give me a chance to sit back and appreciate Jarrod so much more!

O, and Miss Dallas also made sure to make her presence known at the wedding too. She danced her little heart out and I sat back, laughed, cried, and enjoyed every minute of it. I mean she was really jamming with her big cousins that she had just met, oh man what a good time. Not only was Prince’s wedding an amazing reminder and celebration of love, it made my welcome home so much more than I expected!

Vacations with Baby Girl & Hubby

We started with a Miami mini-vacation with family. It was the first time Dallas met her Miami family and boy did she give them a run for their money. Who they thought they would meet was the cute, chunky little girl they had seen in pictures, but they were pleasantly surprised to meet an extremely smart, independent and sassy girl that doesn’t sit still. I was excited for her to finally meet them and nervous that the distance and time away from them would make her think “stranger danger” when around her own family.  

In Miami, Dallas showed me that she could “hang”. I thought our only being back in the states for one week would slow her down, but she was running around playing with family like the Energizer Bunny. Dallas also showed me how observant she was. It took her some time to become comfortable with everyone. She had to watch mommy and daddy before she let her guard down to make sure it was “safe”. Her awareness was definitely a “feel good mommy” moment for me that reassured me that we were doing a good job raising her. 

Now… on to Jamaica, which was AMAZING! This place will truly leave you Breathless — the food, the people, the resort  (Breathless Resort Montego Bay), the drinks — everything about Jamaica was a good time. Let’s talk food, I can say I wasn’t really a big fan of Jerk anything until I got to Jamaica. It’s definitely true when they say you haven’t had real jerk chicken or pork until you have gone to Jamaica. Oh and remember when I did my travel tips a few weeks back? I definitely used those when packing for Jamaica. All my outfits were pre planned down to the jewelry and undergarments, which gave me extra space to bring back souvenirs. Try it and trust me you won’t regret it! 

Weekend Getaways & Flashback to College Days 

Hanging with my Indianapolis friends and family was everything. Seriously, I was so excited to just be around everyone playing games and just chilling. There was a moment when I was at a friend’s house when I took a step back and thought to myself, “Man we have all grown so much since college. It was absolutely amazing!” 

Taking this time to get away and reconnect with friends gave me an extra boost I didn’t even know I needed — a boost that I’m using right now to keep me going while I’m away from everyone. Taking time to reflect, even if it’s for a second will, give you the push to keep going and remind you why/where you started. It will push you to make your family and friends, and yourself proud of who you’ve become!  When you’re feeling low, use your reflection time to remind yourself to keep pushing and to not get distracted. 

Birthdays, Cause We Like to Partyyy! 

This summer I celebrated some milestone birthdays with my family including my roomie/bestie Kevisha’s 30th, my twin cousins Alisha and Nisha’s 40th, and Jarrod’s great grandmother Janie, who turned 105(yep, you read that right). Birthdays are always a good time with family to celebrate a new chapter in life! For each of these people we just didn’t celebrate their birthdays but we also celebrated their life, the past and the present. 

Each year you celebrate your birthday is one more year on your journey to be your best self. It’s a time where you can take a step back, reflect and keep pushing. I’m preparing to celebrate my own milestone birthday in November, and while I’ve already started my journey to becoming my best self I can’t wait to see what this next year brings.

After all I’ve done this summer, I’m ready to get back to my version of “normal” life. No more late nights, running around like a mad woman trying to see everyone, and NO MORE bad eating lol. I’m ready to finish the rest of this year strong, accomplishing fitness goals, embracing another year of life and getting ready to walk into 2020 better than I am today!