We did it
We finally tied the knot
After months of stress from planning
we got the wedding we always wanted
I walked down the isle
you stood there watching me with wonder
As we said our vows while staring into each others eyes
I knew I would look into those eyes forever
We finally kissed as we went from two people to one person
We became one heart
as our kiss sent off sparks of passion
I held your hand so tightly
to make sure that this was real
We are now husband and wife
words could not express the joy I was feeling in that moment
As we had our first dance
it became clear to me
You are the one
God has chosen for me
As our song played beautifully
we sang along quietly together
I am so happy to share this journey with you
that tells the story of us forever


This poem is dedicated to Jeremy and Heather Okon
Congratulations on your special day
I love you

The ones you love the most
will break your heart once or twice
It's not because their evil
their human, they will mess up sometimes
The one you give your heart to
will disappoint you one day
It's not because they don't love you
their fighting demons that won't ever go away
The people you call your friends
will make mistakes that will upset you
It's not because they don't care about your friendship
there are just some things they have to do
The sun won't always shine
sometimes it will rain
It doesn't mean something bad will happen
it's God's way of cleansing your pain
Your parents who you thought were perfect
may overstep their boundaries by telling you what to do
It's not because they doubt you
It's their way of saying they care about you
The God you lean on twenty four hours a day
won't stop you from hitting rock bottom
It's not because he deserted you
it's the only way you will ever grow
So trust him

I just want to dye my hair all sorts of crazy colors. Why? Because I can. I want to go to concerts and be around people who just want to have fun after spending so many years going through hell and back. I want to travel to England and have adventures I can write stories about. I want to wear cute skirts with a beat up pair of converse and dance all over the place. I want to eat all the chocolate I can. I want to find magic in places no one thinks about twice. I want to turn 30 years old with confidence because I think women get better with age. I want to write forever and ever. I want to write for a career. I want to write anywhere whether it's on an airplane, the floor in a mall, a dressing room, while stuck in traffic, high up on a building where I can see everything you can't see when you are on the ground. I want to make snow angels in the snow and make wishes in the rain. I want to eat pizza with my friends, fall in love with a man who adores me, adopt a child and give them a home so I can love them every second of everyday. I want to have my heartbroken so I can become stronger. I want to laugh so when I'm sad I have something to remind me why I should keep going. I want to swim with mermaids, fly in the sky with Santa Claus and go ice skating with Jack Frost. I want people to tell me I can't do something so I can prove them wrong. I want to jump from cliffs and let the ocean catch me into it's arms and spin me around as if I am dancing in an underground heaven. I want to be 40 years old still be going to Disneyland because I refuse to let the child inside of me from years ago die. I want to make a difference. I want to hug as many people as I can. I want to stay up until 3 am around a camp fire looking at the stars while I tell God all of my secrets. I want to make all my dreams come true all the while staying humble so I don't lose myself in success. I want to live without the pressure of having to do certain things so fast. I want to leave this earth knowing I did impossible things and that someone's life was changed because I chose to love them when nobody else wanted to.

You told me you loved me for the first time today
As soon as you said those three words
I felt the earth stop moving
Time stood still
All I could hear was the sound of my heart
thumping with fear
My throat closed up when I tried to speak
I could see the disappointment in your eyes
once you realized that I didn't say I loved you back
It's not that I don't love you
I do love you
I really do
I just can't say the words out loud
I am too terrified to tell you how I feel
I know communication is important in a relationship
I am great with communicating
At least I used to be
I used to be fearless with confessing my feelings
Until I learned confessing my feelings just opens the door
to heartbreak I'm not sure I ever recovered from
I'm sorry I can't say those three words back
You deserve to be with a woman who is fearless in love
A woman who doesn't let the past keep her
from embracing someone great that is standing right
in front of her face
I'm sorry
I can't do this

Look into the mirror and say "I am beautiful" 30 times. Afterwards look at the smile on your face and notice how much happier you are when you are kind to yourself.

There is something about Fall that brings me comfort
Maybe it is the color of the leaves
Maybe it is the warm clothes
Maybe it is the smell of cinnamon in the air
Maybe it is the holidays that come with Fall

I think it is more than that
I think it is the word itself
It is the season
When I think of Fall I think of changes
Fall is the season for change
It makes sense

Winter is the season to bear all
and express your feelings to the ones who mean the most to you

Spring is for blooming into a new person
who has more courage than they had the year before

Summer is for going with the flow
Allowing your inner child to be set free to guide you
through the adult roller coaster you cannot get off of once you turn 18

Fall is the season where all of the negative  you picked up
from previous seasons fall away
You have no choice but to give into the season of Fall
because no matter what you may be facing
there is something always around the corner
that is meant to touch your heart and soul somehow

Fall is like being in love
It is an indescribable feeling
Once it hits you you cannot help but become giddy and joyful

Fall is the only season where anything good and bad can change
but you are not afraid of the change because Fall
has this way of reassuring you that you are in the exact place
you are supposed to be and that no matter what
everything will be okay

I fell in love with you during the most magical time of the year
The leaves were changing
Everything tasted like pumpkin
Hoodies were being worn with jeans and leggings
Hot cider replaced water
and cool winds replaced the heat
I met you while walking down the street
Your brown hair was a mess from the wind
You were wearing a Metallica t-shirt with a hoodie
that looked like it had been with you through high school
You were carrying a gas station coffee that looked delicious
considering that was what my walk was for
You and I were waiting to use the same crosswalk
We each had a headphone in an ear that was blasting a Bruce Springsteen song
After noticing this you asked me what my favorite song by Bruce was
With blushing cheeks I answered "Tougher Than The Rest"
As you shook your head to move the hair from your face
you responded "Me too"
The crosswalk said walk so we walked
We ended up walking to Seattle's Best Coffee House
I got confused at the coffee you already had in your hand
You informed me that the cup was filled with change collected from weeks before
I invited you to have a coffee with me
While I treated us to coffee
you treated us to muffins you promised me were the best
As we took our seats in the coffee house
we both sipped our coffee
as the radio began to play the song "Tougher Than The Rest"