Whenever I think about my mother, the one memory that always comes to mind is her in her sweatpants and slippers with her iPod shuffle. The iPod was a gift from me one year for Mother’s Day, and since I bought it for her, it was her buddy whenever she cleaned the house. She would always dance around to songs by The Carpenters, Luke Bryan, and her favorite songs Tarzan Boy by Baltimora and Party Train by D-Train.

It has been over a month since my mom has passed away, and as time goes on, it becomes more and more real that she is truly gone. Whether it be a simple realization when I accidentally call her number while driving, only to realize that the phone has been disconnected or thinking that there will never be another Saturday where we will go to the diner for lunch and grocery shopping at Big Y afterwards. Nor will there be another Christmas where she will attempt to get me to wrap presents on my own without her help, only to take them back so she can do them “the right way.”

And, the list goes on. Every time I think about it, it hurts. Truth be told, we take time for granted. Honestly, you think that everyone is immortal, and that someone that is so central in your life like a mother, will be there forever. Or, at least until she becomes Sophia Petrillo. However, the reality is, we never know how much time we have with a person.

My mother was a strong and independent woman who was never afraid to vocalize her opinions. She worked her ass off continuously, and always made sure that her house, garden and car was the cleanest.

However, my mother was a single mother. She had to raise me alone — other than the help of my grandparents. Truth be told, I don’t know how she took care of me, the dog and the house daily. Oh yeah, and maintain a full time job to support the house.

And, she always made sure that I had everything that I wanted and needed. Thanks to my mother, I don’t have a student loan, as she was determined to make sure that I walked onto the stage without a dime of debt. My mother read every newspaper article I wrote, proudly displayed the bracelets that I made (even though sometimes they weren’t always that great), and applauded every good grade that I got. I credit my mom for my love for reading, as she would never deny me a book. She sat through flute concerts, and badminton games — even though I wasn’t the best at either of those. She was the person I always gossiped about my friends to — and the one person that I knew always had my back.

Thinking about the fact that even though she won’t be front and center for the remainder portions of my life really is devastating, whether it may be my wedding day, or if I choose to get a Master’s Degree.

But, what gets me through those tear-jerking thoughts are the little and big things she did get to witness: high school and college graduations, the day we bought Maggie home, meeting my current boyfriend, the Saturdays at Big Y, and her screaming “The Curse Is On” every Tuesday at nine when The Curse of Oak Island aired on the History Channel.

In her graduation speech from Chilton, Rory Gilmore said “But my ultimate inspiration comes from my best friend, the dazzling woman from whom I received my name and my life’s blood, Lorelai Gilmore. My mother never gave me the idea that I couldn’t do whatever I wanted to do, or be whomever I wanted to be.” 

That quote single handedly describes who my mother was as a mother.

Thank you, Mom. Thank you for guiding me through the past 24 years.

In elementary school, Valentine’s Day was the one day where we were permitted to eat chocolate from the final ring from the bell until dismissal. However, in middle and high school, Valentine’s Day was the one day a year when there was some sort of hope in the air. Hope that the object of your affection would somehow magically reciprocate your feelings. Hope that you would get a rose that was delivered by students. Hope that someone would make you swoon just once.

Nowadays, Valentine’s Day is a bit different for me — especially seeing that I am an adult and all. This is my second Valentine’s Day in a relationship with the same person. While it’s just another day at work, it’s still a day where I appreciate my boyfriend who I am very lucky to have.

Up until that point, I never had a valentine. That is, unless you count my dog. As much as I was secure in my single status, I still hated February 14th because I had to log into my social media accounts to see a tribute to everyone’s significant other. It would often leave me wondering, wait, where’s mine? The only good thing was that I could go to CVS the next day and gorge myself on discount chocolate. And, of course I treated myself to something, since I was my own Valentine.

With that being said, Valentine’s Day is a strange day. It’s a day where you tell your significant other — or someone that you hope will be your significant other — how much you love them. But, what? Shouldn’t you tell them that everyday? Well, yeah. Only on Valentine’s Day, you have the pressure to do it with candy hearts, a trip to the jewelry store and roses. And, of course some kind of romance.

Yup. It’s one of the most commercial holidays of the year.

But, seeing it from the perspective of someone who is in a happy relationship, I can say that my valentine is pretty great (even though we actually aren’t seeing each other today due to conflicting work schedules).

And, there is more to Valentine’s Day then what you see in the movies. Quoting Taylor Swift, there is still some “magic in the air.” Maybe that magic is faded a bit as you get older, but at the end of the day, Valentine’s Day is still a day filled with love. Which is the best kind of magic there is.

So, today celebrate love. That can be the love you share with that special person in your life. Or, it can very well be the love you share with yourself, because it all starts with loving you.

Cliche, yes. But aren’t all cliches true?

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone.

My favorite bible verse is Ecclesiastes 3:1 – 8. For those of you who are not familiar with the Bible, please see below for the verse:

To every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;
A time of war, and a time of peace.

What I like about this verse is that it serves as a reminder that everything happens for a reason. I believe that there is truly a time for everything. Sometimes, we can be impatient for something to happen. That can be a boyfriend. That can be that job that we have always dreamed of, but yet instead of doing it, you are waiting tables or whatever. That funny little thing called fate has a plan for us — even though sometimes we don’t actually understand what that plan may be.

With that being said, I also believe that there is a funny thing about listening to your gut — even when you are unsure of yourself. Our gut knows us better than we do, and personally, I think that we don’t listen to it enough. Instead, that voice is often drowned by what others think is best for us. Which is nice to have people to care enough to voice their opinion, but at the end of the day, no one knows what is best for us, than ourselves.

Sometimes, without any particular reason why, we just know what is best for us. I think that it comes from knowing the timing and listening to our gut. This comes from knowing when it is time to pursue a new opportunity. This comes from knowing when a relationship is not right for you. This comes from knowing that while things may not be how we want them to be right this second, we will get to that point.

So, to those who are struggling, know this: with a little hard work and pixie dust, everything will work out in the end. The timing may not be what you want it to be, however, if you listen to that thing called your gut, you will be just fine.

Lately, one of my favorite pieces to make is a toggle bracelet. What I like about them is that they are so simple, yet they can turn into the most beautiful pieces. And, like many of the crafts that I show you how to make, there are so many ways to make it. So, if you’re looking for a fun craft to keep you occupied during the winter season, here’s how to make it.

What You Need: 

• Beads of your choice
• String — my personal favorite is Tiger Tail.
• Toggle Clasp of your choice
• Crimp Beads
• Crimp tool

What You Need To Do: 

1. Measure the string to the length that you would like. Give yourself about an extra two inches, and cut.
2. Grab a crimp bead and a crimp tool. String the crimp bead through the string, then string the loop of the circular part of the toggle bracelet and then loop it through the crimp bead.
3. Crimp it until flat.
4. Begin stringing beads in desired pattern.
5. Once the bracelet is to the desired length, string another crimp bead on. Do the same with step two with the other end of the clasp.
6. Cut longer ends. Now you’re done!