Important Lessons I've Learned Following Graduation

(My flower everyone signed at my graduation party)

One year ago today, I accomplished the first to-do item on my bucket list:

Graduate as a homeschooler from start to finish.

Even though I have finished all my "schooling", I've never stopped learning. During this past year I learned many valuable life lessons; some of which I'm still learning today. So I thought in honor of my graduation "anniversary" I'd share a few of those lessons with y'all along with the three best pieces of advice given to me since then. Some are a little silly and some are very serious but all have helped shape me into the person I am today. Hopefully, you can learn from me and give yourself a little laugh! So without further ado, here they are in no particular order: 
Lessons I've Learned Since High School Graduation:

-Life is going to start whether or not you're ready for it
-Marriage is loving someone unconditionally for the rest of your life
-If you're buying gas and you're paying in cash, you must go in and pay FIRST before you start pumping. Otherwise, you'll be standing there wondering why in the world nothing is coming out
- Who the woman doctor is (courtesy of Mrs. Shelby H. Thanks for that one!)
-How to hide money in your bra (I was so proud of myself when I figured that one out!)
-What it feels like to have absolutely no control of the things happening around you
-How to play nerf war
-How to stop said nerf war without lifting a finger. Just scream your head off and someone will call an automatic time out 'cuz they think you're seriously hurt or something
-That I can be over dramatic at times (see above)
-What happens when you put diesel fuel in your car that isn't suppose to run on diesel
-When someone tells you to shut up; listen to them. (There're probably trying to save you from embarrassing yourself)
-What it feels like to lose someone you love
-What it feels like when a piece of your heart is ripped from you and buried alongside that person
-How to cook chicken
-How to dry out sweet potatoes in the oven
-How to calmly address this situation: one of your friends decides that it would be funny to drop an article of food down your blouse IN PUBLIC! (I'm looking at you Annie W.!)
-How to be a bridesmaid (which may or may not involve helping the bride pee 10 minutes before the wedding)
-How I handle emergency situations (It's a good thing to know, because if you're like me and don't handle them well, you need to make sure you're always with someone who does)
-That I HATE cast iron! It wants to be babied and I feel like it never gets clean. So if I ever get married, please DON'T BUY ME ANYTHING CAST IRON!
-That even when I mess up, I am surrounded by o-mazing friends and family who love me despite my flaws and a Heavenly Father who loves me even more than that!

"Being old is cool! You can choose to not buy cigarettes or respect the elderly in an adult manner, and no one can stop you." -My friend Robert who graduated two years before me

"Don't worry, you'll be fine. You will mess up, but if you do, there is always Sonic and Hardee's down the road." -My Mum before she left me in charge of the cooking for a whole week while she took care of my Grandma in Mississippi

"Your attitude affects your altitude! Soar high in all you do. God will see you through." -Donna H., my 5th & 6th grade Sunday School teacher


Love,
Susan