As I sit here and write, I am seventeen (and a half) days away from looking at my twenties in the rear view mirror. Seventeen (and a half) days from being 30.

And you know what? I feel none of this dread I hear women talking about.

Why do women fear getting older anyway? I am actually looking forward to turning 30!

New challenges to face. New places to go. Old friends and new friends. Experiences I can't imagine. Adventures I won't see coming. New lines appearing on my face as evidence of all of my laughter, tears...life being lived. And a love that will take me to new places I didn't know existed.

My twenties have not been lacking in any of these categories, they have been full of their own surprises and twists and turns.

But the thirties will be different than the twenties...that I am sure of.

PostedFebruary 4, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesLife

TagsLife, 30, Embrace

1 CommentPost a comment

Have you ever moved back to a place you have lived already?

I haven't.

I have moved six times in my adult life and have managed to move to a different place every time until now.

We made it back to Louisiana this week, and I have to say I am pretty excited to be here and to be basically unpacked and settled (thanks to my mom and mother-in-law, who have superhero unpacking skills). I honestly did not know what it would feel like coming back, but it is almost like I never left. Well except for the part that Canean is still two hours away from me for two more weeks. But hey two weeks...that I can deal with! The countdown is on for both of us.

Sometimes you take for granted a place you live, until you leave and miss it.

PostedJanuary 24, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesLife

Tagslife, Louisiana, Adventure, home

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Oh, the Places You'll Go

It's one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books. I love everything that this book has to say even now as an adult.

"Today is your day. You're off to Great Places! You're off and away!"

What a great way to start off a book. Everyday is YOUR day. Everyday is MY day. If you have this mentality life is a little easier. It's hard because sometimes in this journey of life, we can feel lost, overwhelmed, disappointed, happy, excited, and every other emotion in between all within a moment's time. A curve ball that can be thrown at any time seems like it is always waiting to be hurled at you when you least expect it. But that doesn't always have to be a bad thing. Sometimes it's just what you need whether you knew it or not.

It's only been ten months since we sold our home in Louisiana and moved to Texas and I'm already packing again to move next week. When we left, we had plans on being on the road from place to place over the next several years. We had no idea that in a very short amount of time we would be led right back to a place we consider home. A full circle right back to Louisiana. Wow...I never saw that coming.

PostedJanuary 14, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesLife

Tagslife, travel, places, Louisiana

Photo by Natalie Mancuso Photography — Photo by Natalie Mancuso Photography

It's the story of two teenagers.

A chance meeting that lead to an unexpected spark.

One moment that seemed to lead their lives to that very night.

A kiss. A goodbye. A love story began.

It's our story. Mine and Canean's. I told you I would tell you one day.

We met when we were 18 at the beach in Florida. A Tennessee girl and a Louisiana boy who's paths crossed and changed both our lives forever.

I'm going to try and make a long story short.

PostedJanuary 6, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesLife

Tagslife, love, distance

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Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back everything is different?" -C.S. Lewis

This quote really hit home for me as I reflected over the past year.

In the moment even though life is changing, it seems to stay the same. And then all of the sudden when I take a moment to look back everything is in fact different.

I am different, my life is different, my goals are different, and I've grown into a different person...a better person hopefully. Little things that at one time seemed so important to me, no longer matter.

PostedDecember 31, 2013

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesLife

TagsLife, New Year

"What if you just knew everything was working out perfectly? Trust."

This is a quote on a magnet that I bought in Breckenridge, Colorado on a family vacation several years ago. Little did I know that it would not only become one of my favorite quotes, but that it would also become a daily reminder for me when things aren't always black and white in my life. On the other hand, life in black and white would get boring real quick...wouldn't it?

PostedDecember 2, 2013

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesLife

TagsTrust, Life

1 CommentPost a comment