More than just my "boyfriend"

We're about three months into this whole dating thing. Although his title is boyfriend, he is so much more. Best friend, partner in crime, snug bud, advice giver, bravest passenger and bae. These are just a few things that make him more than just my "boyfriend." 


1. I send him those goofy snapchat selfies.
The food in the mouth, no makeup, unstraightened hair kind of selfies
 
2. We end fights with laughing and hugs
By the end of a silly argument you can't even take each other seriously anymore (this is more me)

3. He's impressed by my every day play-by-plays
Me: "This morning I woke up, had 4 cups of coffee and 3 donuts before 9 am" 

 D: "Wow, babe. You are a champ. A true inspiration to many."

4. "Netflix and chill" literally means Netflix and chill
Usually including FNL, buffalo pretzels and dr pepper

5. Speaking of food, I have no shame in eating massive amounts around him
Forget salad, carbs for the win.

6. We can be absolute children around each other
Two words: Botanical Gardens

7. We sing in the car together. And it sounds awful
I never in my life thought I would know the words to Chicken Fried

8. We tell each other how it really is
If you dont know Daniel White, he is the most blunt human on the planet and for that I am thankful


9. My family is your family
Thank you for adopting them (all the hundred of them) from day one


10. We genuinely have fun together.
I never find myself having to force a smile or fake a laugh when I am with him

12. Every day is an adventure.
 Bowling, skating, christmas lights, the nut house, the fun never ends

13. He's the first person I want to call.
Whether something good or bad happens

14. I miss him as soon as he leaves 
Literally 3-5 seconds after his departure

15. I am okay with looking like a total slob around him.
Hat, no makeup, same leggings for the 3rd day in a row

16. Silence isn't awkward.
Sometimes just being in the same room is all I need

17. We know all the gross things about each other.
D understands that sometimes shaving my legs is just way more than I can handle that day 

18. We're too competitive with each other.
Remember that time I beat you in bowling?
 
19. We like to embarrass each other.
We wont go there right now ;)

20. I trust him to buy gifts
He knows the true importance of an anthropologie candle

21. He brings out the best in me
Every single day

22. I am willing to listen to him talk about sports, even though I do not interested.
There's nothing quite like seeing his eyes light up the way they do when he talks about the ducks

23. He is always down to take another picture
Insta game so strong

24. Secrets? What are those?

25. We may or may not send each other pictures of outfits.

26. He gives the best advice.
Whether its what I want to hear or not, he knows whats best

27. We're accepting of each other.
Good days and bad

28. We tease each other on the reg
Which is weird because we both pretty sensitive oops

29. We remind each other how much we care.
Constant long sappy text that keep us smiling ear to ear

30. We can look past all the not so fun times.
The good times 100% out weigh the not so good ones

31. Your friends are my friends
Shoutout to Chase and Ashlyn for adopting me into the squad

Everyday is a new adventure, here's to a list that continues to grow!

Say you wont let go <3

J

The best surprise

To the one I never saw you coming,

"You are the best surprise life has ever given me"

I never knew that in such a short time you would take over such a big piece of my heart but somehow, someway, I am ok with that.

You have taught me so much in such little time. You have taught me that happiness is not a destination, but a journey. You have taught me that the big things are sometimes little things and the little things are sometimes big things. You have taught me that it is ok not to be ok. You have taught me that it is ok to be a kid sometimes, because I still am one.

There isn’t a word that comes close to explaining how much you mean to me. When you are sad, I am sad. When you are happy, I am happy. We are linked. Not in a creepy way, I promise. No matter how many times I tell you that I hate you, or make fun of the little things you do, I wouldn't change a thing about you. And, I want you to know something. This is the most important thing that I will ever tell you. There is no one like you and there never will be. You are one of a kind.

Lastly, I want to say thank you. Thank you for coming into my life when you did and occupying such a large part of it. You have no idea the impact you have already made on me. Thank you for the countless late night talks, laughs and putting up with me being loud. Thank you for always welcoming me with open arms, no questions asked. Thank you for always having my back. Thank you for loving me (liking me, whatevs) for all that I am and all of my strange quirks. Thank you, from the bottom of my southern heart, for being you.

Xoxo,
The one who never wants to see you leave.

Life is hard but God is good

Let's be real. Life is busy and life is hard. Just going to tell it like it is, it’s hard. Sometimes your life is not fair. Occasionally you will go through something, or someone will say something mean to you, or you will look around and feel like everyone is happier than you are, or you will want to just stay in your bed all day and not be with other people, or you just won’t feel confident in yourself, or you’ll convince yourself that everyone has their lives figured out and you don’t.

If you’re in college, you’re juggling a lot. You have classes, which that in itself is enough to cause a couple stress tears here and there. You have a job. You’re in a sorority or a fraternity. You have a leadership position in said sorority or fraternity. You’re involved in your church. You have a million other extracurricular activities. You have friends who want your attention. You have a boyfriend or a girlfriend. Or you’re worried about not having a boyfriend or girlfriend. You have to find time to call mom occasionally so she knows you’re still alive. Occasionally you forget to eat. And Sleep becomes a rare luxury.

Then comes that awkward moment when someone asks you how you are, and even though your initial response is “I’m good, how are you,” you think about it more…and you realize you’re not doing good at all. And you feel like the only one who isn’t doing good. And you don’t know who to talk to because everyone else has their own struggles, everyone else is busy, no one will understand, people will think you’re just weak or not cut out for this college thing because you feel like you’re drowning and you can’t keep up.
 
Throughout this school year, I have learned the importance of taking care of myself. I’ve learned the importance of saying, “no” occasionally. If you know me at all, you know saying no is a hard task for me. I like to make everyone feel better. I like to help other people and take a load off of their shoulders, but I never ask for help in return. And this is not because I’m just so selfless or whatever. Actually, I’m just stubborn. I refuse to say I can’t do something. I don’t accept failure well. And sometimes, I have made myself so busy that I have no time to take care of my own mental health. I feel like I can’t talk to people because they’re all so busy with their own lives. So, busy and alone. What a combination, right?

If you’re reading this and you’re like “YES, YOU GET ME!”…Hi, let’s be friends. But really.

Breathe. Like take a deep breath and let these words sink in.

It’s okay to feel the way that you’re feeling. It’s okay to feel like you don’t have it all together. It’s okay to feel like you’re fighting a losing battle sometimes.

Wanna know why?

Because Jesus has already won.

There is no battle that you are facing that He does not already know about. There is no thought running through your head that He does not have comfort for. There is no moment when you are alone because He is always there. He cares, and He is proud of you. He sees what all you are doing. He knows how hard you work.

And He calls us to be still.

I know what you're thinking. How in the world do I have time to just be still? We literally just discussed that I have a million things going on. If you think I have time to “be still,” you’re crazy.
So yeah maybe I’m crazy on some things, but this one, nope. You need to take time for you and not feel bad about it. You need time in prayer. You need to seek refuge in the Lord. You need to rest. Rest in the fact that He is there, He loves you.

Look around you for a moment. You have people who care about you. Do not convince yourself (like I did) that people are so wrapped up in their own lives that they don’t care about yours. People are important. People are so much more important than your to-do list. So invest in people. Let people invest in you. Tell them when you’re just not okay. Don’t be afraid to ask for prayer. Let them tell you when they’re not okay. And pray for them in return and help them feel understood.
The fact of the matter is…we’re all struggling. We’ve all got something going on.

But we’re not alone in it. And it’s okay to not feel okay sometimes. But when you’re not feeling okay, remember that you’re loved. And that you’re not alone. Remember that no matter how far you run, you can’t outrun Him. Remember that He’s there. Remember that He listens and He cares. Remember that other people care, too.

College is hard. Life in general is hard. Don’t let people convince you it’s a walk in the park because it’s not. But it’s okay. You’ll be okay. Life is still good and God is still great.

You got this,
Jordyn

A Letter To God's Best For Me

Hello love,

For some reason i’ve spent the better part of today thinking about you and praying for you. I don’t know if I know you yet but that doesn’t stop me from praying for you. Maybe I have met you, maybe I will meet you later in life. 

You should probably know, I absolutely love love. The Lord has given me a HUGE heart for His people. The desire to serve, encourage, and love burns deep inside of my heart. I am quite the softy even though I don't often show it. But this stirring love for you is different than the movies and the fairy tales. You see, as much as I enjoy looking at pictures of cute couples on Pinterest, dreaming about my wedding, or imagining what my little nuggets are gonna look like one day… This is more. This is more than random “I love yous” and cuddling on the couch. This is ministry. This is the Lord’s work. By grace, He has given you to me. What a precious gift you are. Right now, this very moment, God is preparing your heart to lead and love me! I have tears in my eyes just thinking about that! God loves me so much that He’s given me someone as wonderful as you, a faithful partner. Whether I’ll meet you at age 20 or 55, I’m not sure. But I can’t wait to serve you and serve the Lord along side of you. This is more than a hopeless romantic daydream and the novels of love. This is a partnership to serve God and further the Kingdom of God together all the while delighting in one another! How cool is that?! As much as I love the mushy gushy, corny, frilly, romantic things (Trust me when I say I love them) — my heart is focused on the bigger picture and I pray it will stay that way as I grow older. So until God graciously sends you into my arms, I will continue to pray for you.

 I pray that you are falling passionately in love with Jesus every single day. I pray that a fire burns in your heart to serve, learn, lead, and be a man after His own heart. I pray that you are surrounded by a solid community of guys, accountability partners, and brothers in Christ. I pray that you’re diving into the Word and that you fight against being a lukewarm Christian. I pray that you’re growing and learning and seeking. I pray that you are preparing your heart right now to one day, in our conventional marriage relationship, to lead me and our children in truth and light.

I pray that you resist temptation. We live in a sinful and fallen world. I can’t help but think about the poison our generation of young men are becoming numb to because it’s “normal.” I pray that you guard not only your heart, but also your eyes, and your mind. I pray that you resist. I pray that you value the women around you– at work, at the gym, on the street. I pray that you take every thought captive. I pray that you war against lust. I pray that you change the channel, click off the website, and use discernment when looking at accounts on social media. It’s damaging my love, it’s addicting and has ruined marriages of solid believers. I pray that you are grounded in truth and lead by example for other young men. Therefore, I pray that you resist temptation.

I pray that you extend grace. First, I would like to say that I’m sorry, my love. I’m sorry for not guarding my heart better in the past. What an incredible God we serve; one who redeems, restores, brings dead things to life, and clears our transgressions out of sight (Psalm 32:5). Praise Him for grace upon grace. But you are human, beloved. You will need to exercise patience and grace towards me as I work through my flesh. I am not perfect. I have made mistakes and I will fall again. I pray you extend grace to me as I move past old wounds, as I process through hurt and fears. I pray you extend grace and forgive me for ways that I have given my heart away to other people. I pray that you extend grace as I struggle against insecurity and comparison. I pray that you live with a mentality that the past is the past and that all things have been made new in our Lord (2 Corinthians 5:17 & Isaiah 43:18-19). I pray you believe in me. I pray that you think my scars are beautiful. I pray you are patient and compassionate.

I pray that you think of me. Whether I know you right now or not, I pray that you take into consideration the fact that right now, spending her friday night blogging in a coffee shop in Clinton, Mississippi, there is a young woman who loves you. Oh boy, does she love you. She thinks about you, yearns for you, loves you, and prays for you. God is also preparing her heart. He is speaking to her, teaching her, guiding her, disciplining her, all so that one day through joy and tears, pain, loss, fun times, excitement and new beginnings— she will be a strong and loving helper, servant, sister in Christ, and an adoring wife.

I look forward to the long work days. The ones when you come home to a wife that wants to fill your cup after you’ve poured out on others all day. I look forward to being a wife that seeks the Lord and seeks her worth in Him rather than you so that I can better love you. I look forward to wrapping around you with my little arms and laughing with you. I look forward to working through miscommunication and promising to never go to bed mad. I look forward to fighting with you, then turning around and loving you even more afterwards. But most importantly, I look forward to serving the Lord alongside of you for the rest of our lives. Just two broken sinners who love the Lord and love each other, doing life. Now that is beautiful.

Praying for you always, loving you from afar (or maybe close by),

Your future wife

Twas The Night Before Squeal Day

General rush is great. But after the long days and nights are over, celebrating squeal day with the newest pledge class is the icing on the cake. A lot of thoughts and emotions run through your head before the actual day arrives, which can make the night before squeal day just as stressful as the weeks leading up to it. 

Twas the night before bid day, and all through the house

Every sister was stirring, owl and mouse.

 

The pref cards were turned in to the council with care

In the hopes that a new pledge class soon would be there.

anxiously praying as you crawl into bed

 

because you know a new and exciting journey is ahead.

Rush chairs breathe a sigh of relief

While now the new member chairs start dealing with grief.

I bet your feet hurt from wearing high heels

But at least for a week you had calves of steel.

Exhaustion sets in toward the end of the day

And you try to remember, "what did I even say?"

Meanwhile some pledges are too excited to dream

But you, on the other hand, have run out of steam.

Was the skit funny? Did anyone laugh?

At least Insta got some cute photographs.

Finally pref day ended the week

You're so excited, you can hardly speak!

T-shirts and presents and parties galore

Tomorrow you meet the new pledges you've been waiting for!

The new member coordinator is ready to go

And you're so excited to put on an elaborate show.

As you lay down to sleep after long weeks of rounds,

You can almost here the exciting sounds.

“We can’t wait to know you!” “We love you!” and “Welcome home!”

The nerves settle in, but deep down you know,

The best pledge class ever will arrive tomorrow!

Ready for sleep, you call out and say,

SEE YOU ON SQUEAL DAY!!!!

 

  

A mouse, a sweetheart, a owl, a elephant, a fox, what will I be? We'll just have to wait until Squeal Day to see!

WARNING

 

 11 reasons why being best friends with your college roommate would be the worst decision you've ever made

If you and your roommate actually get along, it'll be horrible. You'll have to deal with all of these things... Bless your soul...

1. You'll have movie nights
Who really wants to ignore their homework, watch movies that make you laugh so hard that your stomach hurts, and eat tons of junk food? Not me, and probably not you.

2. You'll get to share clothes
Having a closet that is twice as big? No thank you. Just the thought of it is making me want to cry.

3. You can play your music as loud as you want to, and have dance parties
Beyonce? Ew. Hannah Montana? Absolutely not. Being able to play your music at the highest volume and dance around your room with a friend? Nope, not really something college kids enjoy. 

4. You'll have someone to not go out with
On those nights when all we want to do is keep our sweatpants on and lounge around, you'll actually have someone to keep you company instead of forcing you to dress up and do something that you don't want to do. Now that's just annoying. 

5. Cleaning can actually be fun
No, no, no, absolutely not. I want to do my chores seriously, no fun, no laughing, no enjoyment. College students LOVE doing chores. We don't need someone to help us enjoy them. 

6. You'll have heart-to-hearts
Literally not one person wants to have someone that they can confide in, that listens to all of their little annoying problems, who gives them advice, and encourages them. Nope, nobody needs that in their life. 

7. You won't have to look appropriate all the time
If you're close with your roommate, you really won't have to look presentable all the time, and that just appeals to no one. Wearing no pants and no bra will be acceptable, and that is just absolutely horrible. In college, we like to look put together 100% of the time. 

8. Someone will be there to check your outfits
When you're going on a date or to a party and you don't know what to wear, someone will actually be there to help you look your best. Really, no thank you. I don't need someone telling me that the black shoes don't match with the brown belt and the pink earrings look better than the blue. 

9. They'll go on adventures with you
Not one person I know has ever wanted someone to tag along on their adventures to really cool places. Talk about annoying. 

10. Someone to eat with
Laughing your head off guessing what the mystery meat in the caf is? No fun. Midnight pizza runs? Awful. Friday morning chickfila dates? Torture. Making random runs to Kroger just for ice cream sandwitches and cheese-its? The worst.
 

11. You'll enjoy coming home
Why would I want to enjoy coming back to where I live? I don't need my home to be warm, inviting, and friendly. And I for sure don't want someone who can make me laugh so hard that I cry or make a horrible day better just by being there.

Clearly, being best friends with your roommate would be a disaster. Speaking from experience, if you're best friends with your roommate, college will probably be a lot more enjoyable, and you'll gain a lifelong friend, and I just know nobody wants that. So the next time you have to pick a roommate, save yourself the fun and enjoyment, and pick the stranger you know you won't get along with. 

Xoxo - Jordyn

Dear Future Brother in Law(s)

To the man my best friends will marry,

Congratulations, you have won the love of one of the most amazing human beings that presently walks the Earth. I guess that means you are a pretty special guy. However, there are some things you should know about my best friend before you promise to love her for the rest of her life. 

She has been through more than her fair share of heartbreaks; she has been led on and used; and she has been lied to more times than it is possible to count. Despite those things, she had enough strength to continue looking for you and enough faith in fairy tales to believe that her happily-ever-after would one day come. Don't ever underestimate her ability to be your partner in life. She is there to support you just as you are there to support her. Should you ever decide that you are superior to her, she will be more than strong enough to show you just how wrong you are. 

She has one of the largest, softest hearts of anyone I have ever met. She loves everyone she meets, and she will ignore any and all opinions that are presented to her on one of her new “friends.” When she ends up getting hurt by her new friend and figures out that she probably should have listened to everyone’s warnings, she will do the most frustrating thing: She will forgive them. Her heart has a way of only seeing the best parts of people and pushing out all of the rest. She puts others before herself always and will do whatever she can to help someone in need. As her husband, it will be your job to make sure she is taken care of too. 

She is a dreamer. She has dreams that are larger than life, and her eyes can see things that are too far away for anyone else to focus on. There have been times when she told me of her dreams, and I responded by telling her that those dreams were too large for her. Over time, though, I have had the distinct pleasure of being proven wrong. I have seen those dreams become her reality, and I know that in time you will too. So do not make the same mistake that I did. Believe in her, and push her towards those goals. Do not be one more person that she has to prove wrong, because she will. 

She is my best friend and I love her. I know that it is not in the same way you love her, but my love is just as important. There will be things that she will go through that you will not be able to understand, and there will be times when she will choose to call me and not you. When those times come, do not be upset with her for choosing to come to me instead of you. It does not mean that she loves you any less; there are just some things only a best friend can fix.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

To the man who will marry Hunter Grace, watch out. She is a spitfire. I've never seen someone with so much compassion. I have watched her grow for many years now. Treasure her. Hold her when she cries even when you don't understand why she is upset. Embrace her love for international missions and never hold her back. You will probably have at least 4 dogs so go ahead and mentally prepare. And lastly, take care of my Gracie. She is a ray of sunshine everywhere she goes.

To the man who will marry Emily. She has a tender heart, so don't be too concerned if she starts crying during a commercial. It might take her a little while to break out of her shell but when she does, you will love her even more. She is funny, kind, sweet spirited, artistic and more. Lastly, she is strong willed, if she wants something, you'll know. Don't ever take her to a pet store, pet rescue or animal shelter, trust me.

To the man who will marry Skyler. You have found the biggest treasure of all.  She is an onion, but I am sure you already know that. We have been partners in crime for quite some time now. I have seen her at her worst and I have seen her at her best and I wouldn't trade a moment of it. Get ready because she loves to eat. Anytime, anywhere. But most of all she loves to dance so if she is in a bad mood, just crank up Tswift in the kitchen. Don't get too jealous if she spends an hour on the phone with me every night before she goes to bed, it's when we have our best talks. Buy her lots of pudding and tell her you love her even though sometimes she wont say it back. Lastly, hug her all of the time, because she hates it and its quite funny to watch her squirm. 

To the man who will marry my Chloe. If she has opened up her heart to you, hold on tight and never let go. She doesn't open up to people very often so don't take advantage of that. Know that Chloe is one of the strongest people I have ever met - There is nothing she cant handle. She has big dreams, encourage her to pursue them. One day she might lay eggs on the floor, squat over them and act like a chicken, just call me. Love her with all you have and she will do the same.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

If you cannot love and cherish these parts of her, then you do not deserve her love. But if you see all of the wonderful things that I see in her and love her more because of those things, then she will love you more than you ever imagined was possible. She is a rare and beautiful person, and I am glad she has you in her life. 

Sincerely,

Her First Other Half