Hi Tumblr! I’m Sha, it rhymes with Bra.

That’s me ^^ (obviously, why would I post a picture of some random girl after introducing myself?). This photo was taken nearly a year ago. At that time I had no idea who I was, where I was going with life, or what I was about to do next. Of course, I don’t think anyone had any idea what I would do next. I went to two schools and worked fast food and spent the rest of my time being under the influence of numerous substances. I was the girl who said she would never settle down, never get in a relationship, and most certainly NEVER get married. I was going to be a trauma nurse and live on campus at EKU that coming fall. Life was a party and that was it. I didn’t have “feelings” or “emotions.” I didn’t have responsibilities, nor did I have to support myself. I thought I knew what I was doing and where I was going. However, I was badly mistaken…

April 12th, 2011…

You always imagine that when something life changing happens to you that it’s going to be BIG and come out of no where all at once and shock everyone! It’s going to come as something HUGE and everyone will remember it. I don’t remember this day as being huge or memorable to anyone else, but it was the day that my life changed forever and although it was not what I expected as my “life changing moment” to be, I remember it perfectly.

Spring break at Estill County High School (also the week before Senior Trip to D.C, where the first picture was taken) and I intended to spend the night with my newly pregnant best friend at a house in Richmond. However, the friend of which we were staying with did not get home from work until late into the night. Thus, we decided to waste the time by wondering around Wal*Mart and taking more pregnancy tests (for her, not me). While entering the bathroom, my pregnant friend Chelsea said “Ew, I hate him.” I had seen him a couple times before. We went to school together, but were two years apart. We shared all of the same friends but were never introduced. We went to all of the same places but at different times. We had so many chances to meet, but never had…until this night.

The next two hours were spent in the parking lot of Wal*Mart in the back of a beat-up Ranger (the one I had never given a second thought to during the two years it sat across from me in the Pizza Hut parking lot). These two guys spent their entire lunch break and then some with us, rambling about nothing while Chels rode a scooter around.

Days passed and for some reason I could not shake the thought of the boy I had met at Wal*Mart. A conversation was sparked up on facebook, numbers were exchanged, a walk was taken after dark, and then I continued to spend my entire week in D.C constantly texting this guy I barely knew.

The last Saturday in April was the “Mushroom Festival” in our town and somehow I was conned into dressing up as Wendy and handing out coupons for free frosty’s (I got payed for doing this, btw).

Afterwards I texted this guy and asked him to come see me (which, if you had known me at the time would know this was completely unlike me in every aspect) and he agreed, until he realized his sister had borrowed his truck. SO directions were given and I was at his apartment within the next 10 minutes and spent the rest of the afternoon there…as well as the next afternoon, the afternoon after that, the afternoon after that, and the one after that.

We have barely gone a day since then without seeing each other.

May through August was a rough time for us. A lot of mistakes were made and a lot of hurt was caused, but after making it through that we knew we’d make it through anything.

July 4th we became Facebook Official.

He was there to see me off before Prom, sitting in the stands while I graduated, holding my hand at my grandpa’s funeral. He took me in the night I left the house I grew up in and he still had faith in me when everyone else lost hope. He turned me into a better person.

Now I live in a small farmhouse in Berea, while working at Cracker Barrel and Wendy’s. I spend every night sleeping next two this random guy I met at Wal*Mart a year ago. Everything I do is for him. I support myself now, along with his help. I left everything that ever meant anything to me and started over. And honestly, I couldn’t be happier.

In the last year I’ve learned to appreciate what I have, because you never really know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Family is and always will be more important than work. Don’t ever let opportunities pass you by, never give up hope, don’t take what you have for  granted, supporting yourself is a lot harder than you think. My  morals have changed, my standards have changed, and most importantly, I have changed. I know who I am now.

Briton Estes, you will forever have my heart.

Thank you for everything.

And finding random posts by my Best Friend (& Future Maid of Honor) just made my day a whole lot better (not that it was bad to begin with anyways but still). My love goes out to Miss Puckett! @peaceanddandelions