the beginning of a great idea.

This is how this new little blog got its start.

The last few months or even years, I've been feeling a lot of pressure about my age, my living location, my marital status and my lack of children. Some of it comes from friends who don't realize it, {the blogger world for sure}, some of it comes from Utah-Mormon culture and some comes from my family who unknowlingly pressure me because they love me so much and they just want me to be happy. 
Do you have to be married with children to be happy? ;) 
Some days I think "I don't care what they think." Other days I want to cry because I feel like a disappointment to my loved ones. The other night, after having a lovely dinner with a few of my close family members, I had this idea. I thought to myself "They probably don't really understand what its like being me, single at 28 and actually happy." So here's my sort of silly but exciting new project...
a new blog: a blog about life as a single, little older gal, strong member of the church and actively doing things that make her happy. The best news is, I'm going to actually dedicate time to funny dating stories and even have guest writers such as other single gals who can give their input as well. If you don't think this sounds amusing, you're probably more interesting than me :) 

There will be all sorts of topics, some embarrassing, funny, sad and happy ones too. 

• Awkward dates and Great dates
• Things you wish you could tell your married friends
• Things you wish you could tell your aunts/uncles/family members
• Words to the wise for the single guys out there
• Reasons why its not appropriate to be bitter
• God’s plan and how you fit into it all
• The "hang outs"
• The dates you dream about
• The dreams you wish you were brave even to reach for
• etc

Get the idea? If you know of some ladies {or even gents} who could sure use a support system, send them our way. We're all in it together and really, who doesn't love reading a good awkward first date story?!

To kick things off, I'd like to start by sharing a little story that I've told a time or two to break the ice with new friends. In high school, I had this friend and she asked if I wanted to go out with her friend. We would double with her and another boy. I was always up for a good time so I happily agreed. We met up with these two boys and my date, Justin, was cute, tall and seemed really funny. Its been so long that I'm not even sure what we did on that first date. I'm also not sure if this all happened on one date or over the course of 2 or 3 dates. Nonetheless, I was having a great time with Justin. I really thought this was going somewhere. As we were talking, I mentioned where my mom was from. He said "oh hey, my great grandma lives there!" Well, when you realize you're talking abut the same small town in southern Utah, you have to ask "Whats her name? I wonder if I know her." Well that was the wrong question.

Yep. You guessed. We were cousins. We share a great grandmother. Somewhere along the lines we'd never met at any of those large/uncomfortable family reunions and to this day, I haven't seen him since. Please don't ask me if I kissed him before the revelation. I don't want to answer.

And you wonder how I'm not married yet! I'm traumatized still from dating my cousin!!!