Celebrating 28!!!

For I know the plans I have for you saith the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11.  

Yesterday I celebrated my 28th birthday. For a lot of us, birthdays signify a new beginning and a time for reflection. As I reflect, I am so thankful for the many ways that God has blessed me and for all the lessons he placed in my path to shape me into the woman I'm becoming.  I see so much growth in myself as an individual and as a woman - I am a lot stronger, wiser, humble, discerning and grateful. I know more what it means to have faith, to totally depend on Him and to trust Him. I understand through experience how to stand on His word and promises despite what things look like on the outside. He is the potter and I am the clay.

I celebrated by birthday with a small dinner with close friends.  This past year more than any other year in my life, my inner circle grew tighter and closer. I had friends and family really come through for me during difficult times and they also celebrated with me in a number of joys such as my  graduation from law school in May. We need each other, and I am blessed to have friends and family I can depend on.  God also moved some people out of my life for the best. I love my friends and family and I'm so grateful to have them.


As I celebrate 28, I excitedly await God's will to unfold in my life. I pray that He guides and orders my steps.  I welcome the new beginnings, beginning with my upcoming cross country move in the next two weeks.

Be Blessed!.

~Nika 

Brown Eyed Beauty

What can I say? I have so much love for her… How could I not? After all Nika gave me my nickname when I was born because she told our mom that I was so pretty and looked just like her doll. Even though she did go on to tell me I was adopted when I seven years old lol but of course  that can’t be true because we’ve been classified as twins so many times before which results in us giving each other the eye thinking “seriously we don’t look that much alike” 

I remembered when at sixteen years old she worked overtime at Old Navy just so I could have a special outfit for my birthday.  Then there was the night I got engaged and I called to tell her the news…she screamed so loud in the phone my eardrums vibrated. I am so thankful to God; Nika has been such a great example of class, intelligence, and independence.

I think it’s the funniest thing that Nika thinks cats are stuck up but she loves them in fact if you know her you know she loves the cartoon Garfield, now I never look at cats the same…I always think “man that cat is stuck up!” lol Another one of her love/obsession is fashion and I will never forget when she was eleven years old and she cried for hours until my mom gave her pearls to wear with her outfit because hello…what is a lady without her pearls?

We have been through some challenging years together but it only made our bond so much stronger. I appreciate you more than you’ll ever know, without you I know for certain I would have been a very different woman today thank you for protecting me (I mean I know New York City streets are busy but you can let go of my hand) for being my stylist, for your constant encouragement and for always letting me know the truth even when it hurts. I am so proud of you, for all you have achieved and the great things you are going on to accomplish

I love you sissy!!! Have a wonderful birthday and go on with your beautiful self…we know you’re a ten!! Hugs and Kisses from Florida!  

Take time to appreciate and love on your family and friends

 He makes beautiful things

-Nicole

Hot and Married: Can a Woman Be Married AND Fashionable?

Should there be a difference in dress between married women and single women? I stumbled upon this online discussion, and raised unsurprised eyebrows as many of the ladies retorted something to the likes of  “but of course. “ The general consensus of the discussion relayed the message that single women wanting to attract men needed to ensure they looked fabulous at all times. There was no description of what fabulous looked like exactly, but nevertheless, they (single women) needed to coyly convey that they were available. Married women? Well, not so much. Maybe, just maybe, “mom jeans” are o.k. for them I balked at the notion, yet I was slightly intrigued.  

I am a fashion-loving single woman in my 20s who have no plans of losing my sense of style once marriage and baby(ies) come along. While I do believe that there will be lifestyle changes that will call for adjustments, I don’t subscribe to the notion that those adjustments must include the “mom jeans” singled out as the clothes of choice for married women.Being married doesn’t mean I’ll suddenly lose my sense of style and morph into the dowdy wife. Even if that’s the general consensus, I challenge the underlying assumption that as women we dress only to impress men and not to express ourselves.

But even if impressing men is apart of how we dress, are husbands not worthy of being wowed by a well-put together wives? Don’t married men and women try to present their best selves (including their best dressed selves) to their spouses? Thankfully there are plenty of married women who’ve denied the notion that being married calls for dowdy dress (our First Lady comes to mind). I think it’s totally possible to be stylish and married and scoff at the notion that our marital status should define our style.  Hot and married? Hey, why not!