DAY 8: Places I've been

Back to the "days" thing...it may take a couple months to get through these, but I am a cheeseball and its fun....I love travelling, although the more and more I feel settled here in Jackson, the less need I have for adventure. It seems I would rather be here or at a ballgame.  Travelling is exhausting.  I hope my next trip is to Asia or the middle east....

I have been to Canada, Mexico (just over the boarder if it counts ha...), France, Spain, Italy, Vatican City, Austria, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, Czek Republic, Belize, Malawi and Zambia....not to mention I've been in the airports or trained through several different places (England, Switzerland, Ethiopia, but I don't count those)

I promised with the blog I would discuss the ups and downs of singleness...Travelling is the biggest "up" -- I travel a lot-- a trip to Dallas, a road trip for a ball game, going to Vermont for Thanksgiving or NYC to see friends...and every couple of years, I take a big trip.  I realize that this phase of life will end one day (thankfully) but I will regret losing some of my freedom to come and go as I please.  I would be turning down a good gift from the Lord if I didn't travel (either to see friends, participate in missions -- although regretfully my missions trip this summer was cancelled due to mono, or see new places!)

Favorite three places I have been:

1. France -- went to Paris, Alsace, Provence and stopped in Nice (Riviera) for the afternoon. I loved French and France in high school and always dreamed of going so this was one of my favorite places I have been and I will go back. I am thinking about French lessons or classes soon because I loved it.

In 2007, I backpacked Europe, by myself (the girl I was going with fell through) -- so 5.5 weeks in France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, etc. This was such an important thing for me to do to regain my independence and celebrate surviving a broken engagement AND my first year of law school.  I doubt I ever "rough it" again...but at 23, roughing it was fun and an important trip for me to take!

2. Africa (Malawi and Zambia)  - In 2009, I went to visit Marley and Bech for 2 weeks in Malawi.

 With baby Ruthie

on Safari in Zambia

 3.  Prague - this is hands down one of the prettiest places I have been! I went with my friend Ann Kirk in 2010. I hope to go back one day.

Prague, at the Charles Bridge.

There you have it, my favorite places I have been....any suggestions for my next adventure? I'm considering Isreal (depending on safety), China, or a Christmas Market tour in Europe...but I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to hear your suggestions.

Day 7: Favorite movies

1. Sound of Music

In second grade, in music class, we sang 'Doe a dear..." and I came home and told my mom I had to see the movie. It's been one of my favorites ever since. LOVE IT.

I went to salzburg and took the Sound of Music tour.


2. Mary Poppins - a disney favorite!

3. Rudy -- a football movie, duh.

4. Little Women

5. All I want for Christmas -- probably my favorite Christmas movie because Marley and I watched it over and over.

6. The Princess Bride

Day 6: a picture that makes you happy

Auburn National Championship --- January 10, 2011.

Day 5: Siblings

I said this yesterday with regards to my parents and I am saying it again today regarding my siblings: they are the best. Hands down. That may sound arrogant, that may sound thankful, take it as you will...I have been blessed with this family....every irritating moment, every fight, every bit of sibling rivalry has been worth it to grow up with these people.

This is my all time favorite picture of my family -- taken before marley's wedding.

Ansley, me and Blaise on Easter...

Bubby (Blaise) and me at charity ball last year....

Bubby, me and Annie (Ansley)

Marley and me last Christmas....

Sisters with baby Jack at his baptism lunch.....

A little about my siblings:

1. Marley -- 26, married to Bech, Mother of Jack, classics grad student in Vermont which is entirely too far away. She marches to the beat of a different drummer-- a very organized, precise drummer, but still a different drummer. Can one be a methodical free spirit? If so, she is. She loves a lot of weird things -- like latin, greek, weird music, rereading books over and over and over. She and I are a LOT different, but when it comes to morals and beliefs, we are pretty much the same. We also grew up fighting a lot because we are the siblings that are the closest in age, BUT we always have eachother's backs. :) My favorite memory of her (well favorite is a bad word, but sweetest memory) is the week after my engagement ended. I called her or she called me, but I couldn't talked, I just cried, and then I heard her crying too. And she just sat there and cried with me. Marley is a good mother and a good sister. She loves CS Lewis and Africa and Christmas. I talk to Marley and Ansley almost daily (in some form or fashion, even if its a text) -- some people tell me this is overinvolved. I think not.

2. Blaise, aka Bubby as we affectionately call him and he tolerates, is 21 and a Junior at Ole Miss. He has definitely taken the boy route through college, slowly figuring out how to study and what he wants to do. I am so proud to have seen him grow. He is in a fraternity and is a great example for some of his wilder "brothers" He loves Jesus and as a 21 year old boy at a party school where girls are always spending the night at the frat house and drugs are easy to come by, that isn't easy. He loves european soccer, college football, science fiction, star wars, etc. He is very overprotective of his sisters, especially Annie. And we all dote on him/pick on him some because he is our only brother! He wrestles through things before just accepting them which is an honorable trait.

3. Ansley, aka Annie, is the baby. 18 years old and a senior, heading off to Ole Miss or Auburn in the fall (I say Auburn knowing its like 90 percent Ole Miss but a girl can dream right??) Ansley is sassy and spunky but has a heart that cares for people. She loves college football, fashion, animals, and is the high school mascot! She has made some hard choices to do the right thing and its cost her some of her friends. I really respect that. She's young but already standing firm in her faith, even when that has consequences. I pray that the Lord will use this to bring glory to His name this at Ole Miss. She is our baby, so she has 3 mammas and 1 very protective older brother. She is also the sibling I am probably the most alike: hard worker, very social, sassy.

Day 4: Parents

This is going to sound arrogant, but I don't know a nicer way to say it: I have the type of family a lot of people wish for. (I will talk about my siblings tomorrow) Maybe that didn't sound arrogant, maybe that just sounded grateful. I certainly hope it comes across as I am grateful for the blessing of my family.

My crazy, sometimes dysfunctional, loud, annoying, over involved family.... :) we have plenty of problems but we stick by eachother.

At the base of every great family are great parents (or parent, i realize some amazing men and women have had to do the raising by themselves) This is true in my life: my parents are the glue that hold us together and here is why:

1. They love Jesus more than they love eachother. or us.

2. They love eachother more than they love us.

3. But they still love us dearly.

4. They love people outside our family.

My parents put God first, not perfectly, they are certainly still sinners, but as a whole, they have raised us to now that the Lord comes first in our family. I am blessed for this, so blessed. Because I was raised this way, I know that the Lord must be first in my life. I saw it lived out in my parents life.

My parents adore (and sometimes annoy) eachother. It never grossed me out to see my parents kiss or say I love you. In fact, it always made me feel safe. It still does, even at 27. I hope that I one day love someone that much and am loved that much.

My parents take care of us -- they provide what we need and much of what we want, they pray for us, they encourage us, they have fun and laugh with us. (sidenote: being in my family means much laugher) They stand by us. And, when they have to, they discipline us.

My parents love other people well. My mom is involved in all sorts of ministries and volunteering. My dad is a pediatric cardiologist and great with his patients. We have spent many many holidays with other people at our dining room table. We have welcomed many into our home. They took seriously the command in scriptures to love others. They show that to us daily.

Some tidbits about my dad: lover of all things sports especially Ole Miss and the cardinals, collects baseball caps, runner, rosy cheeks (where do you think I get it from??), avid reader (read to us growing up), loves history and theology, loves music.

Facts about my mom: very creative and great at planning events, good cook, makes holidays at our house amazing, very stylish, looks young for her age (I am excited for this trait), likes reading, photography, decorating, clothes, technology. Like all good southern girls, she likes college football.

Mom marley and me

last night before the mistletoe preview gala

before last years charity ball

at National Championship game

If you dont know my parents, I feel sad for you. You would probably like them!

Day 3-Your first love

I don't really want to tackle this topic, but I'm forging through. My first love broke my heart, but truth is, most people's first loves break their hearts or vice versa right? Because most of us don't marry the first man or woman we cared for...

So, I don't want to claim to have the upper hand on pain and losing a love. But, I will claim my loss was different than most people's... most people dont lose their first love and their fiance all at once. They don't mourn a broken heart and a broken engagement. But, I did. And God had plans for that in my life, plans to use it to grow me, to strengthen me, and to prepare me for His purposes... I am not glad I went through this, but I am glad I have a Father who got me through it and who redeemed (redeems) it.

So, how do I talk about my first love? How about I just mention the good? Because there were definitely some good qualities I loved and would look for again: intelligent, educated, similar interests, christian, moderate, loves the south, goal oriented.


Also, there were all the fun things about the first love and what was even more fun for us is that we were eachother's first love...so first kisses, first "i love you's", first important discussions were all new to both of us. That part was very fun!


However, the most important part...


What I learned from my First Love is that I already had a First Love that would never leave me.


Do I live my life this way? Not Always, in fact, most of the time, No. But the truth remains, I was loved long before my ex-fiance loved me and I was loved in the moments it ended and even now. I was loved through months of screaming and crying and doubting. I'm loved every day, the days I am dating someone, the days I am not. And if I never fall in love again, I will still have been loved far more than anyone else could love me and infinitely more than I deserve.


Sometimes I would put my earthly "first love" ahead of the Lord, sometimes I will put the next love above the Lord, sometimes I put my friends first and I know there will be sometimes I put my children first. But even when I fail to love the Lord as I should, he does not fail to love me the way I shouldn't be loved. As painful as my engagement ending was, I realize that I have abandoned my Lord time and time again. I have done what my ex did to me, and I do it continuously.

And although I would never repeat my first love or the hard lessons it taught me, I know that in some ways, being pointed back to my REAL FIRST LOVE is the biggest blessing a relationship could have given me.



Hosea 2:19


And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy.

Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name

20somethingjacksonian ---Well, I'm a Twenty something....and I live in Jackson. That was easy.

Seriously though, I love what is going on in Jackson right now, the unity and revitalization. Its a fun time to live here.

"whatever is lovely....think of such things." - That can be explained in this blog post. We should think of noble, honorablel things, but the Lord also tells us to focus on the lovely -- small blessings, beautiful flowers, perfect weather, a great cup of coffee. So much good to think of and I love that the Lord tells us to not only think of what is right, but to also think of what is lovely.

I may even start doing a week whatever is lovely post on small blessings in my life :)

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

My name is Katy. I live in Jackson, MS and I LOVE: family, good friends, sushi, bbq, shag dancing, costume parties, christmas, good movies, how i met your mother, J Crew, froyo, margaritas, white wine, front porches, all things southern, SEC football, AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Oxford MS, travelling, good sermons, my roomates, my NEPHEW JACK, first kisses, fall, Mississippi, pizza, learning to cook, cupcakes, weddings, fancy restaurants, hole in the wall restaurants, CS Lewis, Anthropologie, NAVY BLUE, anything preppy, monnograms, plans, long conversations, working out, adoption, Washington DC, musicals, chocolate, key lime pie.

BASICS- 27 years old, Auburn Alum, Ole Miss Law School Alum, Presbyterian, family oriented, practicing attorney, incredible friends, amazing family, outgoing, honest to a fault at times, fiercely loyal, oldest of 4, most adorable nephew in the world, great brother in law, athletic, encouraging, sometimes glass half empty regarding my own life, learning to trust God with my whole life because I am a planner and surrendering is hard, party planner, peppy, mostly cheerful, GROWING, preppy, SOUTHERN, conservative but openminded.

Literally, one of my most recent pictures because this was from our Halloween party this past weekend. I was Jackie, my roomate was Marilyn and our friend Steven was JFK. This is us fighting over steven, he must have loved it! :)

15 facts:


1. I have been to 15 countries other than the US.

2. I ran a half marathon in summer 2010.

3. My dad and I are training for a mini triathlon.

4. I love hosting parties. I love parties. I love themes. I love holidays. I love costumes. I generally love having a reason to celebrate, so if you want someone to help you celebrate your 100th book read or a random european holiday, call me, I am so in!

5. I like to bake more than I like to cook.

6. I have the best group of friends...no seriously, I doubt you could top me. I have always had good friends, but I have never had a group as amazing (individual amazing friends for sure, but not a whole group) as I do now.

7. My nephew is going to be football star, I'm brainwashing him to love SEC football -- it began with me making marley put the phone on her belly when she was preggers and saying things like war eagle and hotty toddy.

8. Navy is my black. I wear it as my basic color the same way other women wear black or bown.

9. I went to the National Championship game in January 2011. My sweet daddy took me and it was the happiest day of my life.

10. My heart is adoption. I would love to start working in adoption one day and adopt beautiful babies from all over the world!

11. I love country music.

12. I look the exact same as I did as an infant. I'm not lying. To me, my nephew has already changed so much, most children do...they don't grow up to look the way you think they will when they are babies. If you look at my baby pictures, you will see that I am exactly the same, only older.

13. Speaking of looks, I am the only dark eyed, dark haired, dark skinned kid in my family...I look like my grandmother, grandfather and uncles. My mom thought that all her babies would be dark haired like me (since the dark genes won out on me) but it turns out that they are all blond hair blue/green eyed. I'm kindof the odd ball.

14. My mom made Christmas the best time for us -- lots of traditions, lots of memories, etc. My sister and I have discussed how we could never compete with what we have experianced when raising our kids. This is why I love Christmas so much....thank you Mamma K.

15. I wouldn't be sad if the NBA never reconciled and settled and we were without basketball for a season.

Blog Challenge

I am going to be starting this blog challenge, I think some of y'all should do it too :)

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name

Day 3-Your first love

Day 4-Your parents

Day 5-Your siblings

Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy

Day 7-Favorite movies

Day 8-A place you've traveled to

Day 9-A picture of your friends

Day 10-Something you're afraid of

Day 11-Favorite TV shows

Day 12-What you believe

Day 13-Goals

Day 14-A picture you love

Day 15-Bible verse

Day 16-Dream house

Day 17-Something you're looking forward to

Day 18-Something you regret

Day 19-Something you miss

Day 20-Nicknames

Day 21-Picture of yourself

Day 22-Favorite city

Day 23-Favorite vacation

Day 24-Something you've learned

Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs

Day 26-Picture of your family

Day 27-Pets

Day 28-Something that stresses you out

Day 29-3 Wishes

Day 30-a picture