2016 is coming to an end, which means there is a lot I can blog about. I could do the stereotypical resolutions post, a post about how my year has been, or a post about how thankful I am for this year. I don't really want to do any of those, so I am going to talk about how I've grown. I'm going to talk about how 2016 has changed me.

This year was full of so many firsts, good and bad. The first time I went on a spring break trip with friends and the first time flying first class. The first time I went to prom and graduated from high school. The first time I ran a 5k and the first time I went to college. I also got my first jeep and got in my first accident (3 days after getting it lol). I got my first gun and shot it for the first time. I met some of my baby cousins for the first time. The first time I had a serious allergic reaction and the first time I had to get allergy tested. The first time I turned 19, and the last. The first time, in a while, that I can say I am truly happy with myself. How many firsts did you have this year?

I have also grown so much in this past year. I have grown so much in my relationship with Jesus. I am reading daily devotionals and diving more into His word. I have been making more time to talk to God and I have been putting a lot more of my life in his hands.

I have also grown as a person. I have been taking more risks. I have been caring less about being embarrassing. I have been doing everything for myself and for God. I have been trying to please people less and to please God more. I am very happy with the growth I have experienced.

I hope you have all had a great year and I hope that you have a Happy New Year! Take some time to reflect and remember all the good that has happened this year. Think about how you have grown and be thankful for that! See you in 2017! (Also shoutout to my brother for taking these photos of me)

xoxo, Aubrey

getting back to my roots

Hello children! I am currently eating blueberries that I bought almost 2 weeks ago, and yes they are still perfect. Shout out to Trader Joe's for their great organic produce! Okay, but what if Trader Joe's sponsored my blog, do you know how great that would be? I'd probably cry or die, or both.

Anyways, this post has nothing to do with Trader Joe's and everything to do with fashion! Remember when that's what my blog was? Well I am going back to my roots, featuring my Roots beanie (lol I hate myself and the stupid puns I come up with) (Amanda is probably going to end me because of this post, it's fine!).

Paired with: aerie leggings, chunky socks, hippe laundry flannel

Was that a successful fashion post? I think it was, I mean I haven't done one in ages so I wouldn't know. Anyways, hope you enjoyed my Roots beanie and think about buying yourself one (do it)! Love you all very much.

xoxo, Aubs

excerpt from my journal no. 37

It's Christmas Eve Eve, which means it's Journal excerpt time: The Christmas edition! I'm not going to say anything else, so here is my journal excerpt and a great gif from Friends, because I love Friends.

12/20/16

There is so much we get wrong about Christmas. It's not about cute mugs and hot cocoa, Christmas trees covered in elaborate ornaments, or millions of materialistic gifts. It is about love. Jesus' birth was exactly that. God sent himself down in the form of a baby, the most vulnerable form. He felt all the pain and suffering we felt. He healed the sick and raised the dead to life. Jesus came down to save us. He bled for our sins because he loves us. Christmas is about love. Are we showing Jesus our love this Christmas? Are we sharing his love? 

Well there you have it! I'll be back tomorrow, hopefully!

xoxo, Aubrey

we were on a break!

Friends! Hi! Oh how I have missed you all very much! It is officially break, well it has been for a week now, but you know what that means! This meme can be used, yet again! 

So let's have a talk about what a break is meant to be. My break has been very busy and not very relaxing, which is the exact opposite of what it should be. I have had time to paint, write, and binge watch Supergirl (11/10 would recommend), but that is really all. Breaks are supposed to be times where you have no plans, you just relax and go with the flow. But I really haven't had a day where I had absolutely nothing to do, except for today. 

I woke up this morning, made myself a cup of coffee, read my Youversion devotionals (Highly recommend: Waiting Here For You by Louie Giglio, Evangelize, Don't Fossilize!, and She Reads Truth: 5 Favorites), and wrote a super short poem about God's reasons. It was really soothing to know that I could shower whenever I felt like it and eat lunch whenever I got hungry. I love not having a schedule or a plan for the day. (Here's a selfie of Amanda and me in Canada.)

It's only 12:30 in the afternoon and I have so much I could do with the rest of my day. I could head to Trader Joe's for the third time in a week (I mean they are summoning me with their Spotify commercials), I could go to the Plymouth Coffee Bean since I haven't been since before school started, or I could find recipes that I'd love to adapt and create over break. That's the thing about a break, you don't have to decide what you're going to do, you just do it. 

Stop trying to figure out what to do with your break and just live your life. Oscar Wilde once said, "to live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all." Stop just existing and start living. 

xoxo, Aubs

P.S. I'm usually not this inspiring, so don't get used to it :P

tis the season of giving

I strongly believe the only gift anyone really needs this Christmas is the gift of King Jesus, but because people wanted a gift guide, I am going to make one. And because I am broke and I assume many of you also don't have more than $10 to spend on people, this guide will all be under $10. (just an fyi, if you want to get me anything, I will gladly accept a dog that I can hide in my dorm room, or my own personal Trader Joe's that I can shop at all the time.)

For your faithful friends (about $7): These people probably won't ask for anything from you because they want everything for you, so instead you could get them The Message. The Message is Eugene Peterson's translation of the Bible into contemporary language. It's not much different than other versions of the Bible, it just makes more sense, I guess.

For your coffee loving friends (about $10): 3 words: Coffee Care Package! I literally just came up with this idea, seriously! All you need is a cute mug (that you probably found on the sale rack or took from your own personal collection), some coffee (Trader Joe's wake-up blend!), and maybe some cream and sugar? I personally think it's adorable and cheap so it's automatically amazing, right?

For your earthy friends (about $9): Do you have that one friend who is into earthing (me) or essential oils (also me)? Then this is seriously going to be perfect for them! Get them a car diffuser! I personally love diffusing some peppermint and wild orange during the winter because it always lightens my spirit, tell them I said that!

For your artsy friends (about $10): Seriously just get them some crayons and call it a day. Since you can't sense sarcasm on the internet, I'll just tell you that I am being sarcastic! Put some effort in this, go to Michael's and pick out some cool watercolors and some brushes. Artsy friends are cool because they love art supplies and never have enough, so just get them some more!

For your athletic friends (about $10-$15): My athletic friends are cool and all, but really stop showing off (I'm being sarcastic again)! Probably just get them a gift card to Dick's Sporting Goods and go with them because quality time. I seriously don't know what athletic people want for Christmas, other than to make you more athletic. (ex: Chris Traeger and Ann Perkins)

For your foodie friends (about $10): Have you ever been to Trader Joe's or TJmaxx and seen some food that was super weird, but somehow seemed good? Okay now go and grab all of those foods, put them in a gift basket, and deliver it to your foodie friends! Merry Christmas Foodies, you're welcome!

Okay I hope these helped a little bit! I hope you also enjoyed my sarcasm, it is my middle name (Aubrey Sarcasm Sochacki)!

Feel free to scratch all my ideas and come up with your own because I have to admit, some of these are terrible. Anyways, happy gift giving! That's what this season is all about!

"Love is generous!" 

xoxo, Aubrey

excerpt from my journal no. 36

hello sweet little elves! I go home for break tomorrow and I could not be more excited! I miss demon dog. I miss my bed. I miss my church. But most of all, I miss my family!

Okay, here's that journal excerpt you've been waiting for!

11/29/16

my thoughts on soulmates

soulmates! AHHH!!! do they exist? do you have more than one? i don't actually know, but here is what i think. i think they exist and i think we have more than one. i think we have a soulmate in everything we do. like i say that angela and amanda are a couple of my soulmates because we just know exactly what the other needs. i believe that we all have one romantic soulmate who we are meant to spend the rest of our lives with (have you found them? who knows. have i found them? lol). i believe we have many friend soulmates who just understand us and are "our person/people" (i have these people, do you?). i believe we have those soulmates who are the ones who just make our lives better, like your parents or people who don't fit in the other two categories. soulmates are a beautiful thing, knowing that there are people on this earth who were made to do life with you, it’s truly an amazing thing.

when i get worried that i’ll be single forever, i just remember this idea of soulmates. i remember that i have one romantic soulmate who i am meant to be with and i get less worried. i don’t know who are they are, if i’ve met them, or when i’ll realize who they are. all i know is that they’re out there. in the meantime, i have my other soulmates.

Okay 11 days until Christmas! As KB would say, "get turnt, get lit sideways" for Christmas! See ya over the holiday season!

xoxo, Aubs

excerpt from my journal no. 35

hello friends! I hope this cold weather isn't getting you down, even though it sucks. Just remember that maybe God will call you someplace warm in the near future!

Anyways, here is a great journal excerpt that I wrote a day ago!

12/08/16

this is why i stopped asking God to show me signs

it took me so many years of my life to realize that God showed me signs all the time, that i never needed to ask. i didn’t need Him to show me  a sign that he wasn’t the one for me, i didn’t need Him to show me a sign that i was in the right place, i didn’t need a sign that i was at the right church, or that i had the right major. i just needed to pay attention, He was already showing me signs.

God shows us things and speaks to us everyday. most of the time, were just too busy to notice.

take for instance, a new person in your life. did you even think twice about why they’re here? why they’re in your life? i usually don’t think about it. the reality is that God put them there for a reason, they have a purpose in your life. God doesn’t just put people in your life for empty reasons, He does everything with a purpose. He does everything because He loves you.

open up your eyes, listen for his voice. He is all around you. He is trying to get your attention, so please let him.

Hope that helps you get through your day, week, month, year, and life.

with love, Aubrey

a small update

Hello beautiful humans! I just wanted to update you on my life and let you in on a little secret.

Okay first of all, life is stressful. School is stressful. Everything is stressful. That is why I am making this post. To tell you that it is okay to be stressed out, short term stress is actually very good for you, psychologically speaking (Thanks AP Psych)! 

2nd, Some of you know this, others don't. In September, I had a severe, almost anaphylactic, reaction to something. We thought it was a mango allergy, so I got allergy tested. Long story short, I just found out I'm not allergic to mangoes. So now we're back at square one and I have not received any closure about this allergic reaction, so I am just asking for some prayers. 

3rd, exam week is next week. This week is stress week. Therefore, I will only be posting journal excerpts this week and next. I will be blogging tons over break, so be ready my friends! 

4th, I am writing another book. I am almost finished. I have 8 more poems, a dedication page, and an introduction to write. I am currently deciding on a release date. How fun!

5th, secrets are no fun, unless you share with everyone! So I am thinking about starting a Bible study/weekly devotional thing on my blog. I really want to post a Bible verse every week, with some inspiring message and maybe some takeaway questions on it. I am thinking about having guest bloggers for this as well. If anyone is interested in being a guest or helping out with this, please contact me! My professional email is asochack@gmail.com. If you happen to know me personally, contact me in anyway you see fit.

6th, have a great rest of your week and be on the look out for a journal excerpt tomorrow!

xoxo, Aubs

excerpt from my journal no. 34

Hello ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my blog! I am currently lying in bed watching my best friend's hockey game on a live-stream and blowing my nose like a mad woman. Also, Happy December! It's officially Christmas, pretty much!

I am also brainstorming my dedication page (I'm dedicating it to my dog because he loves me lol) for my book and trying to figure out what I want Angela to say in the introduction. For any of you that don't know, Angela actually wrote the intro for Take Me With You. Fun fact of the day: Angela's intro makes me cry every time I read it! Okay back to what this post is actually about, journal excerpts. I am dumb and I have horrifyingly awful writer's block, so I am going to do my best.

11/21/16

Letter To My Grandmas In Heaven

Hi there!

It's that time of year again, where I miss you most. It's been a while since I've heard either of your voices. I miss the sporadic phone calls and sweet birthday cards. I miss family dinners. I miss breakfast at the Dearborn Inn. I miss escargot flying at the ceiling on Christmas. I miss beet soup. I miss "Weggie Tales" and your laughs. I miss not hating December 2nd and January 2nd, two of the worst days of my life.

Grammy, it's been 8 years since I last saw you. I still can't believe it. Sometimes I listen to your life story, just so I can hear your voice again. Sometimes I drive by your old home because maybe I'll feel your presence. Thank you for being such a faithful figure in my childhood. Hope you're happy in heaven, I'm so happy you're no longer paralyzed on one side of your body, happy you can walk again. I love you.

Nonni, were approaching 3 years this January and it still stings. I'm still in so much pain, but I'm glad you're not anymore. I'm sorry this family fell apart, I know it isn't what you wanted, but you were the glue. I used to listen to your old voicemails, but they somehow got deleted. I always hear your voice in my head, I play it over and over again. I never want to forget how you said, "I love you Aubrey." Sometimes I think I see you at the mall or the grocery store, sometimes I imagine it's actually you. I imagine that you kiss my forehead and tell me you love me. I wish cancer wasn't so cruel to you and I'm sorry it was. I always imagine you as your younger self, like in that picture of you in that pink dress. I imagine you have glittery pink angel wings. I hope you're cooking some good food for Jesus and I hope you met Elvis finally. I hope you're doing great. I love you.

I love you both with all my heart. Give my twin a hug for me. Tell him/her that I think about them all the time and that I love them. I'm so happy that you're both no longer sick and that you can both walk again. Tell Jesus "hey" for me. :) Also I'm living my dream, I hope I'm making you both proud! I love you. 

love, your granddaughter

thanks are in order

I just wanted to take a minute to express some gratitude for the amazing people in my life. I am so thankful for each and everyone of you.

To God:
Thank you for being an awesome Father and for showing me the way. I know you have great plans for me and I am so glad this blog, my book, and my future cafe are a part of them. I can't wait to see what you have planned for me. Thank you for always being around when I need you.

To my viewers:
This blog wouldn't exist without you. Thank you for making my dreams come true with this blog and for sticking by me through thick and thin. I wouldn't be where I am without your support! We're approaching the two year anniversary of my blog, which just makes me so giddy! And whether you've been here all along or you're new, you're so important to me. Thank you so much for being the best!

To my family:
Wow, where do I even begin? Whether you're my parents, brother, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, or friends who are basically family; I am beyond thankful for you. I can't believe you love me enough to always put up with me! Thank you so much for your undying love and amazing support. Yet again, I wouldn't be where I am without all of you!

To my friends: 
Whether I met you this year at college or I've known you for years, you have made a lasting impact on my life. I know that we will be lifelong friends and I can't wait for that. I can't wait for the jokes, game nights, and jam sessions that await us. Thank you for being you and for being the greatest friends I could ever ask for. Absolutely amazing!

To my dog:
Even though you're evil, I love you. God bless dogs! (Also got allergy tested and I'm not allergic to dogs so that's a win!)

To you (just a personal note to anyone reading):
I would imagine that you fit in one of the categories above, but still, I am thankful for you.

That being said, I am very grateful (look I changed it up, I didn't say thankful) for everyone! Happy Thanksgiving, now go eat some turkey and pecan pie!

xoxo, Aubs

excerpt from my journal no. 33

hi guys! I have posted so much this week, I guess I'm making up for lost time. Today (yesterday by the time I post this) has honestly been so great. I went to Madcap Coffee with my friends and drank a beautiful Cafe Miel with almond milk (delizioso!!). I have also been listening to The Icarus Account again. Again, meaning I do this a lot. I go through these times in my life where their music just gets me and right now is one of those times. If you haven't heard them before, you really should listen to them!

Anyways, lets get to the point Aubrey! This is a journal excerpt, a place where I share my thoughts, feelings, poems, etc. If you're new, you can check out past journal excerpts and/or read some of my poetry. That being said, here is a piece I wrote back in April.

04/22/16

i've been single for three years and honestly i'm okay with that, i mean i like being strong on my own and independent, but that doesn't mean i don't want someone that compliments me. that doesn't mean i don't want to be loved and that sometimes i don't want to cuddle or be needy for once in my life. for once i want to feel weak in the knees, i want to feel like i need someone to survive. i want to feel love. 

Welp. I am always very critical of my writing because I never think it's any good, but I really like this piece. This piece just portrays the way I was feeling at that point in my life. I now know that God has been sparing me from heartbreak and I'm good with that! I know God has amazing plans for me, and I am not worried about it.

"May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed." Psalm 20:4

(peace love frida khalo)

xoxo, Aubs

Lord have mercy on my rough and rowdy ways

Proud of ya'll if you know where I got the title to this post from! And for you butt heads who don't know where I got it from, go on Spotify and look up "Down in the Valley" by The Head and The Heart! Okay, but maybe you should just listen to that song while you read this post!

Anyways, this week has been rough to say the least. I have had this nasty cough for a little over a week and it has really been messing with my asthma. I haven't been sleeping well because I am up coughing or wheezing, super fun! I also had two papers I had to write this week so my stress has been out of the roof. But today, I felt good and happy so I put on a cute little outfit and had Amy take photos of me.

Oh exciting things are coming soon, like my birthday and Thanksgiving break and being reunited with Boo and being reunited with Amanda! Who is excited? ME! That's who! Okay I literally don't have a clue where I am going with this blog post, but that is just okay!

I know I am being super random, which is pretty normal if you've been reading my blog for a long time! But I made this really great autumn acoustics playlist and I really wanna share it with you, it just seems to fit with this post! But also autumn is my favorite season and it just kills me that it's almost over! :(



You should also follow me on Spotify because I like to post really good playlists (sorry, I know I don't normally tell ya'll to do things)

Okay I am going to end this post before it gets super awkward and random, I love you all!

xoxo, Aubs

giving thanks

I am starting this new thing, where I am going to write a thank you note to someone important to me everyday up until Thanksgiving (Maybe Christmas, haven't decided yet). I just want to show the people in my life how thankful I am and how much I love them. I encourage you to do the same.

These thank you notes can be just about anything: a little sticky note, a thank you card, a sweet text, or a social media post. I wanted to do something special for two very special people in my life, my parents. These two are freaking amazing and wonderful, I don't know how I got so lucky to have them.

Dear Mom and Dad,

Oh my gosh I love you both so much and I am so thankful for you both. I am so grateful for the way that you raised me, for showing me unconditional love no matter what. I am so glad that you raised me to know Jesus and to know that he loves me more than both of you combined. You both raised me to be independent and to do everything for myself. You raised me to be compassionate and caring for others. You raised me to know how I should be treated and to never settle for anything less. I appreciate you, mom for cooking with me and listening to me complain about everything (blame dad that I inherited the complainer gene). I appreciate you, dad for watching Blue Bloods with me and for telling me to get a cough drop ever single time I cough. Mom and Dad, I am so grateful for all that you do. I love you both more! (Let me win okay! Don't ya'll dare say it's not possible because I will drive home and yell at you both! Let me win something okay!)

love, your freaking amazing and wonderful daughter

See how easy that is? It's so simple to say thank you and show how much you love a person or people. Try it out!

xoxo, Aubrey

excerpt from my journal no. 32

In preparing for this election I actually wrote a little something about politics, I promise it won't be too boring! Just read it!

11/08/16

I always dreamt of the day that I would stand on a stage with my friends and family surrounding me, I would speak into the microphone and say, "My name is Aubrey Sochacki and I am running for president!" 

I was 7 years old when I picked up my mom's book, Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. I didn't exactly understand the book at the time, but I knew I liked it. I knew I loved it actually. Ayn Rand wrote from the heart, from the mind of an objectivist. Ayn Rand helped me become the woman I am today. Ayn Rand opened up my eyes to this world and the government. She sparked my love for the libertarian movement, objectivism, and capitalism. Because of Ayn Rand (and my parents of course), I have learned to be a free thinker. I don't always agree with my party and I don't always vote my party. As a free thinker, I have realized that so many are sucked into their party affiliation and just go along with whatever they have to say, which is so dangerous. Because of Ayn Rand, I no longer want to run for president, but I still want to make America better. I still want to speak my word, speak up for what I believe is right. I want less government control, I want corporatism to die out, I want a free market economy, I want actual freedom, I want America to be run by it's people not by career politicians. I want Aubrey's America, not Trump or Clinton's America. I want America to be great again, I want America to be strong again. That being said, open up your mind! Realize what is happening to this country! We're so divided right now, when we need to be standing together!

That all being said, read Atlas Shrugged because it's amazing and exercise your right to vote! May God bless everyone and this country!

xoxo, Aubs

(Aubs for president? Someday, maybe)

donut worry, be happy

Happy Sunday! Isn't God so good? All the time? Even through the pain and anxiety we experience, we can still feel joy in our hearts because Jesus has rescued us! Anyways, I found a church to call home on this side of the state. Crossroads Bible Church is where God wants me, where He needs me to be and I am so excited! Jesus is so so good!

I am feeling so blessed by God, not only for showing me a community to belong to, but also for the friends I have made! My wonderful dorm family and I had a bonding experience this weekend, we went to the cider mill! I had such a great time and I was just reminded of how blessed I am to have them. I also was reminded of how good cider and donuts are.

Aren't my friends the cutest human beings ever? I am so thankful for them! 

Okay guys, I am going to try and post a journal excerpt this week! Hopefully, I can get those creative juices flowing! But until then, have a great week! 

xoxo, Aubs

Jesus talks/excerpt from my journal no. 31

hi everyone! hope your week has been wonderful!

So let's talk about Jesus!

At my home church, Northridge, we are all about waking the world up to Jesus and taking our next steps in our walk with God. I have never formally written a blog post about this before and I think that is my next step and I also think it's a great way to wake the world up to Jesus. I also decided to turn this post into a journal excerpt. That being said, let's have this talk.

I was 7 years old when I accepted Christ as my Savior for the first time, I didn't really know what that entailed. I was raised in the church, specifically a Bible church. My mom listened to Christian music, my dad spoke at our church some weekends, and my grammy read me Bible stories and always told me how much God loved me. Life was pretty great. 7 year old me thought that being saved meant that nothing bad could ever happen to me, but oh boy was I wrong. At 10 years old, disaster struck for the first time. I lost my beloved grammy to pancreatic cancer. I was so angry. I remember asking myself things like, "How could God do this to me?" and "God doesn't love me as much as I thought he did" and "Why would God take a lady who loved him so much in the way he did?" I remember falling away from God and not really saying my prayers or reading my Bible. I don't deal well with loss and I know that now. All of my anxiety revolves around loss and how I deal with it. Anyways, the next year disaster struck again. My Nonni was diagnosed with Lymphoma of the brain and oh boy was I angry. I would cry myself to sleep and scream at God in the shower. I yelled at him all the time, "Why do you hate me?" and "What did I ever do to deserve this?" and "Why do you want to take both of my grandmothers away from me?" 4 years went by of her going into remission and the cancer coming back and me breaking over and over again. My Nonni's cancer had become terminal and all treatment stopped and I just kept breaking. At some point in the beginning of my sophomore year of high school, I told my mom that I needed to go to church. I was so broken, I didn't think that anything could fix me. And I went back to church and all of Brad's talks were God's words to me. God was telling me that he put these walls in my life so that I would seek Him more, so that I would come back to him, so that he could fix me. I remember one night as I cried myself to sleep, I just prayed to Him. I renewed my faith in him and prayed, "Jesus, I can't do this without you. I need you to help me. I accept you as my Savior and as my Father. Please Lord, help me through this. Lord, I want to grow closer to you. Lord, please take away my sins and make me new again. Amen." A weight had instantly been taken away and I felt God's presence for first time in my life. I knew that he was there and I knew that he loved me so much. That winter was so hard for my family, but I knew God was there and I knew he was going to help me through it. January 1st came around, it was the last day that I saw my Nonni alive. And I prayed that night with my cousin that God would take away her pain and take her to his kingdom. That next morning, my Nonni took her last breath and I thanked God for helping her. As much as I was broken and destroyed beyond repair, I knew that God would fix me and he sure did. God uses broken people. God uses me everyday. As much as I miss my grandmas, I am thankful that God showed me who he was in the middle of all the pain. The summer of my junior year, at 17 years old, I was baptized for the first time in my life. I remember being submersed in the water and coming up with tears in my eyes. I was reborn in Christ, all my sins were washed away. I remembering the feeling of God's presence in that moment. I hugged the pastor that baptized me and walked out of that water as a new person. Jesus saved me. 

We all have a story, we are all broken people. It is okay to be broken and to be hurting because God is cheering you on, He is on your side. The good news is that God wants you in his kingdom, He sent His son to die on the cross for YOUR sin, God did that for YOU. That being said, stop worrying about tomorrow because God is going to handle it all for you, he's going to help you pull through!

I will be the first to admit that I struggle, walking with Jesus doesn't mean your life is always going to be easy. I struggle with stress and anxiety. I struggle with being lonely. I struggle with finding time to be alone with the Lord. I struggle just as much as you, but Jesus makes it a lot easier to get through my struggles. I have questions and thoughts, but I know that one day God will answer them.

If you want to have a talk about this, a real talk. Please add me on facebook, follow me on twitter, add me on snapchat (auburnrider206, I am also going to be posting random but relevant Bible verses, so that's another reason to add me). Literally add me anywhere! I don't need more followers or friends (but I want to be your friend so...), I want to have this conversation with YOU, Jesus wants you to have this conversation with someone.

"So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's troubles are enough for today." Matthew 6:34 

I love you and more importantly, Jesus loves you!

God bless,

Aubs

so...i'm a writer

hey guys, i hope everyone has had a great October! Can you believe it's almost over? I seriously can't believe it because that means that I am almost 19 (November 22nd!!!!), which is gross. I want to be 9 instead because 9 year olds don't have to worry about anything (#relatable). 

Anyways, ya'll know I'm a writer and if you didn't, you know now. So, I decided that I wanted to make my chaotic life even more chaotic by deciding to write another poetry book! Wow, now that's a huge announcement! But here's the thing, I need your help. I need ya'll to check out my poetry page and my journal excerpts, I need you all to react. I need comments and feedback because I don't even know what poems to put in this book!  Also, if you haven't read my first book, I would seriously love if you'd check it out. (if you live nearby, go to school with me, or know me personally, I will have a few books available for you to buy from me (I might even sign it), just holler at me.) 

That being said, this new book is going to be a whole new style, a whole new me. This book is going to be an adventure for me and hopefully for you. Unlike my last book, I will not be sharing any of the poems that will be in it until after it comes out. I am seriously so excited for this book to come out, and I hope you are too! I do not have a final release day yet because I don't even have enough poems written. As soon as I know a date you will too, you have my word!

Now please go back to your life, maybe take some time for yourself and write. Write about everything you experience, write from the heart! 

love you all very much!

xoxo, Aubs

doctor on campus

Hi guys!
I just wanted to take a moment to apologize for being very absent. College is definitely a big transition and it has brought out a lot of anxieties and things that I've kept bottled up for a while, so I haven't really had much time to do anything other than take care of myself. But I am back for now, and I will try to start posting more often. That being said, let's talk a little about taking care of yourself on campus.

I'm sure a lot of you are aware of all the businesses I ambassador for, but I don't think I've shared a lot about Maven. Maven is one of my favorite apps and businesses out there. Maven is a women's health care app, that is all video chat or messaging. It's pretty cheap compared to the co-pay most of us pay for a doctor's visit and it is also a lot easier than dragging yourself to a health center when you just want to lie in bed.

You can just about talk about anything with a practitioner, including allergies, cold and flu, period issues, mental health, and much more. I recently had a severe allergic reaction and I contacted Asefeh Faraz (a nurse practitioner) about it and got a lot of great advice from her. I also got in touch with a nutritionist, Vanessa Wissing, before attending college. Vanessa has really helped me eat healthy on campus! Yesterday was my first time using Maven for mental health purposes and I talked to Elyssa Kilman. Elyssa is great and really helped me deal with a lot of my anxiety, I will be continuing to talk to her throughout the year. There are many more great practitioners available! 

Now this is where I tell you that you can get a FREE appointment! Okay who doesn't love FREE things? I love FREE things! So to get this FREE appointment, you must download the Maven app and sign up for a new account. When signing up there should be a spot for a discount/promo code, to receive your FREE appointment just enter the code "GRANDVALLEYAS". That code will guarantee that you will talk to one practitioner for FREE!

If you are a student and you loved your FREE appointment you can use my Maven Campus subscription code to get as many appointment as you want for a month! Using my code for that will get you your first month for $25 instead of $45. I currently use Maven Campus because I don't always have time to go to the health center that is in Timbuktu. That code for Maven Campus is also "GRANDVALLEYAS". 

I hope you find the chance to try Maven for FREE and fall in love with it the way that I did! 

Thanks guys for putting up with me being absent frequently and just keep me in your prayers and I will keep you in mine!

xoxo, Aubs

excerpt from my journal no. 30

Hey fellas! Again, I apologize for slacking lately! College is difficult and I also don't know what sleep or free time is so please forgive me!

Recently, I was reminded that I am a failure and that I am a broken person (I don't hate myself that much, I promise, it gets better). I've also been reminded that God only uses failures, so here is a poem about that!

10/06/2016

my sophomore year of high school

i found God

i found Him in achy bones and ink stained fingertips

i found Him in late night sobs and screaming into my pillow

i found Him in grieving and trying to love again

i found Him in trust issues and fragile emotional stages

i found Him in brokenness beyond repair

God uses the broken, the hurt, the weary

God uses me. 

Yes God will use you if you've made mistakes, he will uses you if you're hurting, he will use you no matter what you've done. Please let him use you to change the world.

xoxo, Aubs

P.S. Have a good week! I'll be back when I have some time on my hands! 

You can find more journal excerpts here. 

Don't forget to catch up with me on my social media!

twitter: @aubreysanne

instagram: @aubs1997

snapchat: auburnrider206

Let's be friends ladies and gentlemen! 

It's coffee o'clock

I just love coffee! Whether it be cold brew or classic dark roast, I'm just in love with coffee. So when I had the chance to try skinny coffee club, I couldn't resist! Coffee that reduces bloating and increases your metabolism? Sounds good to me!!

Skinny coffee club is absolutely amazing, the taste is just wonderful! It's made with 100% organic, vegan ingredients and comes in a cute little paper baggie. When you order skinny coffee, it comes with a downloadable meal and exercise plan, which is wonderful if you plan on using this product for weight loss.

Personally, I am using this product to reduce everyday bloating and to just stay healthy. I'm hoping skinny coffee can help me feel better and flush out my system of any toxins. So what do you say? Let's try some skinny coffee!

I absolutely adore this company and I know you will too! Skinny coffee club is amazing, you should really try it out sometime (20% off if you go to skinnycoffeeclub.com and use code MYBABYCHAI20) and my mug is from Francesca's!!

---

I'll be following up later with before and after photos along with any progress I make!! Make sure to add me on snapchat (auburnrider206) for more frequent updates along with random adventures I go on!

Love you babe, Aubs

excerpt from my journal no. 29

Oh my gosh! What? Holy crap! I'm posting a journal excerpt!

08/19/2016

untitled

people always ask why i only write in lowercase letters

to them it's an aesthetic thing

to me it's a thought,

to me, i think that it is unnecessary to give one word more meaning than the next,

to give one person more meaning than a word i use to give them life,

to give more meaning to myself than to the events that made me who i am.

i write in lowercase letters because they give life to things that otherwise wouldn't have it. 

I actually really, really like this piece and I hope you do too!

xoxo, Aubs

happy days

This post is so unlike all of my others and I don't normally like to post things like this, but as many of you know I am going to college very soon and I need to pay for it somehow! So here is a post including a lot of discounts and some free things for you that should help me pay for college in the long run!

Too Pretty Brand
My very first ambassadorship, at the time I had no idea what that even meant! Now I essentially work for a company that I absolutely love! I mean what's better then empowering women!

My discount code for this company is TPASOCHACKI, using this code will get you 15% off! They recently dropped new designs that are amazing and great to rock at your school's athletic center!

Sand Cloud Towels
This company is amazing! This company has very unique beach towels, along with glass water bottles and stickers. This store helps to restore ocean life, along with working to protect and preserve marine animals! #savethefishies

My discount code for Sand Cloud is AUBREYS25, which will get you 25% of your purchase! Help us save the fishies!

Monq
Monq is a personal aromatherapy tool that works in many different ways, I decided to become an ambassador for them because I love aromatherapy and I believe that it works!

My discount code is mybabychai, which will get you 10% off of your purchase! Breathe happy my friends!

Maven
Meet with a nurse practioner, doctor, nutritionist, PT, etc. all from the safety of your house or dorm! I absolutely love Maven and the fact that it is so cheap! When you're away at college or traveling the country, Maven is the perfect way to connect with a doctor who can help you out!

Using my code, GRANDVALLEYAS you can get a FREE appointment! That means you don't actually have to get out of bed to go to the doctor, you can just video chat them and feel better in no time!

Skinny Coffee Club
If you go on twitter or instagram, chances are you have heard about this company! This company is an amazing weight loss, healthy lifestyle company! When you purchase their coffee they send you a meal and exercise plan, to help you jumpstart your journey!

My code for skinny coffee is MYBABYCHAI20, which will get you 20% off of your purchase!

Happy Shopping!!

xoxo, Aubs

good for the heart

I seriously need to invest in a kayak and live near the water when I am older. Yesterday, my friends and I drove 2 1/2 hours to my happy place, Port Austin. While we were up there we kayaked, swam in Lake Huron, and walked the pier. Living in Michigan has it's ups and downs, being able to swim in a lake whenever you want is one of those ups.

I love the adventure that the Great Lakes hold and I truly cannot see why someone wouldn't want to experience it. 

Port Austin was a great last adventure for my friends and me, since in less than a week we will all be going off to separate colleges and moving on with our lives. I cannot wait for more adventures with these girls, and I am going to miss spending my days with them! 

I'll be back this weekend with a free gift for you along with a journal excerpt! Until then, enjoy these photos of me at Lake Huron and plan an end of the summer trip!

excerpt from my journal no. 28

Wow, I am so sorry that I haven't posted a journal excerpt in a while! I don't really have an excuse that is worth your time, I'm just sorry about this! I've had some of the worst writer's block that I have ever experienced, I am hoping to get out of it soon. So here is a much anticipated (kinda stupid) journal excerpt from a project I did in creative writing. Laugh as much as you'd like, but I just love my bed.

01/22/2016

Dear Bed,

You have been there for me through so much. Through sleepless nights and tear soaked pillows, through illness and stress, through sleep filled nights and cheerful mornings. I am so thankful for you.

I am so glad I get to greet you every night, but I am dearly sorry that I can only stay until the morning. Maybe one day I will be able to spend the whole day with you. Maybe a whole week, you never know what will happen. All I know is that someday very soon I will have to leave you, my sweet bed, but I will return soon. I will have to greet a different bed every night and I will miss you so much.

Our break up will not be fun for either of us, but my return will make us both ecstatic. You are the comfiest bed out of all of my friends’ and family’s beds, I don’t know how you do it. Do you have any bed friends that you can visit while I am away. I’m sure there will be someone to greet you while I am away.

So thank you again for all your help and all the peace you have brought me, I am forever grateful for all the nights we have shared together. My dear bed, dream on and don’t ever let the bedbugs bite.

love, Aubrey

Well there you have it, a silly letter to my bed! Hope that was all you ever hoped for :)

xoxo, Aubs

Thai Iced Tea

I absolutely love Thai Iced Tea, I order it anywhere that I can. Except, it always gives me a horrible stomach ache and cramps because I am lactose intolerant. Since my lactose intolerance doesn't stop me from drinking Thai Iced Tea, I decided to tweak the traditional recipe to make it work for me.

I picked up some Cha Yen Thai Tea from Teavana (but since Teavana is no longer, I would recommend this tea) during our summer sale and thought, "Woah, this would make an amazing Thai Iced Tea!!"

I picked up my favorite coconut creamer and some stevia from the grocery store and got ready to make a masterpiece. 

For this recipe, you are going to need Thai tea, coconut creamer, stevia, boiling water, and some ice. It's very simple to make and shouldn't take you any longer than 10 minutes.

The full recipe is below. 

Thai Iced Tea

Recipe by Aubrey Sochacki

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 3 minutes
Total time: 8 minutes
Yield: 2 8 oz glasses
Ingredients

• 
  8 Teaspoons
  Cha Yen Thai Tea from Teavana (or this tea works too)
  
• 
  16 fl oz
  Boiling Water
  
• 
  2 of the spoons it comes with
  Stevia
  
• 
  About 2 Tablespoons
  Coconut Creamer
  
• 
  
  Ice
  

Cooking Directions

1. 
   Steep the Thai tea in the boiling water as instructed on the tea's packaging (Thai Tea from Teavana is 3 minutes)
   
   
2. 
   Add your preferred amount of stevia to tea
   
   
3. 
   Add coconut creamer to your drinking glass and then fill with ice
   
   
4. 
   Once the tea is done steeping, pour over the ice and serve!
   

Hope you enjoy this Thai Iced Tea, I know I do!! 

xoxo, Aubs