26 Things

Twenty six years ago this past Friday a blessed event occured.  I was born.  :)  In those years I would like to think that I have learned a lot.  Although I realize I have much more to learn, I thought it would be fun to come up with twenty six things that I have learned in my first twenty six years.  Here it goes...

1. How to be me.  I chose this as number one being that I think it is the most important.  It took me most of high school and part of college to realize that being the best version of myself that I can possibly be is much better than trying to be something different.  And I like being me.

2. I like wine.  Sweet, dry, with bubbles, and especially when shared with good friends.

With Brittany at a wine festival in Evansville

3. I like dancing.  I might not be coordinated and I might not be good at it, but its darn good fun.  I like dancing with my husband, with friends, and when I'm alone in my apartment.  Sometimes dancing like a crazy person in your living room with the music blasting is just what the doctor ordered.

4. I'm a cat person.  Not a dog person, a guinea pig person, or a rabbit person.  Just a cat person.  Caleb says that if we weren't married I'd be a cat lady.  Is there something wrong with that?

5. If I set my mind to it, I can do it!  Who would have ever thought that I would ever be able to run 13.1 miles?  If you would have told me ten years ago that I would be preparing to run in my third mini marathon I never would have believed it.

6.  I love to read.  Nothing beats a good book.  Harry Potter, Twilight, Nicholas Sparks... don't judge me!  The sappier the better.  Young adult fiction, great!  I can't help it.

Yes, I arrange my books by the color of the rainbow... You
mean not everyone does that?

7. Sometimes simple is better.

8. I love to travel.  Let me be more specific... I like to travel in style.  Five star hotels, new clothes to match my destination (flashy clothes for Vegas, linen and gauzy dresses for somewhere tropical... you get the picture).  I don't know where I got this expensive taste.  I think it might be a problem.  :)

Vegas Vacation with my hot husband.

9. My friends love me for me.  No matter how silly, serious, emotional, or grumpy they never let me down and are there for me when I need them.  True friends are always there.  No matter what.

10. It's important to live in the moment and make the most out of life.  Sometimes its important to slow down and relish whats going on right now, at this second.  Thats how memories are made.  

11. I'm optimistic and idealistic.  

12. I love the country.  Theres nothing like driving through the middle of nowhere with your windows down, breathing in the country air.  Its good for my soul.

13. Making memories is important and the smallest of things can make the biggest of memories.  This one goes along with living in the moment, but I find myself inventing little traditions for myself and Caleb for each season.  I want to remember these early years of our marriage and make the most out of every second.

14. Its important to take care of yourself.  Sometimes you need a massage.  Or a pedicure.  Or a slice of seven layer chocolate cake with fudge icing... Queue number 15...

15. Its okay to indulge.  Being skinny is not the most important thing.  Its okay if I'm not the thinnest of my friends.  Junk food makes me happy sometimes.  

Red Velvet Pancakes from Hoaglin To Go Cafe on Mass Ave

16.  I'm a sucker for a good chick flick.  Who doesn't love Sleepless in Seattle or How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days?  Just a few weeks ago I watched Something Borrowed two times in one week.  Its a good dayif it ends with a chick flick, a glass of wine, and something sweet.

17. My true passions are being creative, blogging, and planning.  Although I earn a living as a therapist its not my true passion and one day I hope to pursue my passions full-time.

18. I love to cook.  I love trying new recipes and I think my largest board on Pinterest is my "Yum" board which is filled with recipes that I daydream (and drool) about trying.

19. I hate taking a shower.  Let me be clear, I do it daily.  But I still hate it.  I wish that I was one of those people who can go two days without washing their hair and it stills looks perfect.  Unfortunately I wasn't born with those genes.

20. I care about people and I work hard to show it.  When its also your job, sometimes its exhausting, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

21. I have the best family.  Simple as that.

22. I believe that all people are innately good.  They are born good.  This is a concept that I remember first grappling with in the 6th grade after reading The Diary of Anne Frank.  She believed that at heart all people are good.  I think that my desire to believe this goes hand-in-hand with my choice to become a social worker and my belief that all people are capable of change.  

23. I love to smile. :)

24. Sometimes family are best friends.



This lady would do anything for me and I would do anything for her.

 25. I'm a lot like my mother.  Not only do we look a lot alike, sometimes I find myself saying something that I only could have gotten from my mother.  We like Harry Potter, helping people, and being goofy (maybe her a little more than me :) )

26. Life is good.  I don't think that this is so much something that I learned, but something that I have always felt.  Life is good and life it is what we make it.  And I'm going to make mine great!