sroze

Life Update: 2020

I have always had a love/hate relationship with blogging. Honestly, there are times where I don’t even know what to write or who even reads this stuff anymore. Then I realize how much I miss writing after I get past the first sentence. The title of this blog post is exactly what I’m going to write today.

I don’t know about you but going into 2020 I was driven to be the best person I could be this year versus last year. Little did I know and the world know, this year would be one of the most difficult years in history all across the board. COVID-19 – the dreaded word of the year. So much sadness and pain and grief across the world. In fact “2020” has become a phrase in today’s society now. It’s ok, it’s “2020”. I’m reflecting on all that has happened to me this year. I could focus on how “2020 sucks!” but instead I’m going to focus on what has gone right this year.

Long Distance No More! 4 years of being long distance was very difficult. I’m not going to sugar coat it. It’s hard work. Period. It’s also NOT for everyone.
Engaged in July to my best friend. Shawn took me to the city where we met: Charleston. We had a trip down memory lane all weekend long. He popped the question in front of Charleston’s oldest tree: Angel Oak Tree.
Married in October to my best friend. As much as Shawn and I wanted a big wedding it just wasn’t possible or smart for that matter to have a big wedding. We had a small family wedding and we don’t regret it one bit. Give a break to the COVID couples who choose to do a small wedding OR have had to change plans because of COVID. Times have changed since you got married and in the end the wedding isn’t about you. It’s about the people getting married. Support them and stop being a bully about it. END RANT.
Moved across country for my husband’s new job. This was my 2nd biggest move of my life. I moved from OH to SC in 2005 and have been in SC ever since. Although I am sad to leave behind my life in SC, I’m excited to tackle this new journey ahead with my husband in a new city. I’m expanding my little bubble so to speak.
Good health. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has hit close to home for me and Shawn. We have family members who are currently recovering from this horrible virus. Don’t take your health for granted.
Good job. Even if I had to move to a new location, I am beyond blessed that my job allowed me to work from home. Grateful is an understatement when it comes to my job that I’ve been at for 7 years. I’m very fortunate.

This is just a short summary of all the many blessings I’ve had this year. Yes, it’s been a very tough year. Probably the toughest year I’ve experienced thus far but I’ve stayed true to being the best version of myself this year and I am proud of that.

All this to say, keep going. Don’t let the downfalls of “2020” bring you down. Rise up from it. Get better. Be better. Do better. Your future self will thank you for it – you’ll be able to look back years down the road and say – “remember that time in 2020… yeah I survived a pandemic and came out better!”

Photos L to R: 07.12.2020 (after we got engaged) | 10.10.2020 (our wedding)

Xoxo,

S.Roze

How To Survive A Long Distance Relationship

Law day | Tuesday, May 1, 2018

I’ve been in a long distance relationship for a little over 2 years. It’s not easy but it is definitely doable! I can say this because my parents were in a long distance relationship during their marriage and this went on for 7 years until they were reunited for good! My Dad came to the States in 1980 and started the process of getting my Mom, older sister, and myself to America legally. That process took 7 long years. Mind you, this was before cell phones and FaceTime existed. So my parents did the old school communication route: snail mail. My Mom and Dad wrote each other during those years apart. Every so often my Dad was able to call Mom with a phone card that he purchased at the store. I still don’t know how they were able to do that for 7 years! I mean I get anxious when I don’t get my FaceTime date in with my boyfriend. Thank heavens for how much technology we have these days! : ) My parents are the true definition of what love is and it’s inspiring. Whenever I’m having a really tough time with long distance, I just remember my parents and their amazing love story!

I wanted to share a few things that I’ve learned during my long distance relationship that I think will be helpful to those of you who are in one or about to be in one!

Communicate, communicate, communicate! I cannot emphasize how important it is to communicate with your significant other. Let them know that you care by sending them a text or calling them. It makes them feel like they are part of your day.
Trust each other! You have to trust each other. Especially if you don’t see each other for months at a time. There is no room for jealousy. You HAVE to trust each other no matter what.
Set aside a scheudled time for FaceTime/Skype Dates. Not only is it important to keep in communication with your S.O., but it’s EXTREMELY important to set aside that time to virtually see and hear each other LIVE! Right now I have 2 dates set aside each week with my boyfriend (Sunday and Wednesday) and let me tell you it’s the best thing ever! There’s something about seeing your person through your cell phone (or whatever device you’re using) in REAL TIME! I love it! : ) It gives both of you something to look forward to each week!
Plan a virtual date. You have to be creative with your dates when you’re long distance. One thing that my boyfriend and I like to do is watch a show or a movie together while eating the same exact thing for dinner. For one of our date nights we both ordered sushi and watched “Beauty and the Beast” together. It was the sweetest date even though we were hundreds of miles apart!
Send letters/care packages. Who doesn’t like happy mail? It’s nice to get something other than junk mail in your mailbox! Make your S.O. feel even more special by sending them a care package to show them that you care! I can guarantee you that it will bring a smile to their face. You’ll even earn some brownie points! ; )
Plan trips to visit each other. I cannot stress enough how important it is to PLAN trips to see each other. It’s SO important to have that quality time together. Who doesn’t love exploring new places with your special person? It not only breaks up the distance but it also gives you a reason to set a countdown. The excitement of seeing your human again is one of the BEST FEELINGS IN THE WORLD!
Be flexible! There will be times where you will have to pass on FaceTime dates because of work or in my specific situation – school work. My boyfriend is currently working on getting his PhD – so as you can imagine there have been many times where I would make the call and say let’s pass on FT so that you can finish your paper or whatever project is pressing at the moment! I know, I know – I’m an awesome girlfriend for doing this! Haha.
Forgive! Every relationship will have its ups and downs. No relationship is perfect. You have to learn to forgive your S.O. There will be ugly days in your relationship and there will be days where you will get annoyed at each other! There will be days when you don’t see eye-to-eye (lots of them) but you have to talk it out and learn from each other. Easier said than done but trust me, you’ll feel much better about it!

I hope these tips help and encourage those of you who are in long distance relationships. If you’re currently in a long distance relationship or have ever been in one, shoot me a message. I would love to connect with you. Remember, you can do this!

Xoxo,

S.Roze

Hello, November!

hello,

I love the start of a brand new month! November is a wonderful month – not only is it the month to be thankful but it’s also the month before Christmas! I absolutely LOVE Christmas. The start of the holiday season is always so exciting! I grew up in a large family and Thanksgiving was something I always looked forward to – especially during my college years. I loved being home for the holidays. There’s nothing better than my Mom and Grandma’s homemade Filipino food! I have a close-knit family and I always loved that. I loved hearing the different stories that were shared around the table and the non-stop laughter! I must admit that one of the highlights of these family gatherings is watching my Dad’s videos. Sometimes it was a compilation of various photos of everyone throughout the years and sometimes it would be old family videos that he’d play while we gathered around the TV. It was always embarrassing seeing the younger me – the ginormous glasses, the bowl cut bangs, and the mismatched clothes – THANKFULLY, I outgrew that! Haha… But I remember looking at my dad while we watched these videos and seeing how proud he was of his accomplishments and how he had the whole room erupting in laughter and that always made my heart smile. : ) I am so thankful for my family. I love them all so much. They’ve shaped me into the woman I am today.

What are you thankful for today?

Xoxo,

S.Roze

Be A Nice Human

There is so much truth in those four words.

I’m writing this post because I can’t stop thinking about an incident that happened to me earlier this month. I won’t get into details about it because it’s not worth getting worked up about it anymore because believe me I WAS RILED UP. Long story short, for those of you who know me, I try not to let the little things bother me too much (because quite frankly it’s not worth it) but for some reason this person just made me feel like a low-life-good-for-nothing-girl at that moment, it felt like I didn’t even matter or exist in this person’s eyes! I could’ve overreacted and been ugly towards this person but I didn’t. I kept my cool and do you know what I did instead? I killed this person with kindness. Did it work? I’m not sure but it got the wheels turning in my head about how important it is to be nice to everyone around you because you never know what that person is going through. You don’t know what battles and what demons that person is facing at the moment. It challenged me to view life a little differently after experiencing that unpleasant encounter with that unlovely person. Don’t dehumanize others just to get your way. Don’t be ugly towards others. BE NICE. It doesn’t cost a thing and the world would be a better place if you remember to be kind. Kindness goes a long way! The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to leave behind an example to the next generation. When I die, I want people to remember me as: “Sharon Rose, the girl who was genuinely nice and truly cared for people.” That is the kind of legacy I want to leave behind when I’m gone.

Human

P.S. Enjoy the graphic print I created and remember to be a nice human. : )

Xoxo,

S.Roze

A Fresh Start

Hello, my name is Sharon Rose (or SRoze as most people know me) and I am returning to the blogging world that I left behind 4 years ago. A lot has changed in 4 years. After so many failed dates and disappointments, I decided to focus on bettering myself. I continued to thrive in my career. I continued to push myself to get out of my comfort zone. I met new people. I wasn’t looking for love. I didn’t have time for love. I was determined to make the most out of my 20’s and I bought my first home a few months before I turned 30. I welcomed a new decade with hesitant arms (30 just sounded unreal to me not to mention O-L-D). As friends continued to get engaged and start their own families, here I was learning how to be a homeowner. I was learning how to deal with a leaky toilet at 3AM with water gushing everywhere. I was learning how to not kill house plants that were given to me by my sweet mother (although I must say I went through 3 plants before my green thumb appeared). The key is to NOT OVER WATER THEM because they will drown. Anyway, as soon as I was getting the hang of single life (or so I thought), I met him. The person who would rock my world for the better. The person who I chose to open up my heart to and let those walls I had built for so long come down… the person who makes me feel like a million bucks and keeps me smiling big… but I’m saving that for another blog post. ; ) So here’s to a fresh start. A new place where I can escape and be myself. A place for you to get to know me – the good, the bad, the happy, the sad.