Goodbye Mississippi, Hello Alabama.

*I wrote this in May of 2017 while my Parents and I were packing up to move from Mississippi back to our home State of Alabama.*

When my family and I moved into this house (in Mississippi) I was a child on the brink of adulthood. We moved to Mississippi, August, 28th, 2004. One month and three days before my eighteenth birthday.  It was my Senior year of high school. I homeschooled so I did not have to worry about transitioning from one school to the next. 

I was raised in Alabama from the time my Parents took me home from the Hospital in Florida where I was born.  You could say I grew up in Alabama.  You could also say I grew up in Mississippi during the thirteen years I have lived here. 

A lot of firsts happened for me right here in Mississippi.  First speech given in front of Church for my Senior year English project to graduate.  First time I preached was in the little Church we attended. I got my permit and first driver's license in Mississippi.   My wisdom teeth were taken out in Mississippi.  It was in Mississippi that I started my online business, found new independence, became an adult, took voice lessons, got my first job, became a licensed and certified Pharmacy Technician. Felt a lot of joy, happiness, and pain.  Got my horses. Fell in love with a dog I named Goober, later feel in love a second time with a dog I named Bama.  

I learned important lessons. I had my first wreck in a vehicle where I was driving. I wrecked a dirt bike and was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury.  In Mississippi I met some incredible people who became good friends and family. 

Mississippi has been a second home. I have grown. I have learned. 

Leaving is not easy.  I may be moving back to my Home State of Alabama, but I am carrying all the memories with me.  Maybe not the bad ones, they can stay here, but all the good memories I will forever cherish in my heart and in my mind. 

It won't be the end, I will still visit Mississippi to see my nephew, his family, which includes his fiance and my sweet great niece.  I will come back often for Doctors appointments until I find a Doctor in Alabama.  It won't be the same though.   These trips will be visits, staying in hotels. Living in this house is coming to an end. 

A new chapter is beginning. 

Goodbye old house.

It's been real.

Hello adventure, I am ready. 

Stores that Use to be Other Stores

In 2004 my family and I moved from Alabama to Mississippi. This year my Parents and I moved from Mississippi back to Alabama. It is fun to see how this area has changed. New buildings have been built, old stores are now a different store from what it was when I was growing up.

Last week my Mama and I went shopping. I decided to take some pictures of stores that use to be different stores when I was a child.

This building was once a Walmart before the Super Walmart was built. Now the building is separated into two stores.

My Mama and I went in Roses Express.

I enjoyed looking at some of the items in the store, like these fleece pajama pants. Fleece pajama pants are my favorite to wear during winter weather. I took pictures of some of the ones I liked the best. I did not buy any because the westher is still hot here. I plan on going back soon and purchasing some of their pajama pants if they still have them.

These were cute. I like the colors. My oldest sister would like them as well since they have smiley faces on them. $5.99 is a good price for fleece pajama pants.

How cute are these panda bear pajama pants?

Penguins!! One of my favorite breed of animals. I like thr color combinations on the pajama pants too.

Cute heart print pajama pants. I like the colors in this material too.

"Party Owl Night," I like the play on words! Owls are one of my favorite birds.

Anothet pair of owl pajama pants. I think they are cute, but the pair pictured above I like the best.

Goodies is across the parking lot from Roses Express. When I was growing up this building was a clothing store named "Moores," I liked that store. My first grown up ladies pants suit and dress shoes my parents bought for me from Moores. They bought a lot of my clothes growing up from Moores.

I enjoyed my Mama and I spending time together on our shopping trip. I like seeing how the town has changed in some ways and in other was how it has stayed the same.

My Sweet Shiloh

The day we brought Shiloh home was an exciting day for me.  Let me back up, the day we got him loaded into the horse trailer was an exciting day for me as well. He does not like horse trailers. The 4-5 hours it took to get him to Alabama the day we left Mississippi for our new home in Alabama, Shiloh road in the horse trailer like he had been doing it all his life. I am so proud of him. 

When the gate to the horse trailer was opened so he could go into the pasture, his new home, he walked out of there like a pro. 

Welcome home my Shiloh! I thank Jesus we brought you here.

Strawberry Festival in Castleberry Alabama

 

In April of this year I did my first Strawberry Festival in Castleberry, Alabama. What I mean by that is I set up a booth with my handmade jewelry, accessories, and some DIY Supplies.  The people in charge of the festival painted strawberries on the road. I think they were cute. 

 This is me waiting to get into the festival to set up my booth. We had to wait for almost an hour because another vendor was blocking the road while setting up their booth instead of pulling over to the side.  There was a long line of other vendors waiting to get to their spot. I am sure they were as nervous and anxious as I was watching the clock. All of the booths had to be set up by 8am and it was after 7am.  

 

That Saturday was a hot day! 

My booth! We set it up with time to spare because the gate opened at 8am! Thank you Jesus!!

Instead of using business cards I decided to make one big business card and put it in a picture frame. I read the idea online. It was a good idea, but next time I do a festival I will be sure to have business cards on hand. 

This was my necklace display. My Daddy found and bought it at a store, the store was going to throw it away.  Mama covered it with paper. It had hooks, but I decided it needed more, so I added some thumb tacks for extra hooks for my necklaces. 

I had a container field with $5.00 Surprise bags.  They did not go over well because they were not displayed in a good spot, but that is okay. Lesson learned for next time. 

I like how my booth looked.  This was the second festival I have done. In my opinion the look of my booth was a big improvement over what it looked liked when I did my first festival in Mississippi in 2010.   I see a lot of room for improvement, and I have a lot of ideas.  For example instead of using blue computer paper to make the signs, cutting the edges with decorative scissors and using a maker to write on the paper,  next time I want to go for a more professional look and print my signs off on the computer and laminate them for sturdiness and to be able to use over again. 

 My brother-in-law Rick, sister Kristi and I shared a booth. The woodwork belongs to my brother-in-law. He is amazing at woodwork.

My display for beads!

I decided to add a basket of charms in the props suitcase that was displaying my beads. 

 It was a hot Saturday!

 The stage in the background was where the music entertainment sang. 

 I had to take a few breaks during the day. This was my first time being in big crowds since my brain injury, I had a few panic attacks and a few seizures.  This picture I took in the truck. My house was not far from the festival so my Mama and I left to go get my dog Bama, while my Daddy, Sister, and Brother-in-law watched our booth.  

 Thirsty puppy! 

 Bama was happy to be with me. This was his first festival.

 Hey!! 

My sister Kristi and I.  

 Sweet Bama! 

 I love my dog Bama! 

Handsome Bama!  I was glad to have him with me. 

I enjoyed it. I had fun.  Festivals would not be complete without concession stands. I ate chicken on a stick, nacho and cheese and a cherry snow cone from the Kona Ice Truck. Yum!

We were suppose to stay until 5:00pm but, I had a major seizure and we had to take down my booth and leave early, but that is okay.  I am proud of myself for being able to do it. I had fun.  I had been wanting to do a festival since I wrecked in 2012 but was not able to until this April. Thank you Jesus for the opportunity! 

Strawberry Festival in Castleberry Alabama

 

In April of this year I did my first Strawberry Festival in Castleberry, Alabama. What I mean by that is I set up a booth with my handmade jewelry, accessories, and some DIY Supplies.  The people in charge of the festival painted strawberries on the road. I think they were cute. 

 This is me waiting to get into the festival to set up my booth. We had to wait for almost an hour because another vendor was blocking the road while setting up their booth instead of pulling over to the side.  There was a long line of other vendors waiting to get to their spot. I am sure they were as nervous and anxious as I was watching the clock. All of the booths had to be set up by 8am and it was after 7am.  

 

That Saturday was a hot day! 

My booth! We set it up with time to spare because the gate opened at 8am! Thank you Jesus!!

Instead of using business cards I decided to make one big business card and put it in a picture frame. I read the idea online. It was a good idea, but next time I do a festival I will be sure to have business cards on hand. 

This was my necklace display. My Daddy found and bought it at a store, the store was going to throw it away.  Mama covered it with paper. It had hooks, but I decided it needed more, so I added some thumb tacks for extra hooks for my necklaces. 

I had a container field with $5.00 Surprise bags.  They did not go over well because they were not displayed in a good spot, but that is okay. Lesson learned for next time. 

I like how my booth looked.  This was the second festival I have done. In my opinion the look of my booth was a big improvement over what it looked liked when I did my first festival in Mississippi in 2010.   I see a lot of room for improvement, and I have a lot of ideas.  For example instead of using blue computer paper to make the signs, cutting the edges with decorative scissors and using a maker to write on the paper,  next time I want to go for a more professional look and print my signs off on the computer and laminate them for sturdiness and to be able to use over again. 

 My brother-in-law Rick, sister Kristi and I shared a booth. The woodwork belongs to my brother-in-law. He is amazing at woodwork.

My display for beads!

I decided to add a basket of charms in the props suitcase that was displaying my beads. 

 It was a hot Saturday!

 The stage in the background was where the music entertainment sang. 

 I had to take a few breaks during the day. This was my first time being in big crowds since my brain injury, I had a few panic attacks and a few seizures.  This picture I took in the truck. My house was not far from the festival so my Mama and I left to go get my dog Bama, while my Daddy, Sister, and Brother-in-law watched our booth.  

 Thirsty puppy! 

 Bama was happy to be with me. This was his first festival.

 Hey!! 

My sister Kristi and I.  

 Sweet Bama! 

 I love my dog Bama! 

Handsome Bama!  I was glad to have him with me. 

I enjoyed it. I had fun.  Festivals would not be complete without concession stands. I ate chicken on a stick, nacho and cheese and a cherry snow cone from the Kona Ice Truck. Yum!

We were suppose to stay until 5:00pm but, I had a major seizure and we had to take down my booth and leave early, but that is okay.  I am proud of myself for being able to do it. I had fun.  I had been wanting to do a festival since I wrecked in 2012 but was not able to until this April. Thank you Jesus for the opportunity!