Just Your Average Jane

I am just your average lady navigating life and sharing my experiences

[lynne-nicole]

Just Starting Out

This blog is just my starting point. I am not a writer by any means. I have a degree in Chemistry so English and correct grammar may be lost on me sometimes so bare with me here. I will be writing about my life and my experiences and anything I have to offer others. I hope to bring advice and examples of what not to do but also funny anecdotes. Please enjoy and just know that though I may be bad with grammar and punctuation I will never mix up there, their and they’re, nor will I have trouble with your and you’re. Also I would like to end my posts with a playful nickname for whoever is reading this (probably no one). 

So that’s it for now Dumb-dumbs, “finger guns”

[lynne-nicole]

Wedding Planning

April 2017: My boyfriend of seven years proposed and it was very sweet and perfect for us. He recreated our first date and then took me to a Detroit Red Wings game. It also happened to be the last weekend they were playing at the Joe Louis arena so it was extra cool.

Immediately the planning started!

Where: Wedding was at my Aunt’s homestead which has been in the family for over 100 years. There is a pond and lots of beautiful country scenery around. The reception was at my grandparents house just 5 minutes from my aunt’s. It was perfect and FREE! Each aspect was perfect because we got caterers that are family friends, the DJ was my brother’s receptionist and her husband, the photographers were my middle school social studies teacher and a girl we both went to high school together, and located in the town where we grew up and fell in love.

When: May 5th, 2018

Although it was amazing that day and everything I had ever wanted, planning it was horrible and I hated every minute of making save the dates and invites and sending them out. Also even worse is waiting on people to send the RSVPs back. I was real nice to people I sent them an RSVP with a spot to check if they were coming or not and just a number of how many. Then all they had to do was put it in the envelope I provided with a pull strip so they didn’t even have to lick it. That envelope even came with our address, theirs, and a stamp. They literally had to do nothing but put it in their mailbox. That apparently wasn’t enough for people to get it sent back. We had so many people we had to keep contacting people to get us an answer. Also people completely disregard who you write on the invite and think it is okay to add as many people as they want to the RSVP. If people invite you and only you then that’s it. That’s all you get. If they say you get a plus one well then that’s what they have planned for. They have not planned for you, a plus one, and your mom. It is hard to plan a wedding plain and simple. 

Our Real Wedding: So we couldn’t wait until May 5th. Our dating anniversary was April 18th so we always wanted that as our wedding one too but in 2017 that date was a Wednesday which is a no go for a wedding. So we planned on the May date. We thought about the weekend after the 18th but his sister’s birthday was that day and I refused to set a date on someone close to us’s birthday. But after all the planning and dress fittings and stress we decided to ask two of our friends to meet us at one of my husband’s coworkers who is ordained and we got married on April 18th 2018. It was in his kitchen with awesome people who are tying the knot themselves here soon. My parents paid for our wedding and I couldn’t be more appreciative of it all and that is why to this day they do not know that we got married before the wedding. I don’t want them to feel as if the wedding was for nothing. The wedding was amazing but we just wanted what we wanted so we did it. We will celebrate both days forever. I love my parents and I love what they have given us and I will never regret how we did things.

[lynne-nicole]

Stoke Survivor

So as annoying as it is to say I am a survivor it’s the only thing I could think to title this with.

After months of trying to get my body back in shape and eating right, I even got a trainer then he moved, something crazy happened to me.

I had a stroke.

They still don’t really know why but are pretty sure that it was a perfect storm of being on birth control, history of migraines and headaches, un-diagnosed high blood pressure, narrowing blood vessel in my right occipital lobe, and a blood clot. If you want a more in-depth story check out my videos on youtube about my experience. Though I don’t have any lasting physical or mental issues from the stroke it does complicate many other aspects of my life. Like pregnancy and future surgeries and things. There is a lot of medications I can’t take due to what I have to take daily to keep my blood pressure in check. Also it means at the age of 24 I have regular doctor appointments when I shouldn’t have to do that until like 40 like normal people. I am not complaining at all because I am so lucky it wasn’t worse and that I still am myself and nothing is really wrong with me. 

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzcAULGdIgo&t=3s

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6_ZG48B-Y8

Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB2YP1sgPmI

Also if anyone has any kind of similar issues go to your doctor. I am positive I have had at least two strokes before this one but never had a bad enough reaction to seek medical attention. It is okay to be worried and go to the ER.

Be safe!

[lynne-nicole]

Always, Always, Always Average

I was always a good kid and student but across the board I was an average Jane. I was smart but not top notch intelligence which is fine because I was happy with it. I was Average. Not only academically but also in my sports. I was in Softball since 2nd grade, Gymnastics since 2nd grade, and Soccer since 5th grade. I was Average. I love those sports so much and I am happy I was able to enjoy them. I managed to be in AP classes in high school but that never tipped the scale to above average. That was fine but I wanted to get into my college of choice Indiana University Bloomington. So this was the first time my academics being what they were was a problem. I applied to five schools and one by one they got back to me with acceptance letters except IU, I was still waiting and waiting for a decision from them. After contacting the school to see what the hold up was they told me that my SAT scores were as you can guess average. So they suggested I take them again and they would be able to give me an answer. Well I had already planned on taking them again and the ACTs as well. They also said that no one is accepted without taking the SATs twice. LIES. My brother and my four cousins had all gone to and graduated from IU and not one of them took the SATs twice. But I did what I had to do. I studied and studied and took those garbage standardized tests and what do you know? I got about the same on the SAT and an average score on the ACTs. But Thankfully IU deemed me worthy of acceptance. I am thankful for that acceptance because I will always cherish my four years at IU. But again I spent those four years being average. Maybe even below average. Feeling like you will never be above average in anything you do is really not awesome. I have taken what I was given in life and tried to make the best of it. Being average may suck sometimes but now that I am in the real world and have gotten big girl jobs and bought a car and I am paying loans I know that being above average in school means diddly because I worked with people that went to community colleges and people who went to good four year schools but we were all doing the same job and getting paid the same. I have a good life, great husband, and adorable son. Also my parents think I am above average so that’s all that matters, right? Haha.

No real point to this post besides the explanation of my tumblr name.  

Also I am a soft 6 in the looks department so let’s call it average there too. :-)

[lynne-nicole]

173 Followers, 784 Following, 98 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Lynne Nicole (@lynnenicolestephens)

[lynne-nicole]

LynneNicole

I am just starting out and I just want to brighten someone's day. I need suggestions of what to record. I plan to upload once a week for now and it might be ...

[lynne-nicole]

Complexity

People are afraid of one day the robots and machines taking over. I don't see this as a possibility. As something humans have created we know know every last piece and inch of a computer or a car. What is truly scary is the emense amount we don't know about the human body and the highly complex tissuey mass that controls it. Scientists and social scientists can theorize all day until they are blue in the face about why the body does what it does and why a person does what they do but who actually knows what makes a person choose doing the right thing when doing wrong is so much easier and might benefit them more. I think that with the complexity of a human mind humans are the most powerful creatures to walk the planet. We can lie and cheat and hurt one another. How many other species do you think can lie and deceive like we can? We are way more dangerous than the technology we hold and control in our hands daily.

[emilybuttrickards]

Felicity Smoak taking Oliver Queen’s breath away: 1x15||3x01||4x16

[lynne-nicole]

Be still my heart! It just about burst out of my chest.

[lynne-nicole]

Anxiety is not wanting to go to sleep because tomorrow will come so soon but at the same time not wanting to be awake because all you think about is tomorrow

I have anxiety. I didn't realize that my socially awkwardness for the last 20 years had anything to do with anxiety. I realized that the feelings i had been having were anxiety and that i knew these feelings very well. I apparently have had anxiety forever and nerves always get the best of me. The last 2 years of my life have been less than expected or easy with my parents splitting up and me deciding my "dream" to be a doctor should be thrown out the window. I needed to de-stress my life and I really thought that my choice to go into one of the hardest career fields ever was not something I needed in my life anymore. I decided that I would take a year off after I graduate and beyond that I only know for sure that I'm moving in with the man better than any dream and our two cats and a beautiful dog. I have come to learn that even though my anxiety is sort of out of my control these days I know that not knowing my future career is not as important as knowing that I have amazing family and friends and my best friend happens to be my boyfriend. I don't have a control on my anxiety but that's okay because I just started understanding it and I am not ashamed of it. I have the best support system and the best person in my life to make me feel less crazy.

[whineaboutit]

This week on Whine About It… REASONS WHY CLOTHES SHOPPING IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST.

[lynne-nicole]

kid at heart, teenage mess or old soul

kid at heart: aries, gemini, cancer, libra

teenage mess: taurus, leo, virgo, scorpio, sagittarius

old soul: capricorn, aquarius, pisces

[peanut-caravan]

protip: if u can’t imagine urself dropping the mic after the final sentence of ur essay, ur conclusion needs to be stronger

[charlottelucas-deactivated20180]

SHIT THOUGH THIS IS REALLY GOOD ADVICE?

[lynne-nicole]

Past, Present, and Future

I am so full of creativity these days. I started working on my DIY projects and a gift for my favorite new IU freshman and future sister. I also came up with two amazing ideas for my wonderful boyfriend. One for his birthday in November and one for a while from now that is a stroke of genius on my part and yes I am tooting my own horn!

I cannot wait for my summer class to be over and then I can really do DIY and relax and then go home for my tiny vacation before fall semester. I can’t wait for this year to be over and I can leave my beloved Bloomington behind. 

This life is all that I get and I am going to make it mine and make it special! Everything will be perfect when I am with the man of my dreams and can finally feel accomplished and like I have hit another milestone.

Be better than yesterday.

[lynne-nicole]

Rambling/Venting

This is my unbiased opinion as much as humanly possible but the woman he left my warrior of a mother for is so very unattractive. He has made so many questionable choices and its hard to stand by and say nothing and be positive. My mother is a beautiful woman with how generous and kind she is to everyone and anyone. She is so strong and has beaten cancer and has been the best mother I could ask for so it makes it very hard to see her like this. She has been broken by this and it is hard to see such a strong woman feel so insecure because the man she vowed to spend her life with walks out and into the arms of another woman. 

This life is all we get as far as we know and its too short to be unhappy and insecure in our own skin. We need to be honest and if we aren’t and that causes us to be unhappy that is our own fault.

Happiness is more or less a choice. You make the choices in your life to be the person you want to be and if you are unhappy then you need to recalculate and refocus your goals. Be good and be happy. You can be happy but if it hurts many other people around you or if you feel guilty it is most likely not the right choice or you have gone about it the wrong way. 

There is nothing wrong with mistakes. What shows character and growth is learning from mistakes and making things right. 

Be better, be happy, be honest, and find a way to be secure in your own skin. 

[lynne-nicole]

Acceptance

One year. One year is what separates me from starting my life with him. I will be graduated and feel accomplished even though I have no clue what I want to do with my life. I know I want to be married and happy and have a family but I want to matter as well. I want something that excites me each day. Something that challenges me to be better and to be good. I want to be a better person and Derek makes that possible and I don’t need a god to tell me to be a good person or make me fear an afterlife if I make mistakes. I don’t know what the future holds or if there is some kind of afterlife. But I’m going to try my hardest to make a life for myself and my family. If there is an afterlife I will be ready for what it holds for me and whoever else might be there. I accept what happens and I hope to grow and learn. I plan to spread love and encouragement but also I plan to be better than yesterday.

[surfinghoe]

It is you. It is fucking you. I cannot describe it anymore, it is you. You are the only one that I will ever want. I belong with you. You are my home. I look at you, and somehow I can see 50 years from now on the front porch of some old house in the middle of nowhere and we’re together. I need you. You are the only thing that matters. You are my good.

11:51pm (via surfinghoe)

Perfect. Derek :-)

[quotemadness]

It’s a privilege to be loved by you.

Ryan O’Connell (via quotemadness)