summertime fun.

it may not be summer on the calendar yet.

but it is over 90.

it's summer.

the pool.

the lake.

sundresses.

staying outside till 9p

driving with the windows down.

yes yes. it's summer.

nothing is more summer to me.

than country music.

i know gag right.

i live in nashville.

and i love country music.

it might seem stereotypical.

but it's not.

i love allllll kinds of music.

i DEFINITELY didn't think i'd ever work in it.

and sometimes.

i get so wrapped up in my job.

i forget how much this music made me who i am.

i'm too busy being my job.

i forget that i was a huge fan.

i am a fan.

just like i was when i was growing up.

i grew up in ohio.

we sat around bonfires listening to reba.

we went camping.

tim mcgraw.

kix & ronnie.

they all went camping with us.

i remember the first country song i ever heard.

well the first song i heard that made me FALL IN LOVE with country music.

i was at indian lake.

on my bike.

with my stereo tied onto it.

yeah i was junky.

and "don't take the girl" came on.

and i just stopped.

something was different.

this was the beginning.

growing up.

singing "broken wing" in my bedroom mirror.

in my brush.

strawberry wine..making me cry.

over and over and over.

driving the lawn mower, singing "she don't know she's beautiful"

my dad recently told me "my favorite thing was you mowing the yard. you'd be an acre back, thinking no one could hear you singing! you're own concert!" haha

putting "standing outside the fire" on our softball warm up TAPE.

that was our motivation to be better.

George's "true" & "I cross my heart" ah.

still want to dance to those at my wedding.

then college.

EVERY weekend was a concert.

lawn seats.

jean skirts and cowboy hats.

yes.

we were those girls.

blankets on the lawn.

just laying there letting the music decide.

decide if we were going to cry next or get up and dance.

it's funny those songs helped raise me.

good old country lyrics.

about love and loss.

taught me about life.

i had no idea back then.

it would still be such a big part of my life.

or that i'd be here.

a little girl.

from ohio.

God has a funny way of bringing things full circle.

sooo country may "be from the south"

but believe me.

it lives loud and proud in ohio.

this little girl screams country.

fun and beautiful.