here is a list of things i'm grateful for today, march 17, 2015.

healthy babies.

spiritual promptings.

hospitals, doctors and sweet, sweet nurses.

amoxicillin.

the bbg.

two and a half hour naps for both babies.

jude's bedtime routine.

ezra and his sweet smiles.

our sun-filled living room.

our double-stroller.

warm weather.

an afternoon walk.

pulled pork sandwiches.

homemade kfc coleslaw.

a quiet evening.

a clean kitchen.

cory.

the happiness in normal.

my only regret is not buying myself

ice cream when i went grocery shopping yesterday.

woof.

thank you for...

downloading downton abbey, season three, episode one.

not laughing too hard when i told you i thought it was pronounced

downtoWn not downton. 

lighting the maple pumpkin candles on my day off
so i can wake up to their heavenly scent. 

letting me be stupid

and being stupid with me.

claiming my scrambled eggs
are the best you've ever had. 

staying up late to watch dental videos with me
and getting excited over procedures and treatments.

waking me up every morning for work
and [sometimes] giving in to an extra ten minutes
of cuddling/sleeping/dreaming time.

holding me when i cry.

calling me your favorite. 
being completely honest.
trusting me with your heart.
being my best friend, forever.
loving me with more love than i ever thought i deserved.

i don't know what i'd do without you. 

thank you...

 for redboxing 

"midnight in paris" last night

because we didn't get a chance to watch it this weekend.

for scratching my back 

throughout the entire movie.

 for always serving my ice cream

in a cup instead of a bowl.

 for being patient with me 

during all my crazy spells this summer.

for pretending to act interested

in the drama currently going on at mercy west.

 for your daily texts at noon

reminding me to take my medicine.

for calling it medicine.

 for telling me i'm beautiful

despite the zit colony living on my face.

for buying me earrings and a moustache shirt,

"just because."

for listening,

for holding me,

for understanding,

for never letting go,

for being my best friend,

for asking me to marry you,

for loving me with more love than i have ever known.

it's the little things, really. 

time out.

i feel like i've never directed

an entire post to you.

you wonderful people 

who read my ramblings, 

but it has become necessary.

thank you.

your excitement and love and exclamation marks

have been overwhelming.

you guys,

this community we have is amazing.

i wouldn't give it up for anything.

not even ryan gosling.

thank you for letting me into your lives.

for allowing me to stalk you and read your secrets.

thank you for taking the time to read mine.

the friendships i have made through blogging 

are real as real can be.

they're genuine.

they're true.

other people don't get it.

they don't think it's possible to make friends through screens.

it is.

i promise.

i guess i just wanted to say thanks

for making me feel loved.

your excitement has made my high higher.

kites wouldn't understand.

i'm talking space. 

heart smiles.

nearly every time i call my mom,
our conversation goes as follows:

b: hi mama! how are you?
m: i'm great, mijita.
b: why are you so great today?
m: because i am alive. i am walking. my body is healthy.
i am breathing. the sun is shining.  i love my family.

when those conversations
are combined with ayley's 
beautiful post about living life,
i can't help but express my gratitude
for this beautiful gift called life.

it's amazing.
we're able to make choices and follow dreams.
every day is a miracle.
every day is a gift.
every day is another chance to live.

life.is.beautiful.

in other news,
next week is thanksgiving break
and i get to spend nearly a week
with my family.
i can't wait. 

black hawk.

friday night i couldn't find sleep.

it was 12:34 and i was wide awake.

i ventured on over to hulu to see if a movie could speed along the process.

i stumbled upon flyboys and decided to give it a whirl.

jimmy boy was one of the leads.

james franco + uniform + plane flying + war story = no sleep.

oh, and his love story with lucienne was tragic and beautiful.

as strange as it may sound, i really enjoy war movies.

i remember getting a little too involved with the great escape 

in ap euro my sophomore year of high school and

i may have shed a tear or two last week at battle: los angeles 

when the first helicopter got shot down.

i can't help it. 

the realness* of it all really tugs at my heart strings

and makes me appreciate the men and women fighting for our lives.

*yes, i am aware battle: la isn't all that real but i'm talkin emotions people. 

just the thought of watching your friends die is too painful to handle.

little sunbeams.

tonight i needed home.

i needed it so badly.

i wanted to go. 

leave and never come back.

thinking this would make everything better.

making myself believe the four walls and roof i call home 

filled with the people who unconditionally love me would cure my heart hurt.

but while i was writing jamie i realized no matter where i run,

my troubles will chase me.

i can't run. 

i have to face life. 

i am so grateful for technology

and the comfort of knowing my parents are one dial away.

their words calmed my troubled heart,

replaced the frown on my heart with a smile

and dried my tears with the promise of a new day.

gee...thanks.

today i'm grateful for...


my spanish teacher coming in late and consequently postponing my final.
the multi-colored neutral beanie that protected my hair today.

knee-length boots that protect me from calf-high snow.
chocolate milk and nacho libre in my 8am class.
 painting my nails neon pink yesterday.

cottage cheese and celery for breakfast. 

my "sing it bruno baby" playlist.

outlook finally working.
delicious green grapes.
burts bees.
life.

nails + beanie = golden

let's give some thanks.

while i am grateful for so many things

including all the classics

{the gospel, friends, health, an education, safety, a job, etc.}

this thanksgiving i would like to focus my thanks on 

family.

i feel so blessed to have these individuals in my life.

they know me better than anyone else.

they love me and accept me despite my 

flaws and crazy tendencies.

they are the best friends i could have asked for.

i would be lost without these kids.

{mexico 2009}

walking stick.

walking across campus i saw a boy.

his steps were steady and guided.

he held a walking stick in his left hand.

i veered to the right and he to the left.

as i passed i turned and saw closed eyes and moving lips.

perhaps it was a song he was singing

or conversation he was replaying.

i wondered what sounds he heard that i ignored.

i wondered what the campus looked like in his mind.

gratitude replaced my curiosity as i took in the clear blue sky.

i listened more intently and decided to take advantage

of everything the Lord has blessed me with.

eyes.

ears.

legs.

hands.

health.

family.

friends.

this list isn't complete by any means

but it's a start.

a vow.

to enjoy every little thing i have been given

and thank my Father in Heaven for blessing my life.  

:::Gratitude Minute:::
I am so, SO grateful for my parents. They are always looking out for me and making sure I'm okay. I'm excited to have daddy come pick me up on Tuesday so I can go home for the break. Everytime we drive home, we catch up on life. He helps me put things into perspective and always listens to me. Sometimes daddy tells me the truths that I don't want to hear, but boy do they make me stronger. Oh! And I always make sure to blast Boston and we both rock out to those sweet sweet tunes while the people on the freeway think I forgot to take my crazy pills.  {ask him...I get waaaay too into Boston. haha} I can't wait to see Mami and give her a gigantic hug. It's always so much easier to talk to her in person than it is over the phone.
I love them.

Sleep: A Long Lost Love

It's 5:05 AM on 11.11.2009 and I'm grateful.
Here is what I am grateful for {in no particular order}

1. The Gospel/Jesus Christ/Heavenly Father
   
2. My family
1. James - making me laugh when I want to cry because of his strange gee.gee obsession
2. Ashley - for her sick "man" voice and making me laugh
3. Khyrie - for email "yelling" at me for not sending her updated MLIA's, talking to me, and convincing me to come home for the summer
4. Grandma - for never giving up {even when I have}
5. Mami - for always making sure I am okay, for calling me multiple times a day, for being strong, for listening, for being there
6. Papa - for making me laugh, for making fun of how much laundry I have every time I go home, for believing in me, for listening and giving advice
3. My testimony
4. The scriptures
   
5. The Atonement - the fact that Christ has suffered every single shade of pain I have experienced
6. Incredible friends who listen and share
7. Music {today was a Damien Rice, Coldplay day}
8. My guitar and voice box {I played today.  It felt right}
9. The BP!!  
10. Camo & Scott being home
    
11. Technology 
12. Burts Bees!!
13. Water
14. The gym
15. My job
16. The opportunity I have to attend BYU and learn
17. My phone {so I can talk to those I love}
18. All-nighters
19. Court, Sid, Aimee, Jen, Karen, Jess, Andrea {for always listening and for sharing.  Redundant...I think yes}
20. Nightly visits from Gordy
21. Random visits from Craven
22. Hilarious voicemails from Alex
23. Freshman friends
24. Letters
25. Actual letters that, when strung together, make words
26. The written word
27. My ability to write
28. My ability to read
29. Books
30. Contacts
31. Every person that has impacted my life
32. Trials
33. Experiences
34. Ecclesiastes 3
35. My apartment
36. Clean clothes
37. My bishopric
38. The Riveria
39. Centerville
40. Ginger
41. Alarms
42. myplaylist.com
43. This blog
44. The fact that I'm weird
45. Weezer
    
46. "Spaceman" by The Killers
47. Nature
48. Pictures
49. My heart
50. The ability to feel
51. The ability to express those feelings through word and/or song
52. The Festival of Colors
53. Acting
54. Poetry
55. Glee
56. Campus so close to my apartment complex
57. Good friends
58. The Spanish Language
59. ASL
60. Eric Johansen {for teaching me to love Drama}
61. AdVance LA {for believing in me enough to sign me}
62. New Play Project {for always taking me back}
63. "Fix You" by Coldplay
64. "The Scientist" by Coldplay
65. "Yellow"  by Coldplay
66. "Cannonball" by Damien Rice
67. "Delicate" by Damien Rice
68. The Black Eyed Peas for their funky beats
69. Covers
70. gmail
71. Photography
72. Arrested Development
73. Flight of the Conchords
74. The Office
75. Hot Rod
76. Nacho Libre
77. Film 102 with Tom Russell
78. Parker, Jake, Brandon, Jeff, & Lauren and that night we "broke the rules" and watched movies until 5 AM = best night of Freshman year
79. Moe and ANTM
80. Melia and G.G. {both the show and real life}
81. SCUBA
82. Mexico 2009
83. El Rojo
84. Homeland Security for letting me back into America
85. Mrs. Bean
86. Thanksgiving break
87. The thought of going home for Spring/Summer
88. Rollercoasters
89. Overcoming fears
90. Lists
91. Hammocks
92. Brown skin
93. Ballet flats

Okay..I'm done with my list now.  But I'm trying to find daily things I am grateful for.  I like it.

thank you.

Thank you for...
picking me up when I fall
holding me when I break
listening when I cry
telling me I can go on
helping me find my smile again
saving me


Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.