Lord am I happy it wasn't Napa Valley--I would have become a wino!

Life is funny how it throws you curve balls. Six weeks ago, I was ready to start a new life. My brain was ready to give up on the life I have created up here in Eau Claire. Thanks to a great friend and a lot of faith, I decided to go with my heart and stay up here. Just so happens, I have started a new life anyways. I am so happy I went with my gut feelings and stayed. Nick and I sat down and came up with a plan. We were going to start thinking positively. We would no longer negatively enable each other. We were going to try our damnedest to cut out our laziness--and it was going to be today, not tomorrow. We both went at this in different ways, but the change we have seen has been tremendous.

Last week, we celebrated our 3 year anniversary. In that time, we have been through ups and downs. I swear to God, we've been riding a roller coaster. There have been twists and turns and loops and bends I never knew even existed. No one ever said love would be easy. I've heard it my whole life--life has it's peaks and valleys. It seems like in these past three years, we have spent a majority of our time in a valley. Lord am I happy it wasn't Napa Valley--I would have become a wino! Now don't think that this time has all sucked because it hasn't. In that time, I have laughed more than I ever have in my whole life. I have found out that I am worth more than I gave myself credit for. I also found out that love means you stick it out through the tough shit.

And boy oh boy has there been tough shit. We moved in with each other--that's a plus! Within a month, we both lost our jobs and our apartment got robbed---kind of a BIG minus! We got our kitties. My furry babies! That is definitely a plus. We moved up to Eau Claire. That has had its ups and downs alone. Alas---we have now gotten to the point where we have a plan--kind of. Our plan is--be adults. We have learned and continue to learn how to keep "Old Nick and Megan" in check. We still have a blast, and haven't lost our old selves by any means. We still eat cereal in our underwear and watch cartoons on the couch, but we do that before going into work now. We are never going to be normal. Thank God for that!

As Nick and I were walking back to our apartment after dinner with his folks tonight, we smelled a bonfire. We were carrying on a conversation and both stopped mid sentence. We breathed in deep and both smiled. We were both transported somewhere else if only for a second.


Ever since I can remember, I have loved the smell of burning leaves. It reminds me of my favorite time of year, Autumn-- hoodies, apple cider donuts, and going to the Pumpkin Patch as a kid. The colors of fall are beautiful--with it's rich reds, burgundies, oranges, and yellows. Nothing beats the sound of stepping on that first crunchy leaf! I can sit here and recall the many years I helped my grandparents rake their huge lawn and bring all of the leaves to the burn pile. I always used to love to watch the smoke billow out into the open field in the beginning of the fire. My favorite was watching the embers die out at the end when there was nothing else left to burn. They were a deep red-orange color, almost like lava.


Tonight as I was walking home, I was just reminded of how lucky I am. I was always taught to appreciate what I have, and I do. Sure, I have a lot of debt, and my pants don't fit the way I want to, but I do have a family who I love. I hate my huge feet and wish my skin would clear up, but I do have friends who I wouldn't change for the world, and fiance who will stand by me no matter what. Yeah, it kind of sucks that I am working a job that pays kind of shitty, but I am starting school in January because I finally know what I want to do with my life. This is a life that I just started over six weeks ago, ya know? Can't really go wrong with that!