Celebrating My 27th Birthday! | 10 Favorite Memories from the Past Year
It’s the day after my 27th birthday, and whoever said when you start getting older, the years start flying, wasn’t lying. I’ll try not to get too sentimental, but it’s honestly difficult not to when I remember all the different phases of my life that I’ve gone through to make me into the person I’m proud of today.
I spent most of my life in Americus, my small hometown, and I’d be lying if it didn’t impact and form a lot of my mannerisms even to this day. There are sayings that I grew up hearing my parents say that I’ve adopted into my vernacular as an adult. Those southern roots are embedded deeply into my spirit and over the years, I’ve grown to truly appreciate them.
My time in Athens for college were some of the best years of my life, not because I was at every party, was student body president, or even landed some lucrative job offer right after graduation, but because I created memories that hold such sweet nostalgia as the years roll on. Everytime I listen to any song from Solange’s album “A Seat at the Table”, I’m transported back to one specific day during my freshman year when I was in my dorm room twisting and detangling my hair with frozen fingers since the building was an ice box. I vividly remember walking down the hallway to the community bathroom and running warm water over my hands so I could finish twisting the rest of my head.
Even now when Kris and I go to UGA soccer games, I’m reminded of that one fateful night that we went on our first date. I was stressing over what to wear before our date and I was shook by how much I liked him when I got back to my room. Athens holds such fond memories that I would love to move back to the area one day. It’s such a niche city that saw some of my best and worst moments.
During the transition to my mid to late twenties, I’m becoming more confident in who I am as a person and understanding that I don’t have to hold myself to such rigid standards. I also understand some of the most important things in life are creating a family and cultivating hobbies outside of my 8 to 5 to keep me involved, active, and encouraged in life.
I’m more astute politically, learning new accounting skills, and figuring out how to do this life thing with my best friend right by my side. He always makes me feel like the happiest woman in the world, and for that, I’m always grateful for him.
In true Jessica Marie fashion, I like to stay lowkey and out the mix as much as possible. To celebrate 10/10, I’d like to share 10 of my favorite memories from this past year.
A random good hair and skin day. The lighting did what it needed to do. Ever since I turned 24 or 25, I’ve really been struggling with adult acne after never having a blemish mar my face for years. The adolescence puberty hormones were light work compared to the adult hormones and body changes associated with getting older that started wreaking havoc on my normally clear skin. Thankfully, I’ve found a routine that helps minimize and mitigate my bumps.
My Nala. The day I got her, I said “I’ve never had a brown dog before” and she’s been one of my biggest joys over the four years we’ve had her. She’s definitely crazy sometimes, but more often than not, she’s just a lovebug who enjoys getting rubbed and rolling around in the grass.
My Sasha is known as “the dog with the pretty eyes” in my household and her personality is definitely distinctive from her sister’s. She shares the spotlight as one of my biggest joys and she’s always down to play, tussle, and eat some food. She keeps us on our toes since she’s always watching and learning new things to surprise us with.
A beautiful walk on the beach at night. This photo was taken during our very first trip to Jekyll Island, and I’ll never forget how serene the beach was without all the vacationers, birds squawking, and kids playing. I understand why people love sitting out and listening to the sound of the waves crash against the shore.
During our trip to Washington, D.C. in June, we got to see one of our favorite soccer players, Croix Bethune, play in a professional NWSL game. It was such a joy getting to see her play in person again. She always stood out as one of the best players on the field, and her electric play remains even at the professional level. Similar to her time at UGA, she scored a last second goal to help her team.
A morning stroll by the water in Savannah. The food during this trip stuck out the most to me. We tried so many local restaurants that wound up being absolutely delicious! 😋
I love the springtime not only because I get to trade my comfy hoodies for shorts finally, but because softball season consumes a solid three to four months at the beginning of each year. We watch every single game on TV and go to as many games in person as we can. Calling balls and strikes has quickly become one of my favorite pastimes.
One of my favorite things about the summer is being able to get outside and touch some grass. We took up jogging again and actually ran almost four miles straight to avoid getting caught in a park after dark. By the time we got back to the car, one of my feet was numb, but I was filled with such pride and accomplishment that we actually made it to the end without stopping.
One of the coolest things we found was a turtle in our backyard one day. A few weeks prior, we noticed something sliding under our fence and wondered what it was. Lo and behold, it was just a turtle. Surprisingly, he made his way from one side of our yard all the way to the other side without being noticed. Sasha was very intrigued to meet him, but Nala couldn’t care less. She was totally uninterested in making a new, reptilian friend.
A picture next to the St. Simons Lighthouse. While we didn’t have time to go up this one, if you’ve been up one lighthouse, you’ve probably been up them all. After going up the many stairs, you make it to the top for a breathtaking, and windy, view.
There were so many other pictures that were my favorite from this past year. In fact, there were 33 total. Narrowing it down to only 10 was hard, but it helped me understand the moments that stuck out and held the most meaning. I can’t wait to see what memories, traditions, and joy the next year will bring!
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Signed,
Jessica Marie
