Fill Your Cup with...an Ambitious Glow!

It is with a saddened heart that I'm focusing on what my fills my cup today, as a dear friend of mine has passed away. She was a lover of all things -- especially her family, fashion, and ice cream -- a mother, a wife, a daughter, as classy as a southern woman comes, a dreamer, and a blogger...which made her and so many other people ambitious blondes (or brunettes, red-heads, etc.)! She is who inspired me to start my own blog, so as I'm coming to terms with reality, I'm filling my cup full with the glow she brought to this world -- this one's for you, Leslie!

Leslie Sisti and I met seven years ago when we were dating brothers. I was in college, Leslie was living in Bentonville, and we formed a friendship immediately that lasted long after the brother bond ended. Life changed for us both, but we kept up with each other thanks to Facebook and never lost our passion for the little things and doing what we could to make those little things make a big difference in peoples' lives. If you've looked at my list of blogs I follow, Leslie's is the first on the list because she sure did that every day through her kind heart, wise words, and the glow she shared with the world through her blog -- A Blonde Ambition.

You can see so much of her fun personality, passion for life, and the beautiful love she had for her family and friends in every single one of her posts...and it is evident from the words being shared about her after this tragic news that her family and friends loved her right back. Two precious little girls, a husband, parents, siblings, grandparents, in-laws, and so many people are grieving because of losing Leslie. Please take a moment and send prayers, happy thoughts, and love to every single one of them because it is needed.

We don't always know why things happen, and this is one of those times. It can really put life in perspective though, and Leslie would want that to be what we all take away from this. Live what you love, call your family and friends to let them know how important they are to you, find core values and be true to yourself, and never stop dreaming. That is something Leslie never stopped doing -- no matter where she was or what she was facing. And knowing that her dreams have left such a wonderful legacy for so many people fills my cup with the warmest glow there is.

I've been thinking about all of the blessings Leslie brought to my life today, how many people she touched, and that she is now watching over all of us with her shining light that glowed so brightly here on Earth. Let that glow, wherever you find it, fill your cup. I know Leslie is...and hopefully she's filling her's with some ice cream, too!

You can find Leslie's obituary here.

Leslie Sisti
December 3, 1984 - July 27, 2015

This is a hard one to sign-off with my usual ending, but I know Leslie would want all of us to have a cup always filled with joy, love, and happiness!

-Anna

Fill Your Cup with...the Climb.

Happy Summer! I hope it's going absolutely wonderful for you and that you're getting to enjoy some fun in the sun! Mine has been a little all over the place...which brings me to this post.

Starting with a big update -- I'M MOVING TO IOWA!!! After over a 3½ year long-distance relationship, Joe and I will finally be in the same place! What?!?! Yes, it's actually happening, and I can't believe that it's actually here! But, come this Thursday, I will be a resident of Des Moines, IA! I have a new dream job as the Assistant Director of Development for the College of Engineering with the Iowa State University Foundation (Go Cyclones), and there's no denying that a lot of excitement is ahead!! 

Part of that excitement has been moving my stuff! I made my last trip ever back to my favorite little apartment in Fayetteville from seeing Joe after taking a big load of stuff up to Iowa this past weekend, and thanks to SiruisXM radio in the big dodge ram truck I rented (sorry if I scared anyone I passed on the road J) to pass the 12-hour round trip, I heard Miley Cyrus' "The Climb" and had such a moment of reflection that it brought me to tears.

They were good tears, they were tired tears, they were scared tears, they were thankful tears...and I realized so many things in that moment that have filled my cup over the last 3½ years that are all reasons I'm where I am today -- it's the climb.  

The climb of my journey to be in the same place as Joe has been nothing short of an amazingly hard adventure! While that adventure might not have always been one that I realized filled my cup, at the end of the day, it was always Joe and me, even from afar...and that always made the amazingly hard challenges worth it. I didn't always remember that in the moment, but reflecting back on this climb has helped me see that. What challenges are you facing in your climb? It's normal to feel defeated, helpless, and lost...but don't let that cloud your vision of seeing the positives...because I promise you, there are so many! Find them and let them fill your cup!

You might also be feeling like your climb is taking a long time...and I know exactly how that feels! You're working hard at whatever you're doing and trying wholeheartedly everyday to get a little closer to the top...but sometimes, we're forced to be patient. Whether it's because of unforeseen circumstances, a physical inability at the time, or that maybe it's just not the right time, tell yourself that God has this! I know it's easier said than done, but as long as you have faith bigger than your fear, you're going to keep going and you're going to get there! It wasn't always easy for me...waiting...for something that I felt got further and further away every day. But, Joe and I never forced our moment to finally be in the same place, and we know that God's timing is perfect in this situation...as it is and will be for you!

We're all climbing our own mountains for different reasons. It will bring challenges, it will take time, it will possibly bring you to tears, and it will make you push yourself harder than you ever have before. It's not always easy...but remember this is your climb for a reason. While I feel my current climb will be the end of an era come Thursday, I know there will be many more mountains ahead, and I'm so excited to face them stronger, braver, and more confidently than ever before because of all the things I've learned about life, about love, and about myself through this journey!

The great Ralph Waldo Emmerson said it best himself -- "Life is a journey, not a destination." May we all remember the great journey and climb we're on to one day meet our Heavenly Father face to face...and how we've climbed our mountains here on Earth will determine where our final destination is.

Here's to your climb and it filling your cup full of the many moments in your journey that make it worth it!

                  

May your cup always be filled with joy, love, and happiness!

XOXO,

Anna