Get to Know Me: A to Z.

A. Attached or Single?
I am attached.

B. Best Friend?
I have a few, but I think my mom is my most best Best Friend.

C. Cake or Pie?
Both. I love dessert.

D. Day of Choice?
Sundays. Though I don't love the pressure of Monday, I love that you can be lazy on Sundays, you get to go to church, you get chores done, and its also acceptable to be in your pajamas most of the day.

E. Essential Item?
Insulin. Being Type 1 Diabetic and all.

F. Favorite Color?
Green.

G. Gummy Bears or Gummy Worms?
Gummy worms.

H. Hometown?
Portland, OR

I. Indulgences?
Reality Television and YouTube Videos. Oh! And cookie dough.

J. January or July?
I can't decide. January is a fresh start, but July is the summer time.

K. Kids?
None as of yet.

L. Life isn't complete without...
Self discovery.

M. Memory you cherish?
Family beach weeks.

N. Number of Brothers and Sisters?
One brother. I call him Bubby.

O. Oranges or Apples?
Apples.

P. Pet Peeves?
People expecting special treatment for the sake of special treatment.

Q. Quotes?
"He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed." Psalm 107:29

R. Reasons to Smile?
There is always someone out there who wishes their life was as good as yours.

S. Season of Choice?
Autumn

T. Tea or Coffee?
Neither. Milk or Water.

U. Unknown Fact?
Hmm... I hate chipped nail polish more than holes in my clothes.

V. Vegetable of Choice?
Cucumbers

W.Worst Habit?
Picking my cuticles when I am bored or nervous.

X. X-Ray or Ultrasound?
I've had both. Neither for fun reasons.

Y. Your Favorite Trip?
I went on a road trip with my mom and her best friend from Portland to Los Angeles.

Z. Zodiac Sign?
Gemini.

North Carolina, Self-Worth, and Adoption on My Heart.

So, I wanted to get a little bit more candid with you all about some things that have been on my heart.

As you may know, or not know, I just recently found the church of my dreams. Having a church that I enjoy so much has pushed me to welcome and discover my faith a little bit more than I had been. When church is a place where you (meaning me) open up and cry each week because you are so moved, that means the Lord is speaking right to you, and you have to listen.

It's so important to grow in you faith. The Universe is a huge and amazing place. There is not way that there isn't something out there that is working towards a greater eternity for you. And this doesn't even have to be the religious kind of spirituality. It can simply be the faith you have in karma, coincidences, The Universe, the greater beyond, or whatever it is that you believe.

We all have a faith walk that we all need to pursue. Last night I watched a video on YouTube about this woman who owns a business and creates YouTube and blog content, and to top it all off, she travels the world with her husband and friends. The video was supposed to be about her clothes and travelling back to visit family, but she talked about something that really inspired me.

She spoke about how you always look and see people on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Blogs, etc. and you think, "Wow. They have a perfect life. They really have it together." Comments like this are ones that I find myself saying much more often that I like to admit. A pang of jealousy sneaks it's way into me, and I can't help but feel like I, somehow, can't compete with them. But there is no competition!

This person I am looking at and comparing myself to, they don't have any idea I am doing it. They are posting things about their life and doing their thing. They could be struggling with things that are so much worse than what you may be dealing with. No one is in the same situation as you, and the only person you are hurting by feeling resentful of someone else is you. You are dulling your own light by wishing you were more like someone else. 

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So, with all of this, I would like to get to the topic at hand. Something that has been on my heart for a while now, and something that I feel to be very important. Something that will be the basis of my life doing forward.

Since attending church, I have found this push by God to get some things handled. I have two things that have been very much on my heart lately. And by this, I just mean that I find myself thinking about them a lot, and I find that they come up often enough that I am not in a situation of coincidences.

One of those things is North Carolina. I have always been fascinated with The South, I think it's beautiful (well the pictures I have seen anyway)! It has a plethora of small towns to choose from. When this started sitting on my heart, I didn't think much about it. However, it has now been about three years since it first came into my realm of consciousness and I think it is something that I seriously need to research and consider. 

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The second item is adoption. I wrote on one of the blog challenge days about how I was to have zero children or four children. I really like kids, but I know that I would want a ton of them, or to be the aunt to all my friends' children. Finding out that I had Type 1 Diabetes changed the way that I looked at potentially having my own children, and it really has pushed me to consider other options besides having my own.

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I know there are a million ways that Type 1 Diabetics can have their own children. Diets, Insulin therapy, getting the pump to help with stabilization, and the list goes on. However, and this is where it is controversial to some people, but I don't want to put myself and my child through something that could permanently damage me or them. There are much higher risks involved with a Type 1 Diabetic pregnancy, and instead of the constant worry just to have my "own" child, I think adoption is the way to go for me. And, why not find a child that is in need of a family? There are so many out there.

Going to church moves me every week. I sit there and cry, and sometimes its to the point that I am sobbing. And because of that, I know there is something turning inside me, there is the Spirit moving through me. I am learning to listen to my heart, and not my head all the time. It's a hard thing to do. Like I spoke about before, it is so easy to get caught up in comparing myself to other people, however, what is important is what He thinks of me, and what I think of myself. No one else's opinions matter, no misconstrued images I have of myself matter. What matters is that I am happy and healthy and that I am following my dreams, And following the feelings of you intuition. 

Those feelings, and those reoccurring coincidences are there to tell you something. So listen up.

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Blog Challenge: Thoughts and Feelings.

I have had a little bit of time to let the Blog Challenge sit, and stew. I have reflected on it. And I have found that I enjoyed it so much!

Was I all for it the entire month? No. There were days when I didn't want to post, or days when I looked at the clock and realized I was going to bed without having done my blog post for the day. However, when I look over it, I think there is a lot to be said about a routine, and schedule for a blog. Especially when you are new to blogging. With sporadic posts, it is hard to gain and audience, and though the blog posts didn't really relate to my theme of this blog, I knew that I was giving readers a chance to get to know me.

So, while I am happy it is over, I think I will search for ANOTHER blog challenge to do in the near future. Maybe I will do one a little more open ended. Or maybe I will create my own. The wheels are turning here, to see what I can do for my readers, and for this blog.

Brainstorming is something I never thought I would do for a blog, but I think it is necessary. If I want this to become a habit, something important, and a hobby that I enjoy, I will need content and I will need regularity.

So, overall, I loved to Blog Challenge. LOVED IT! It was definitely a challenge, but all good things are. I am excited to start posting some of the ideas I have.

Welcome to my Blog!

Blog Challenge: Day 30.

5 Things You Achieved in the Past Year

1. Found a job and career path that I love.

2. Moved in with my boyfriend.

3. Started this blog (talk about terrifying!) !!

4. Opened up to Friends and Families about my struggles with Diabetes.

5. Applied to take American Sign Language Classes at a local University.

Blog Challenge: Day 28.

5 Pieces of Advice to Your Younger Self

1. Appreciate your body! 

You don't have to love it, but appreciate what you have.

2. It's okay to put yourself first sometimes.

It's not realistic to say always, but it is something that is okay every now and then.

3. Cherish the important family moments.

Put the phone down and watch television with your family.

4. Don't take advice from people who you don't hold in the highest regard.

Just because they are your friends, doesn't always mean they know best.

5. Change your major in college when you thought about it the first time.

Not that I am not happy with where I am, but having a major I am passionate about my have pushed me into a career a little sooner.

Blog Challenge: Day 26.

Spread the Joy: Happiness Tips

1. Find a church that you connect with.

My journey of faith has been long with some ups and downs, but recently I found a church that is the essence of everything I could hope for in a church. The worship music is amazing and the people seem to be young, open, and faith-filled. I ENJOY going every week. It doesn't bother me to wake up early on Sunday morning to attend the service. I love the class I am taking through the church about getting to know your strengths (more on this to come). I just finally found a place where I can grow in my spirituality without dealing with some of the politics and pressures that some churches are known for. 

NOTE: This tip is one that I found worked for me. However, if you aren't religious, this can be just as easily worked into your happiness project with finding a gym, yoga class, art studio, chair to sit in, room to be in, it doesn't have to be a place or worship, but just a place that you can escape to that you connect with. 

2. Write in a journal.

I don't always write, but when I do, I feel so much better. Sometimes we have ideas, thoughts, feelings that we don't feel comfortable sharing with those we are close to. I know that I deal with some thoughts that no one wants to hear about. Some are just silly, some are things I find sad, and sometimes I am not ready to share them with anyone. So I carry a small notebook with me and write things when the mood strikes. This isn't every day, but I do it often. I find it's easier to share how I am feeling when I just empty my brain about it, I write and write and write. Then I can finally see the forest through the trees. There are people who write every single day, and that just isn't me. I like to give myself the freedom to write when I am moved to.

3. Read.

It doesn't matter what you read. It just matters that you do it. I know there are some people out there who hate reading books, they only look at magazines. That's fine. What I find more important about this tip is to simply unplug. Give your brain and eyes a rest from the television, your phone, iPad, tablet, computer, and allow yourself that time without technology. I have yet to jump on the e-reader band wagon, so I still go to the library and spend hours picking out books. I love the smell and feel of a real book in my hands. It's important to me to have that weight in my hands and feel the accomplishment as I turn the page. I have started doing this before bed and it has made a world of difference. I sleep better, I wake up feeling more rested. There is a lot to be said about relaxing before sleeping.

4. Nap.

Speaking of sleeping, I love to sleep. I love to read and I love to sleep. So whenever I get a free afternoon on a Saturday, I will lay in my bed on top of the covers and allow myself to rest. It is one of my favorite things to do. I have read that ever since the light bulb was invented, humans have been sleep deprived. I find this interesting, because I can't remember a time when I wasn't a little bit tired. However, I also have this gift. One of those stupid super powers people have, like always being able to find a great parking spot, or cooking eggs perfectly, every time without fail. Mine is that I can fall asleep almost instantly: anywhere, any time of day. I could sleep for twelve hours, wake up and fall asleep for a nap later in the day. It's a gift, and I like to take full advantage. Plus, after a nap, I always feel so much better, rested, revived, and I feel more ready for whatever comes next.

5. Challenge yourself.

I know that we all set up challenges for ourselves. And with the New Year having just passed, there is a lot to be said about New Years Resolutions. However, I think that sometimes, in the spirit of a Fresh Year and a Fresh Start, we all get a little ambitious with our resolutions. We think that a New Year means we can start anything and everything. I say 'we' because I am exactly the same way! I find it so hard to do any large changes when it isn't a New Year, New Month, or New Week. It seems so strange to me to start a challenge on a Thursday. However, I think that whenever we need to make a change, or want to make a change, we should do it. Something that makes me so happy is challenging myself and succeeding. It makes you feel so accomplished. So I like to challenge myself to not eat any candy for a week. And when I make it through the challenge, I reward myself with a little something. And that can make you feel so happy. When we look are large goals, it seems like it is so hard to see the little successes in between. "I want to lose 30 pounds." That can seem a little intimidating, so make it smaller challenges and you will be so happy with the results. An example would be: for the first 5 pounds lost, I will reward myself with a pedicure, when I love half of that, I will reward myself with new shoes, when I lose all of it, I will reward myself with a full body massage. Its the little success that make me happy, but they can't be success without a little challenge.

Blog Challenge: Day 23.

5 People Who Inspire You

1. My mom.
2, My dad.
3. My brother.
4. My Godmother.
5. Myself.

Blog Challenge: Day 22.

What Do You Miss (Person, place, thing or time in your life)

Something that has recently come up for me, is missing how things used to be. I have always been close with my family, extremely close, and because of that I was happy to live at home until I was 26 years old. This isn't something I am ashamed of, or something that I hide from people. I branched out, went to college, moved to Los Angeles for 8 months. However, I was never ready to live on my own because the relationship I had with my parents was so great.

I think there is a lot to be said about all the things that I have left to experience in my life. No one knows what is going to happen in the future, and I know that at some point in the coming years I will miss this moment. But that's part of life. We miss the things that are comfortable and familiar. The future is unknown, so when you think back to how things used to be, it is easy to get nostalgic.

I miss when my brother was little and how we used to play trains all day.

I miss when I used to go to school instead of work and always had something fun to talk about.

I miss my grandparents,

I miss liking things that didn't make me one type of person or another.

I miss summer vacation.

I miss my parent's old dog.

I miss not worrying about so many things.

I miss being a kid.

Blog Challenge: Day 20.

React to This: Positivity

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength.

Proverbs 17:22

 

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Blog Challenge: Day 19.

Favorite Faery or Folk Tale

I studied abroad in Ireland for six weeks when I was a Senior in college. It was the most amazing and special thing that I have ever done. 

I took an Irish Literature class, and we learned about the Giants Causeway and the story behind the unique stones.

This will forever be my favorite story.

The Giants Causeway

 Stories are told of one great Irish Giant, Finn MacCool, whose most fearsome enemies were the Scottish giants. Finn was so angry, and determined to get at them, that he built a whole causeway from Ulster across the sea to Scotland. He built it of unusual six-sided cobblestones, so they would fit neatly together like a honeycomb, and they made a very pretty pavement indeed!

One day he shouted a challenge to the Scottish giant Benandonner, The Red Man, to cross the causeway and fight him. But as soon as he saw the Scot getting closer and closer on the causeway, he realised Benandonner was much, much bigger than he had imagined! Finn skidaddled back home to the Fort-of-Allen in County Kildare, and told his wife he’d picked a fight but had thought better of it now.

Finn heard the stamping feet of Benandonner from Kilcock, and when those feet got to Robertstown, Finn had to stuff five pounds of moss into each ear. Red Man’s spear was as tall and thick as a Round-Tower, and he used it to knock on the door of the Fort-of-Allen. Finn would not answer the door, so his wife shoved him in the great bath with a couple of sheets over him.

Finn’s wife, Oonagh, thought quickly. She opened the door to Benandonner saying,
“Sure it’s a pity but Finn is away hunting deer in County Kerry. Would you like to come in anyway and wait? I’ll show you into the Great Hall to sit down after your journey.”
Oonagh invited Red Man to look around the room, and showed him what she said were some of Finn’s possessions.

“Would you like to put your spear down? Just there next to Finn’s” - It was a huge fir tree with a pointed stone at the top.
“Over there is Finn’s shield.” - It was a block of building-oak as big as four chariot-wheels.
“Finn’s late for his meal. Will you eat it if I cook his favourite?”

Oonagh cooked a cake of griddle-bread – baked with the iron griddle pressed inside it. Red Man bit it hungrily, and broke three front teeth. The meat was a strip of hard fat nailed to a block of red timber; two back teeth cracked. He was given a five-gallon bucket of honey-beer to drink.
“Would you like to say hello to the baby? Wait! - I’ll have to feed her first!”

Oonagh threw a loaf of bread to the huge baby in the bath-cradle and, peeping out from a huge sheet-like dress and bonnet was Finn MacCool himself, contentedly sucking his thumb. Benandonner said he wasn’t much good with babies. The honey-beer made him feel woozy, and he asked to go outside to clear his head.

Oonagh showed Red Man out, where the gardens were scattered about with boulders as tall as the giant.
“Finn and his friends play catch with these rocks. Finn practises by throwing one over the Fort, then running round to catch it before it falls.”

Of course Red Man tried, but it was so heavy he could only just lift it above his head before dropping it. The blow only ricked his neck - luckily the Scotsman’s head was very hard. But it was also full of good sense. He thanked Oonagh for her hospitality and said he would wait no longer, but return to Scotland before the tide came in.

Finn leapt from the cradle, thanked Oonagh for her shrewdness, and chased Benandonner out of Ireland. Passing Portadown, County Antrim, Finn scooped a huge clod of earth out of the ground to fling at the retreating Scot. The hole filled up with water and became the biggest Lough in Ireland – Lough Neagh! The clod he flung missed its target and landed in the middle of the Irish Sea – it became The Isle of Man!!

And both giants tore up the Giant’s Causeway, just leaving the ragged ends at the two shores! And if you go to the North coast of Ulster, or to Staffa, the nearest isle of Scotland, you may visit them today – the ends of the beautiful causeway that is, not the giants – those giants are long since in their graves!

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Blog Challenge: Day 17.

5 TV Shows You Would Recommend & Why

1. Prison Break: Hot guys, drama, suspense. It kept my interested and on the edge of my seat for the entire series. One I would love to watch all the way through again.

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2. Fringe: Science, supernatural, suspense, drama. This show was never something I was remotely interested in when it was on television. However, once my boyfriend got me started on it, I couldn't stop. It is so different from anything I have ever seen, and it creates so many questions, gets you thinking outside the box, and makes you wonder. The last season was... a struggle but I love this show.

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3. White Collar: Hot guys, FBI, drama. This was such a fun show. This carried enough humor to keep it from being overly serious, and the bond between the main characters is undeniable enviable. However, it looks at crime shows in a different way. It leaves out the blood and gore for more of a corporate espionage, money laundering, and counterfeiting. I only watched what was on Netflix, so I don't know how to series ends, but I enjoyed every episode I watched.

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4. Friends. It's Friends.

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5. Veronica Mars: Suspense, drama, mystery, comedy. A high school girl who doubles as a Private Investigator? Yes please. No one knows about this show. Or, at least, almost no one. I LOVED it when it was on television (being a high school girl myself), and I loved it even more when I got to watch the entire series on DVD. Same with the second season. And the third. I just adore this show. They even made a movie the continues the story. Just a fun and interesting one.

 

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Blog Challenge: Day 15.

5 Things That Make You Uncomfortable

1. Anything having to do with eyes.

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2. My Strange Addiction on TLC

 

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3. Low Blood Sugar

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4. Asking for special treatment (no matter how necessary it is).

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5. Receiving compliments. 

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