There are certain seasons in your life that you blow through without a second thought, and there are seasons that you must take one day at a time. Then there are people who just stop in, and others who make your world a better place.
My first four months living in New York were trying, and I wouldn’t have made it through that season without some very important people.
In retrospect, I should have been able to predict what was going to happen. It was my final semester of school, and I decided to finish my degree in New York City. I had never lived outside of Texas, I had just gotten out of a terrible relationship, and I had one semester left before I would be thrown into the real world.
My cousin, Amber, is originally from Texas like me.
Long story short, she ended up marrying a British guy named James and moving to the northeast. My first week up there, I stayed at her place in New Jersey. Hurricane Irene joined us, and I can still hear the crash that woke me from a dead sleep. A massive tree had fallen and blocked the front and garage doors, dragging down every power line in its path, and smashing my cousin’s car. NJ had pretty much shut down at this point because of the severe weather, so we were stuck for a few days. And this was only the beginning.
I began my dream internship at Warner Music Group, and four days into it, ended up in an ambulance in Time Square. This incident was the start of medical tests and doctor visits that would continue throughout the entire semester. Turns out I had a not-so-small case of anxiety.
The New York winter was bitter cold. I was confronted with every emotion I had buried in my life. Leaving my comfort zone was the first step in growing up. And when that process really began, I could barely stand it.
I spent a lot of time going back and forth between my apartment in Queens and Amber’s house. They were family, and they took incredible care of me. I was so broke that I couldn’t afford groceries, and they would feed me. I was so lonely that I spent my nights staring at the skyline, but at Amber’s, we’d spend hours chatting in the kitchen. Their home was my refuge during that time.
Though it was my most challenging semester, I wouldn’t trade any part of it.
Amber is also the reason why I started Wedshock. She has a blog called Bluebonnets and Brownies where she posts recipes and writes about other parts of her life. I loved reading what she wrote so freely for the entire world to see, and I was inspired to give it a try.
So as you can see, my life looks very different thanks to my cousin- love you Amber and James!
Check out my all time favorite recipe from her blog.
Not fair to make the pregnant lady cry, Alycia! I’m so glad that we had that time together too. You are one of my favorite people, whether we’re family or not.
Make no mistake, growing up is hard, no matter where you do it. But I do believe that leaving home hastens the process in a good way. Otherwise you might be stuck for years without moving past any of those things. Plus, you met the love of your life here. Everything happens for a reason, my love. And I’m so glad you started Wedshock for yourself.
In 20 years, you’ll look back on your first posts, and just like a favorite song, you’ll be transported to that moment when you wrote it or experienced it. I kept a private blog when I was dating James, and I go back and read it every now and again. That’s how it is for me. It’s a precious thing.
We love you too!
You’re one of my favorites too (and it’s really just a plus that we’re related). Moving to NY is probably my best decision to date for those reasons… So much growth, and of course, Zach 😉
I am excited for the day that I can look back on these posts and giggle at my ignorance of marriage. At least I hope I learn so much in the next 20 years that it reads as ignorance!
I love y’all. I can’t wait to see you again!