I love when I listen to God

So, if you're a reader of my blog you know that I have an upcoming ladies weekend retreat.

Well, the event is next weekend and the closer it gets the more ecstatic I get. As I've said in previous posts this is something that I've been wanting to do for a little while but maybe not in the form of a retreat. Well, God spoke and that's what its been turned in to. I swear when He speaks, He gives you all the things, people, etc that you need to execute. I'm so blessed that He gave me the best people for the job. I'm doing a workshop on lifestyle/personal development, a friend, Andrea is covering fitness, a friend Manisa is doing a workshop on finance, another friend Jennifer is covering faith/spirituality and my friend and fellow blogger Toni is doing her workshop on fashion. How awesome is that? Too awesome.

We have a great variety of women who have made an investment in themselves and trust us to bring them knowledge on the above areas. Even though I am the planner of this event I am so looking forward to all the workshops.

We start out that Friday with registration, a workshop and a late night social. Saturday is where the remainder of the workshops will take place and our fabulous "Little Black Dress" dinner. Sunday we will join one last time for breakfast and to share our experiences from the weekend.  I am praying for a very successful weekend surrounded with my friends and other women who ware looking to make improvements in their lives.

I promise that after its over I will post pics and report how awesome it was.  There will definitely be more of these events in the future and I can't wait. Maybe next time you will join us.  The other ladies aren't bloggers but if you're interested in great fashion, thrifting, styling tips...check out prettydarkgirlstyle.blogspot.com

Wishing you all a great weekend. I will be finalizing plans for next weekend and treating my mom to dinner and some mommy/me time.

toodles
~thegorgeousdork

The Celebration

So...the honey woke me up and told me to get ready Saturday morning. "Be ready by 10:30", so of course I followed instructions. I was told to not get dressed up or anything so I put on some jeans, a striped cotton shirt and a black cardigan since it was a little chilly in the morning. We quickly leave and soon after arrive at Cosmopolitan Salon and Day Spa..."awww" was my immediate thought but then I realize he sends me alone.

The staff quickly had me check in and offered coffee, tea or water but I declined since I would soon be lying down for my massage. I was given a very awesome massage by Stephanie for a good hour and ten minutes and was even complimented on my skin. (*blushing*). After the massage I was drinking my cup of water when I was told to follow another lady to a room. Once we arrive in the room there's a pedicure chair with magazines, etc. I happily hopped on up into the chair and rolled up my jeans for my fabulous hour long pedicure. The lady was very nice, I can't remember her name at the moment (senior moment). Shortly after the pedicure was over I was told to have a seat at her station where I received a manicure. While getting the manicure, my tall, handsome hubby walks in in a nice shirt and jeans. Hmm, what is he up to? He goes to the counter and pays while all the staff sent us on our way with huge smiles.

I carefully walk out to the car where the hubby says okay you're ready to eat? Of course, so we head to Aha Sushi which is a fav of mine but they weren't open yet. We then drive back in the direction we had already come from to hit up Sushi Thai.. Nom, Nom, Nom...what a wonderful time!

So, after lunch I see he's pretty ready to go so we pay the bill and quickly leave. Headed towards the tollway now, my mind is racing because I have no idea where we're going.  I don't have the proper clothes on to be going somewhere is all I'm thinking. I say to him, "I thought I was going to get to go home and change" and softly tells me "babe, its okay".  *Sigh*...

We're driving and driving and driving..lol. We're like way out south (south suburbs). Where the heck are we going and I can softly hear the GPS saying "In .4 miles your destination is on your right", all I see is a Burger King sign. WTH. So we pull into the parking lot of a gray building that looks nothing like somewhere we should be going and boom, I see the sign. Aura, adults only. LOL. The hubby had got us a nice room and it actually felt like we were away. Awww, that's all I could say.  So, we pull around back after being let through a gate and park. He pops the trunk where he grabs two bags...he had packed one for me, how sweet.

 The shower was amazing

 Loved this fireplace..

If you're in the area and looking for a nice getaway, I highly recommend it. I loved the exclusivity of the place and with it being an hour away it felt like we had actually gone away. Looking forward to our real vacation though...nothing like beaches and fruity cocktails. He definitely pulled off a fabulous weekend and I was surely surprised. I love me some him.

That Sunday, we slept in and eventually found our way back to "home". It began to pour down rain on our way back so we picked up some takeout and watched movies. My mom stopped by to wish us a Happy Anniversary and she brought us dinner. The hubbs had been up all day Saturday after working over night Friday so he clonked out. After his nap we got up and cut the cake, which was just as delicious as it was the wedding day. What a great, low-key anniversary celebration. I'm super relaxed, just too bad we didn't win the lottery so I didn't have to come back to work. Thankfully I have the memory to keep me sane while working LOL.
Our top layer from wedding day

 Our wedding day glasses

 Wine from our honeymoon that we managed to save

Its almost time

This Sunday, May 6, 2012 will be my one year anniversary with my husband. This year has been great but also a learning experience. I'm so grateful that we made it and have stuck it out through the storms of life.

I've known my husband since we were in the 8th grade, he happened to be my first love. We dated for about a year and 3 months and decided to break up because of us getting in trouble lol. After a few months of being upset with him and him finding a new girlfriend I couldn't see him not being in my life so we remained friends and had been friends for the last 18 years. Our friendship has encountered much, we've watched other relationships come and go, been there for each other during the break ups, lost loved ones, mature, he had a daughter and so much more. We never let our friendship die, even during the little spats we had. He always had a very special place in my heart and I knew no matter what I'd always be in his life somehow.

As I think back to the late night calls and making him run to the 24 hour Walmart with me or just coming and watching movies with me...smiles quickly cover my face. He did anything for me but I never looked at him as my "soulmate". We made a bet that by the time we were 25 if we weren't married then we'd marry each other but that time came and we were both single and I just didn't think anything of it. So a couple more years went by and a few more relationships as well but something started changing. I was noticing myself getting a little jealous if he couldn't come out with me or what have you. We started spending time together but then it stopped and he was being short with my texts, etc... "what is this, me, catching feelings? ...no, it can't be" lol.

Our friend Jonathan invited me and a friend out to eat one day and Mel and I hadn't spoken in about a month so he had him come to, after arguing over dinner a bit we decided we'd hang out soon. Well that's where it started, we hung out and ever since then we've been together. I was so worried that if it didn't work that it would ruin our wonderful friendship but God had been preparing him just for me and I for him.

Two years later, my best friend proposed to me on 12-10-10.  The 12 was for my birthday, the 10 for his...and 5 months later we were married.  All that time my soul mate was right in front of me and I was looking everywhere but there.

This weekend we get to celebrate our first year of husband and wife together. I'm honored to call him husband and I pray that he's just as honored to call me wife. We've gotten to know even more things about each other in this year. You think you know someone really well until you marry them and move in together. I'm thankful for God being first in our life and that we can keep our line of communication open. Marriage is a beautiful thing but it is something that requires work. The work you put in is what you get out, enjoy each other, respect each other, accept the differences and vow to make the other happy.

I wish each of you that come across my blog the same happiness that I've been blessed with.

Happy Anniversary to Us... *cheers*

~the gorgeous dork

So I'm wrong???

One day I will be more consistent with my blogging. I promise! It just seems to be something going on all the time that I don't get around to it. I'm totally to blame and have no problem owning up to it (smile).

So, I get questioned often about "why are you so happy", "why do you always have to post positive stuff", "your life can't be that great"... REALLY? Why are these even questions?

Listen, when I was a kid,  a teen, young adult...I had an attitude. I will admit to that one but it took some time for me to admit it. Why did I have an attitude? Because people caused me lots of pain when I was younger. I was talked about for being light skinned, I was talked about for going to private school, I was talked about because of what I had or anything else stupid you can think of. I had problems with females most of my life, so I usually took more to males. I then became a "hoe", because I had so many male friends. So, I developed an attitude as a security blanket. I gave attitude first so you didn't get the opportunity to hurt me. Dumb? Yes...but its what happened.

As I grew older and had lots of my mothers friends who gave me tons of advice. ( I also used to stay around the older crowd because they didn't make me feel like my peers did). They would often tell me, you should never dim your light because someone else is threatened by your greatness. My parents also told me this too, thank God that seed was embedded because it helped me get to where I am today. When I was in college I became obsessed  with self help. I wanted to be better, that was a huge goal of mine. I read books, from Iyanla and many other great authors. But, I wasn't ready quite yet. I still had some growing to do and that is to be expected for a young lady in her twenties.

I've been hurt so many times during my life by friends, strangers, etc but all of that helped me become who I am today. I drown myself in being happy, in being better, in mastering my mind, helping others, empowering others, supporting others. I live it, I breathe it but it was hard work. Being optimistic, choosing happiness requires work but it can happen. I got rid of a lot of friends and so called friends, people who were not adding any value to my life. People who constantly brought drama amongst other things.

I started reading, I started affirming, I started praying, I started forgiving, I started loving more, I started smiling more and so on. Whew, thank God I am where I am now. I love hard, always have but now I love better. I forgave myself and anyone who had ever hurt me. I have done so much to get here, to get to this moment.  God's grace and mercy helps me everyday. I keep myself spiritually plugged in and I got myself a life coach. Everything I learn I want to pass on to save someone else from themselves.

I said all that to say this. There is nothing wrong with someone being happy, there is nothing wrong with living happy and choosing happ"y"ness. IF you are having trouble with getting here, I can help you. Trust me there are days where you have not so good days but you don't focus on that...its part of being human. But never let anyone keep you from being the best you, the happy you! They are the ones with the issue. Smile harder, love harder, it will eventually rub off. Many know my glory but don't know my story which is far deeper than posted here and my story is what got me to the awesome me I am today!

I love you, whoever reads this. I'm here to help.

~thegorgeousdork

Without questioning...

So, I know I'm very sporadic with my posts but sometimes there just isn't time. I know, I need to make more time right? lol.

So, about a month ago a friend lost her mother and I was feeling some sort of way and actually worried for her but she made sure we all knew she was just fine. Her mother had been battling cancer for the second time. I lost my father to cancer along with an uncle in 09 and '10. Last summer I lost my grandmother but it was pretty much natural causes.  In the past 7 years I've lost so many important people that I struggle sometimes not to question God. I know that death is a part of life but why do they have to all be back to back and all be such big pieces of the puzzle?

Yesterday morning I lost my Godmother...to yes, cancer! She had been dealing with it and made all of us feel like things were getting better. So, when I got the call yesterday morning it took my breath away. She was such a big piece of the puzzle in my life. Why? but I didn't ask. I kept the "why?" to myself. I knew my Godmother loved God more than anything in this world. I was comforted in knowing that she did not have to suffer much. She experienced one day of pain, praise God. I know she is in heaven and about to celebrate Easter up close and personal. I look forward to the day we meet again.  My message to her was that I loved her and would miss her but could she please kiss my father for me. 

I have experience so much loss but I am eternally grateful for my experiences with all the loved ones I have lost for they were all memories that I will cherish forever. I am also thankful for the wonderful family I have and the friends because they all are here for me no matter what. How many can say that they have that? Not many. I am truly blessed. 

Forgive, Love, Live, Laugh and keep God first!

I just can't keep it to myself..

I'm feeling really good today, nothing special is going on but I feel like it on the inside! 

I'm putting together with a few friends a mini retreat for women.  It seems to all be falling into place which makes the excitement increase. I'm a huge believer in God giving you a vision and I feel that if He gives you the vision He gives you the necessary tools or people to make it come to fruition. Well, He indeed did that with this event. I am just so ecstatic that I have such great people in my life that were more than willing to jump on board and make this happen. We each offer something different and together can make a dynamite event happen. 

If you are interested and or want more information, don't hesitate to inquire. I'll give you a brief description of what will take place.  Picture Me, Elevating is what its called. There will be 5 workshops over a weekend that women can participate in that include Fitness, Fashion, Finance, Face/Faith & Lifestyle.  In each of the workshops the attendants will get a ton of information that they can then apply and begin to elevate themselves. I am praying that its life changing not only for the attendants but myself as well. 

I spend hours researching information, participating in webinars, reading, etc. While many obtain information and keep it to themselves I want to share with the world. I want all of us ladies to be better, to do better. Why keep it to yourself? who is that helping. Weren't we all put here for service? I believe we were. I have grown so much in the last few years and I want those around me to as well. If I can help a friend, family member or even a stranger then I have done something, right?  Life events were happening all around me, friendships dissolving, losing loved ones, bad relationship and so much more. I've been a believer for most of my life but sometimes we get so caught up that we forget and He has a way of shaking things up so you have no choice but to bend on your knees and call on Him.  Some, blame God for hard times but I chose to answer and get myself together spiritually. 

I believe that that's the first step (getting yourself together spiritually). How else can anything else fall into place without that major piece? It can't. So, after spending time reconnecting and getting my spirituality in check things began to shift for me. While there were still issues I dealt with I felt better and had more clarity with certain things. I have lost about 20 people in the last 7 years that were important in my life. To name a few key ones were my grandfather, an ex boyfriend, my great grandma, an uncle, my grandmother, a play father and the major one my father.  There were many others throughout the last 7 years and I know had I not gotten myself "together" I would not have been able to handle this. Thank God He knocked me down and more importantly He gave me strength! 

I could go on and on about the process but I won't for times sake. I am just thankful that I did reconnect, started working on other areas of my life and now I just want to help everyone. I am no saint, nor am I an expert but the last seven-eight years have taught me a lot and I just can't keep it to myself. So, I've put together this opportunity for others to invest in themselves and get the fire lit so that they too can elevate.  The world is groaning, God is speaking and its time for us to make some things happen. Our youth need us and we need to be prepared to assist them and keep them on the right track but we can't do it if we ourselves are not "together"

Thanks for reading my randomness and I hope that maybe it sparked something in you to do some self reflecting and make something happen!

Over and out

~thegorgeousdork

So, 

Lack of Presence

So, yeah... I've been MIA for a little bit, not that I have many followers anyway I still desire to blog away. I've been blogging elsewhere but have decided to return here.

The last month or so has been what some may call weird for me. I've been working out more, eating healthier, trying to be a better wife and stepmom, friend and daughter and most importantly a better me! Those of you who do follow me know that that is my main objective...to be the best me possible all while helping others. I've been praying a lot lately as far as which direction I actually should be going. My hand is in a lot of pots and I've been saying how I truly need to focus on one and work it like no other. So..I've been pulling back from some and putting more energy into one. I am not sure that I can leave all of them completely but I have vowed to put 70% of my energy into one. With that being said I will begin to post more, to show more and hopefully spark your interest.

I've been putting myself on the back burner for some time and now plan to be a little more selfish, if that makes sense. I know that I can't give others anything if my own cup isn't full. How do I expect to pour into the lives of others being empty? It just simply can't happen.

I'm so very thankful for my husband, he's been supportive of me during this "foggy" time.  Moments of depression he quickly did what he could to get me out of it. I asked a few friends to pray for me and they did...I could feel it! Thank God for them, I'm feeling like myself again.

My event business is hosting a women's retreat/getaway in the upcoming months, it has me excited. I have asked some of my talented friends to be speakers at workshops during the event and fortunately they have all said yes and possibly work with me and make this into another business or women's group. I'm looking forward to what it all will bring. I even have vendors that are offering product samples, coupons or discount codes to all the attendees as well.  When God gives you a vision and you already have the gift and surrounded by who and what you need, you better just expect to work it and work it well. Just thought I'd share one of my future projects with the world. If you are interested, you can come join us. This weekend away will be pretty much covering all the components of the woman.  Somewhat of a get the fire going within type of function. I plan to blog about the process and the many other future events that are coming my way.

I wanted to include the video I watched that truly helped me put it all into perspective. I hope that you too will get something from it. Committing to being a better me, one idea at a time!

Over and out,
thegorgeousdork