#24duringmy24thProject

The year of all years. 

The task of all tasks.

The blog of all blogs. 

24 friends.

12 months. 

1 hand-written letter per friend, per month. {24 letters/month} 

Unlimited bonding/growth/fun/love. 

Y'all. SO EXCITED. 

So, let's rewind to 2 months ago. 

I'm living life, loving life {as much as possible} and I just get this overwhelming need to just love on my friends. No particular reason. Just, this major emotional break. If I could, I would have hugged you. All of you. The most extravagant hug that never ends, and we both leave full and fulfilled and loved. Call me crazy. I have my moments. 

But seriously. I thought, how blessed am I to have these fantastic people in my life who kinda like me too? I mean, I'm a pretty difficult person. So, to have such am overwhelming group of friends who I have shared such intimate details about life and what I want in life and my needs and desires and my dreams and goals...gosh, I'm so blessed. 

Fast forward to:

one month, one week, 2 days later. 

July 28, 2014. 

The day that shook me to my core. 

I was just in the beginning stages of this #24duringmy24thproject, collecting addresses, getting my thoughts together on what to say, how to say it, delivery, etc. Now, initially, this was a selfish thing. This was solely for me to bond with my friends...

My sweet, precious, hilarious friend, Claire, passed away suddenly. It was a typical Mississippi Monday in July. 

Muggy and suffocatingly hot. 

I remember getting the phone call. 

It still doesn't even seem real. 

My friend Claire was one of my sweet 24. Just a few days before, she begged me to tell her what I was up to, but I kept it a secret up until the letters were mailed out. Breaks my heart that I'm not going to be able to share this with her. 

I KNOW she would have wrote me back within the first week. She always was prompt like that. :) 

The following days after Claire's passing seem like a blur. I don't remember much. Just trying to wrap my puny, simple brain around the big picture and what has just happened-the immeasurable loss we've just endured. 

Let's talk a little about my friend Claire. 

Clara, as I affectionately called her, or "Claire My Love" as she so sweetly changed her name in my phone, was 

one-of-a-kind; quite possibly the most stunningly open and Jesus-loving person I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. 

To the people who didn't know Claire, my words cannot do her justice. 

Goodness. 

How I miss my friend. 

So, this project grew in meaning after losing Claire. I realized that the people in my life mean much more than what I credit them for. It's important to me that my friends understand their worth and importance in my life. 

Just like with Claire, I have immeasurable love for you guys. 

So, why 24 you ask? 

Well, I turned 24 on August 20th. 

And there's 24 hours in a day.

And it's my last year before I'm halfway to 50. (Oy vey) 

Why not? 

So. My goal with all of this is...

1: {obviously} build my relationships. Love on my friends. 

Show them their worth in my life. 

2: pray for them. 

For the next 365+ days, these specific 24 people will be prayed for every single day. 

3: 1 letter{at least} per person, per month. 

24 hand-written letters! Every single month! For a year! 

It's truly a lost art. 

SO. 

To my sweet 24: 

I cannot wait to see what this year brings. Please participate. You'll break my heart if you don't. I've even provided an email outlet for those of you who aren't fond of the ol' postal service.

{but, who doesn't get a little giddy when they get a letter in the mail?!?} 

You rock, and I cannot wait to do this with you. 

Caitlyn. 

On the road again...

I'm blogging from the road today. 

My sister has had a pretty busy summer, I must say. 

Between birthday parties to swimming parties to her birthday at the beach to weekend trips to water parks... 

We are now headed to drop her off with my Aunt and Uncle in Oklahoma for 2 weeks. I mean, the girl is living the life this summer. Why do I have to be a grownup? Oh, yeah. It's the natural progression of life. 

So, we left early this morning-fashionably late, of course. But, early nonetheless.

Grace prefers to sit in the front seat, because, I guess, the backseat is super uncool. I don't know, you'll have to ask her. So, yeah. I am blogging from the backseat of Alice the Alti. Living the life. 

Two things I've learned so far on this mini roadtrip: 

1: Oklahoma has AWFUL cell reception. 

2: I have a ton of pictures on my phone that have never seen the light of day and are so fabulous, they deserve to be shared. 

Would you like to join me on my phone purge journey? Hop on! 

This dog..... I'm slightly ashamed of my attachment to her. #puppylove 

DKTTU with these two... Gosh, so many memories! #hilarity 

FYI...I STILL can't jump rope. 

Beach lovin'...

Take me back!! 

This was good for my soul. 

Caitlyn

{life chapters: part 1}

Never more, than this chapter in my life, have I known how much I need Him.

Never before has my destiny weighed so heavily on my mind and heart. 

To be consciously aware of literally every thing in my life is because of a greater will than my own is...something that I'm still baffled by. 

So, life has been a challenge since graduating from college. Ha, 1 year ago...

Between struggling with student loan debt, working like an insane person, job hunting...it's been a challenge to keep my head above the water, to say the least. 

Now that I've completed one year as an adult, I can actually speak with conviction...it's not as great as it seems, haha! 

This year has thrown some mighty challenging stuff my way and just trying to figure out my next step has been beyond daunting. At times, it has been petrifying. And most of the time, I have not liked it. 

Okay, Story. 

So, I have a degree. An actual, 4 year degree that I'm proud of.

The job that I hold now does not require a degree, as it is entry level. At the time they offered it to me, I was willing to do anything just to get back home and away from Columbus. Mistake #1: I should have found a job that pays more than $9 an hour. Because, ya girl has a Mt. Everest of student loan debt and she likes to shop. 

But not only that----I SO desire to start my own life. Where I have my own place, with my own pup, and my own bathroom... I yearn to be able to support myself, 100%. And not depend on ANYONE. And right now, I live at home-which I am thankful that I was able to move back home...but, you know, it shouldn't be this way. 

I want to be an adult. 

Work is exactly that. I am dumbfounded on a daily basis at what I call my profession. My stress level is, most of the time, through the roof and I work insane hours, but I put my everything into my job. Even when you can't even tell. {which is most of the time}

So, in my opinion, this chapter of my life is full of lessons. Just a few...

Lesson #1: first is not always best.

Lesson #2: be grateful for any opportunity. 

Lesson #3: throw your everything into something. 

That last lesson, I am realizing the beauty and the power I have at this point in my life. I am single, untethered, and willing. I desire to find a job where I can just throw my all into. A job where I have no boundaries because of the openness I am capable of. I want to be über independent. It's gotta be out there somewhere, right? Searching...

But, throughout this year, I constantly said to myself "There's gotta be more than this..." But, really...there has got to be more to life than working. Gotta be. 

Oh, is there. 

Prayer. Relentless prayer. Realizing that I need Jesus so much, and realizing that all of this is temporary. Developing a mentality that is Christ like, and praying for the people who cause me to break. Knowing right from wrong, and making a conscious effort to do the right thing...

This is what I am working towards in my spiritual life. This, and so much more. 

I know that this is just a chapter in my life book.{gosh, I talk about chapters so much} 

And I am grateful for these trials in this chapter. Because without them, I'd be a worldly woman, with no yearning to cling to God. 

So, here's to many more chapters that have been written and just not read... 

Next chapter, please.

Caitlyn 

#PrayForTupelo

Dearest blogosphere...

Let me just say, my absence was not by choice. 

Work has LITERALLY taken over my life. 

It's LITERALLY all that I do. 

Ask my family and friends, who I never see. 

I digress. 

Tonight, as I was having a deep text convo with my Best, I was just overwhelmed by God's grace. Just completely and utterly in awe of the crazy, insane blessings in my life. 

This past week has been one for the books, let me tell you. 

If you haven't heard by now, Tupelo, which is where I travel to for work, was hit by an EF3 tornado on Monday, April 28.

Almost one week ago. 

God was really watching over me and my coworkers. The devastation starts less than a half mile from my work, on either sides of me. 

Monday was insane. That's the only word that I can think of to describe that day. 

Y'all, Tupelo is as much of my home as Pontotoc is. I mean, the majority of my time is spent in Tupelo. And, seeing it just become transformed into this brutally unrecognizable war zone and seeing people just jumping up to help is incredible.  INCREDIBLE. I serve an awesome God, who is greater than anything I could every imagine. I just can't even wrap my mind around Him. 

I am beyond blessed. 

By my community. 

By my awesome, awesome friends who called and texted me to see if I needed anything. 

By my family who prayed relentlessly for my safety.

By calming coworkers. 

By still having a place to come home to.

Y'all. Just so blessed. 

So, that was MONDAY. 

Later in the week, I was gifted with a rather joyous and unexpected phone call. 

I can't divulge details at this moment but this girl=sooooo happy. I wish that I could spill more but, I haven't gotten the O.K. from the source yet. :) Soon, I hope! 

If you know me, you know what I hold near and dear to my heart. And this news is definitely what I needed to hear after a whirlwind of a week. 

I am so blessed. 

And overwhelmed. 

And feeling very much like I have the weight of 7 tons on my shoulders.   

But, blessed. 

#PrayForTupelo and the other communities that were affected. 

Pictures do not do it justice.  

 

                               Caitlyn

{The Man of My Dreams}

Hey, Blogville! 

I cannot wait to get this post up. 

FYI, it's a revelation for me. 

Let me preface this with, as a young adult, I'm soul searching. I'm trying to find my place and who I am as a person. I've had countless convos with my Best about being the minority in our group of friends. 

{single. educated. driven. childless.} 

We basically concluded that it's not in the books for us to be married right now so we are making the most of our time as single adults. 

{Focusing on our careers, 

Focusing on our families, 

Focusing on our place in society...}

When I am exhausted, I have strange, strange dreams. And this past week was a beating. Whew. {glad it's over} 

So, factor in: 

exhaustion+1868 friends getting married/announcing that they are preggo=crazy vivid dreams. 

The hilarity. 

"The Man of My Dreams". 

We've all heard it before. But, who really has dreamt about the man they want to marry? 

I never have. And I'm a hopeless romantic who loves a good romcom. 

{Pretty in Pink, anyone?!}

Until last night. 

Y'all. I literally woke up so sick and so sad that this wasn't real. Never in my life have I had such emotions about a DREAM. It was perfection. I told Lauren, I wish I could send you my brain so that you could swoon about my dream too! 

It was my wedding day. And I'm assuming that I've never met this man because I don't recognize him. I do know his name, though. And he was gorgeous. 

Cole. {it was so vivid, y'all!}

And for whatever reason, I didn't have any bridesmaids. I was alone, in a back room, in my white dress. My makeup was flawless. My curls were perfect. I loved my dress. I felt so pretty. I was waiting until it was time to walk out. My soon-to-be husband formed a choir to sing for me that was made up of our friends. I remember hearing them sing a Jon McLaughlin song before I came out. Right before it was time for me to walk out, my Best appears behind me. She takes me behind the choir and we sit and talk about how this is really happening and how crazy life is. I felt so happy and content in this moment. It was then time for me to walk to my groom. I walk out of the side and everyone is looking in my direction. I am walking alone, feeling so much love as I walk through the choir of friends. My soon-to-be husband meets me halfway down the aisle and we walk to the alter together from there. 

I felt precious, loved, content, happy....

Nothing I have experienced comes close to how I woke up feeling. I have to hope and pray that this is what it's going to feel like when I am blessed with a man. 

It was beautiful. I cannot put into words how I felt. Just, so beautiful. 

I sure do hope dreams are somehow correlated into reality. Because, I want that dream to be my reality. 

Swoon. 

Off to dream again...

Caitlyn 

Grace.

So, I caved. 

And, oh did I cave in a grand way.  

I purchased the One Direction: Midnight Memories (deluxe) album. And alllllllll 18 tracks are just THE BEST. 

{I just need to preface this blog with that revelation.}

I'm pretty much not caring about the judgment I just ensued on myself. 

Not. Caring. 

Life for me has been absolutely crazy busy. 

Work has taken over 98% of my life and the other 2% I spend practicing for my upcoming return to the stage. Less than 2 weeks until show-time... {hurry up!} 

{Back in December, I auditioned for Arsenic and Old Lace and was casted as Aunt Abby. This is a role I played my sophomore year at ICC. Fun stuff.}

So, Grace. 

Grace

grās/

noun

1. 1.

   simple elegance or refinement of movement.

   "she moved through the water with effortless grace"
2. 2.

   (in Christian belief) the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.
4. 
   

I am thankful for grace in ways that I cannot begin to describe. 

God's Grace

A mother's grace

Graceful words

State of grace 

Good Grace's (being in someone's) 

Falling from grace

Saving grace

Goodness gracious. 

Story.

Have you ever wanted something so terribly bad that everything you did revolved around making sure it happened? 

Like, you ache because you desire something so, so badly? 

Recently, this overwhelming feeling of 

          I'VE GOTTA HAVE IT 

came over me and when I say it was all I could think about, it was ALL I could think about. My days and nights consisted of studying and soaking up every single bit of knowledge I could get. 

It was literally all I could talk about for that week. 

And then, the time came for me to prove my love and passion and knowledge....

And do you know what happened? 

Rejected. 

I tried to be gracious. And I tried to tell myself other things will come along. 

But y'all, this opportunity was the only thing I wanted. The absolutely only thing. 

After I settled down, I started thinking about how I got here. What in my life lead me to be this person? 

Goal oriented, work oriented, 

attention-to-detail driven person who constantly is thinking about "what's next".

Not too long ago, I was just a college student who wasn't sure of her next step in life and if banking was the right choice.

So, what can I accredit in my life for these revelations? 

Or, more so, who? 

I 100% believe that each person whom I've had a connection with has made a positive impact on my life. I could name so many people who helped shape my opinions and views and my everything! Whether negative or positive, your presence in my life has benefited me. These people make me who I am today. 

But, I started realizing, I have not been that person to others. I am not a bright, shining star in certain peoples lives. 

I wish that I could be more than a cringe or a "thank goodness it's over" but, you know, your choice. 

But, those people taught me the most. You know who you are. 

We are called to be Christ-like and I'll be the first to admit that I'm not always a mirror image of Christ. Giving GRACE and showing GRACE... Working on it. 

But, goodness. 

I am so thankful for Grace. 

Caitlyn 

5 Products I Can't Live Without

Happy Tuesday! {reality: it's Monday}

This morning while I was getting ready for work, I realized that I depend a whole, whole lot on a few products to make me look semi-presentable to the world. I love these products {deeply} and felt like some of you would like them too. 

Enjoy! 

5 Products I Can't Live Without: 

Number 5: UD Naked 2 palette.

Ohhhh myyyyy word. This little precious thing was in my stocking at Christmas and I must say, Santa knocked it out of the park. Phenomenal. If this was a man, and this man wanted a relationship, I wouldn't oblige. But seriously, I can't express to you how much I ADORE this palatte. 

Number 4: Miss Jessie's Pillow Soft Curls

This is another item that I cannot imagine my life without. If you are blessed with The Mess (of curls, that is) then you NEED this product in your life. It's a blessing. I'm not evening being dramatic. My hair smells phenom, my curls are defined, my hair is SO soft... I'll sing Miss Jessie's praises the rest of my life.

Example: (not a good one, but it'll do)

(It's available at Target but I recommend going through the Miss Jessie's website. It's $12 cheaper than Target.) 

Number 3: Elf Lip Exfoliator

I use this every night. And it tastes like a sugar cookie. I mean, why wouldn't you use this?! During winter my lips get super chapped and ugly. This sweet thing takes care of that for me. And over night! And it's a bargain at $3. Swoon. 

Number 2: Vaseline Hand Lotion 

This stuff if ahhhmazing. During these cold months, my skin is super dry and tight and I have found that this cheap lotion is the perfect formula for me. It absorbs well, has a light, fresh scent, lasts all day, and doesn't feel heavy like many lotions I've tried. Love. Can't say enough good things about it. 

Number 1: L'Oréal Voluminous-curved 

This mascara is fantastic. Not only because it's cheap but because of the pretty little curved brush. Like many of us, I've tried countless mascaras. MAC, Tarte, the list goes on... But this $7 mascara knocked it out of the park. I've used it for years. Don't ever change, V. 

What are your favorites?! 

{gotta go back to work, lunch is O-V} 

Caitlyn 

I'm back!

Okay, I'm offically back in the blogging world. And y'all, I am SO excited.

The Caitlyn Chronicles has been a labor of love, to say the least. 

It's about 8 months in the making. 

Whew. I am so glad to have thing this up and going! {finally}

The Caitlyn Chronicles was born out of the idea of wanting to have a place where I can spill out my thoughts, share my insane love of fashion, and do it all on a blog with a glitter border!

{what more could a girl want?}

With all of these life changes that I have been faced with, why not start a new, fresh blog?
One that represents my starting point into adulthood, 

one that allows me to have an outlet for my craziness, 

and one that will allow me to appreciate how blessed I truly am. 

I'm jazzed about it all. 

So, with all of that being said...

Welcome to my little corner of the world wide web, solely dedicated to fashion and life. 

See you soon!

caitlyn