.:In my shoes:.

Its a shoe-aholics dream ....the job I work twice a year and it was coming up the following weekend. (wow when I look back- February was a busy month for me!)  It was gona be a girls weekend, but a sad one. My fellow model/ friend was not working this time, she had moved to Hawaii back in November. I was sad but happy for her at the same time. With her leaving my side I was called upon to help find a replacement model for the show that weekend in Atlanta. Lucky for me Nashville houses a lot of good looking size 6 shoe models, and most of them were friends of mine. Heather was requested to be my replacement for Alexis, and was planned to work for Sofft, but she had also been requested by George. Being the loyal person she is, she decided to work for George, and Amberley was hired to work with me. Heather became sick and unable to work, and I was left to find her replacement for George at the Cushe booth. I didn't want to let him down so I asked a friend to work last minute, and then we were off to Atlanta. Since I didn't work Fridays at the time we left that morning to drive down. The drive down was pretty awesome, curled up in the back seat I was relaxed and enjoying our bonding conversations.They were about meaningful things that enlighten the way or the path for which we live, whether them being moments in life that have happened to us or the unconscious mind that awakens deep in your dreams for you to piece together the next morning. It was definitely note worthy and I know I learned a few things along that rural route through the Georgia hills. Amberley had told Courtney and I about this outlet mall just 45 mins north of Buckhead up highway 400. My favorite stores I was anticipating were True Religion and BCBG Maxazria. As we rolled up to the land of the outlets, I was excited. I have always loved a good sale :) I would definitely say we loaded up on some goods while we were there, haha.  Then we headed to check in at the hotel. It was weird staying in a hotel this time, since I always stayed with Alexis. To our surprise when we walked into our suite there was a king. It was obvious that the hotel didn't get our double bed request and they were sold out of those rooms. So the 3 of us unpacked, freshened up, and piled on the king, 7 year old little girl slumber party style. It was quite entertaining. Amberley and Courtney both sleep with eye masks and I didn't. I remember waking up in the middle of the night and whispering to Courtney to pull the covers over because she was in the middle; ha ha, she reacted so fast that she jumped up out of her sleep and almost knocked me out with her arm because she couldn't see. LMAO this was so funny I laughed for days about it. Our hotel room in the morning was nothing but beauty secrets revealed. Amberley has this hobby of finding natural organic cosmetics that are good for the skin and she shared some of those with me. You can also view her blog for more info at http://www.naturalbeautyguru.blogspot.com/ . My friend that was supposed to work with Courtney left us hanging that morning, and I was stuck. It was last minute, thank goodness I could count on Summer she pulled through for part of the weekend to work with George. I was so thankful that I could pull things together so last minute like that. Once we got to work that day it was busy most of the day. Around lunch time I walked over to see if Summer had made it in and she did. It was such a relief. That night we went out to dinner in Atlanta, came home, and relaxed so that we could get up early for another day in the world of shoes. I was so happy to be working, it was my brief escape from reality. My Sofft shoe family were always wonderful people to see and catch up with, and I had so much tell them since August of the previous year. I enjoyed learning things from their experiences, whether it be in life or in business. I looked up to Phil and thrived in his presence during the shows to learn as much as I could about the industry hoping one day to be added to the family officially. One day.....yep, one day...but hey life is short, so you know what to do... buy the shoes :) everyone always feels good in a new pair of shoes, and I did in mine....Hello Chuck Taylor!

That was a wrap for the show and we were headed back to Nashville...back to my cold reality that was looking a little warmer, as I could begin to feel my heart beat again, my birthday rolled up two days later. At the strike of midnight I felt my phone buzz, not sure who it might have been,  I reached over and the glow of my phone in my dark room lit a name across the screen, it was Trae. He was wishing me happy birthday at 12:01 am on the 24th of February. It was so unexpected. I hadn't heard from him in a while. But it was good to know that he was thinking of me on my day of birth and the first one I received on my actual birthday. I got so many birthday wishes from friends and family and that one after everything still meant the most to me. When I got home from work that day, to my humble surprise was a small package from East Tennessee. Alys had sent me a gift, it was beautiful ring with my birthstone and a kindly reminder for when every time I wear it in the future of our friendship and though far away would always be there and support me no matter what my decisions were, or who I was dating or not dating. Even though I had my big party for my birthday, there were still a couple birthday events lined up for that last weekend of February.

Paige the sweet person that she was took my sister and I out to dinner for our birthdays in Cool Springs with Andrew and Brandon to Chuys. It was my first experience eating there, and it was so fun. We had a blast that night, after dinner we went to Dan McGunnis for a few drinks to hangout. But I wasn't feeling so well. We headed home after that. Forgetting to get my gifts from her car that night we set up another dinner the 3 of us at Virago's, where gifts we received, and I must say she did a great job picking out something I liked :) but I was sad that I had to exchange the sizes and the didn't have it my size anymore. I still greatly appreciated her caring and thoughtfulness.

Happy Valley was the conclusion to this February escapade I was on. In my true 80's baby soulful fashion, I rocked my Chuck Taylors, an over sized tee-shirt, and tights that night with a leather jacket....Yep it was so much fun. Andrew and I met up with a bunch of friends that night. We rocked out til late in the night, with pillow fights and photo shoots. This birthday was great, this month was great. Celebrating with amazing new friends and getting my spirits back. I hadn't seen the "Dr." much that month because of everything that I had going on, but we were still talking and getting to know each other better, it was slowly growing but that was ok with me. The next month was going to be crazy, finding a new place to live with adding Erin as a roommate, Vegas, and the Playboy Mansion trip coming up, I had a lot to plan for. But I was ready for the next adventures I was about to embark on.

.:XOXO TMARIE:.