30DC Day 2

A picture of something you cannot live without

I could not live without Disney Magic. It's changed me and become a part of who I am. I can't even explain how much I miss being a part of that.

I couldn't live without the gospel. It comforts and me and strengthens me.

I could never live without my best friend. I talk about her constantly and miss her like crazy. She helps me be more myself, and a better version of myself. And somehow she wants to be my best friend too.

30DC Day 1

A recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself:

Okay, so the picture's small, but facebook changed things so now I couldn't save the big version and it's one of the most recent, and my current favorite picture of myself!

1) I love having pictures taken. I love getting all dolled up and then posing for the camera (usually with Rae behind it). I just think it's fun!

2) I really struggle with feeling like an idea is good enough to actually post it on my blog. I think about an idea for days or a week or two before deciding that it is good enough to put out there for all of you to read. And then the first few days before anyone comments I worry that you all just thought "Well, reading that was a waste of my time and life."

3) I watch way too much TV, pretty much just because I'm bored.

4) I dream HUGE! And sometimes it makes me depressed thinking that I'll never reach those dreams.

5) Children make my life. They fill a void in my soul. I love them. And somehow they love me back.

6) I love having long hair. It makes me feel pretty. Without long hair I feel unattractive.

7) When I laugh really hard I snort.

8) I have a really hard time expressing myself. Hence the vague posts not necessarily about my life.

9) I will not allow myself to die before I go to Paris, France.

10) Honestly, I do love the Jonas Brothers. And everyone who thinks it's lame just needs to get over it. Because they can't make me not love them.

11) I remember the dates of every Jonas Brothers Concert I've ever been to, and have kept all the tickets from them.

12) I have truly random interests and obsessions.

13) It takes me a long time to de-stress and decompress. And I get really upset when that time is interrupted.

14) I think really really fast. It's distracting when I actually need to think about something.

15) I love the color purple. A lot.

30-Day-Challenge

So, my friend Rae (who taught me how to link and then i forgot so here's her blog: raeswheels.blogspot.com) is doing this 30-Day-Challenge and challenged me to do it too. So here goes: These are the postings you can expect in the next month:

Day 1- A recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself

Day 2- A picture of something you cannot live without

Day 3- A habit that you wish you didn’t have

Day 4- List 15 songs that represent your life’s soundtrack

Day 5- A picture of somewhere you’ve been to

Day 6- A hobby you have

Day 7-A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you

Day 8- Short term goals for this month and why

Day 9- Something/someone you’re proud of

Day 10- A story about a past relationship

Day 11-A picture of something you dislike

Day 12- A picture of your room and don’t cheat by cleaning. Share a secret

Day 13- Write a letter telling someone something you could never tell them

Day 14- A picture of something you ate and 10 confessions

Day 15- Put your iPod on shuffle and share the first 10 songs that play

Day 16- Something you could live without

Day 17- Someone you would want to switch lives with for one Day and why.

Day 18- Plans/dreams/goals you have

Day 19- Nicknames you have and how or why you have them

Day 20- If you had 3 wishes, what would they be

Day 21- Share a picture from your Day

Day 22- What makes you different from everyone else

Day 23- What is something you crave

Day 24- Share a story about your past that you are ashamed of.

Day 25- What I would find in your bag

Day 26- Places you want to visit before you die

Day 27- Why are you doing this 30 Day challenge

Day 28- A picture of you last year and now, how have you changed since then

Day 29- In this past month, what have you learned

Day 30- A picture of you today and 2- goals you want to accomplish

Well here goes!!

Beauty

There are so many different forms and shapes and definitions of beauty and I've been contemplated on my version of the term tonight. What is beauty? Is it the faces of those you love? Is it words strung together in just the right order? Is it a landscape? Is beauty a piece of music that fills your soul? Is it a photograph? Is it a feeling? Is it a secret piece of cake in the pantry and no one finds you? Is it a meaningful film? Maybe one of those made you nod, and made everyone else in the room shake their head over how involved you were in the internet, maybe not. Well, here's my definition of beauty, at least for now:

Beauty is these people I love, their faces lighting up when they see me. Their eyes. Their smiles. Their jokes. Their laughter. Their tears. Their comfort. Their comfort is the most beautiful to me.

Beauty is these few different sets of words that brilliant people have strung together:

I love you. -Anon. (Eve probably, or Adam, if he was a smart husband)--These words bring a smile to my lips and tears to my eyes. So simple and so true, the beauty of these three words is incomparable.

I am who I am because of you. You are every reason, every hope, and every dream I've ever had, and no matter what happens to us in the future, every day we are together is the greatest day of my life. I will always be yours. And, my darling, you will always be mine. -The Notebook, Nicholas Sparks--This makes me cry every time. It's toward the end of the book when you find out the little old man is Noah. He writes Ally this letter before her memory goes. If I were writing my own vows, I would say this to my husband-to-be.

Okay, I know I know more, but those are the only two I can think of at the moment.

Beauty is Kevin Jonas. I think that he is gorgeous. I cannot imagine a man more beautiful.

(That's my favorite picture of him. It's beautiful)

(Savvy is even trained to say I'm going to marry him. I am very proud of her for that.)

These are a few films I think are beautiful:

Finding Neverland (Kate Winslet, Johnny Depp)

Sabrina (Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart)

Phantom of the Opera (Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, Patrick Wilson)

Sense and Sensibility (Kate Winslet, Emma Thompson)

Beaches (Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey)

Beauty is tree blossoms. Tender and coming to life, from apparently nothing. Springing forth from the cold, dark, long winter they bring hope and life and color to the world. To the lives of everyone blessed enough to see them. The spring hasn't fully come to with the blossoms, but it soon will. It brings the promise of better times to come, the promise of renewal and life. Also the blossoms also bring the knowledge that--finally--the worst is over, and you can move on and grow again. (These photos I took)

(for Savvy, pink "paw-corn" trees are her favorite)

Beauty is tragedy. That sounds depressing, but truly I believe tragedy is beautiful. Tear-stained cheeks are washed clean. Tears bring soothing and peace afterward, and--for me--sleep. Pain is for the heart like pruning is for plants. It may hurt, and it may seem like it's shrinking you, but afterward it helps you to grow and to blossom and bear fruit. Grief brings clarity to the joyful moments in life. Trials bring peace afterward. Calamity brings strength. Heartbreak brings vision and wisdom. I'm experiencing all this myself. It hurts, but it's helping me be a better person, friend, daughter, and sister.

Beauty is everywhere, and I'm finding it, enjoying it, crying tears over it's painfully perfect moments, letting it envelope me, and hoping and praying I'm emanating it's light.

Prince Charmings

So after my post about Princesses and their Prince Charmings I was asked about what Prince Charming was doing before he met his princess. Now that's a great question to which I answered, "You are the princess!" meaning that the role of not just waiting and looking but discovering yourself and finding what you love. To the question asker the answer was not sufficient though. Which inspired this article. So Prince Charming didn't just run around looking for his Princess. He was busy too!

Ready for a super similar list of Prince Charming's and what they were doing before they found their Princesses?! Good!

Aladdin didn't just sit around trying to find Jasmine. He tried to provide for himself and Abu the best he could. He was helping others (the orphan children) and trying to improve his situation. By being so giving and helpful he found and wooed Jasmine!

Prince Eric wasn't swimming to try and find a mermaid, he was learning to sail and rule his kingdom. Then disaster struck and he was saved by Ariel. He was tricked along the way by Ursula, but he figured it out and got the Happily Ever After he was looking for.

Phillip wasn't riding his horse through the forest just to find Aurora, he was getting away from life, relaxing and working out. And then he stumbled across her. When he was captured by Maleficent all hope seemed lost, but he saved his girl and spent the rest of their days together!

John Smith didn't go to America to find a Native American and nearly die for loving her. He went to have an adventure, to discover new things, and he ended up finding his true love.

Hercules didn't find Philoctetes to save Meg from the water guardian and fall in love with her. He found Philoctetes and worked really hard to please his family and be with those who loved him and find his place in the world. Falling for Meg was just a perk.

Flynn Ryder didn't convince Rapunzel to come with him to end up marrying her and become a Prince. He convinced her to come with him because she knew too much and he needed that crown back! It just ended up that they fell in love and saved each other in the end.

Prince Naveen didn't go to New Orleans to be turned into a frog and turn Tiana into a frog and thereby fall in love with her. He went to New Orleans to find a rich man's daughter and woo her into marrying him and thereby support himself with her funds, regardless of love. And then he found Tiana, learned the power of work and made his own fortune and happiness with her.

"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream." (Not as perfect as the other lyric, but Prince Phillip sings it)

Kavyn

Yes, I know I already posted a few months ago about my best friend. And yes, I know I just barely posted! But I had to just say that I love my best friend. I couldn't ask for a better one. I prayed for her for over 6 years. 6 of the loneliest years of my life. But look what I have now!! The most perfect best friend ever. She's my sister, truly. As Anne Shirley would say we're Kindred Spirits. And I love her. And I miss her. Oh how I miss her! She's radiant. Anyone who doesn't see it is blind. Seriously. She's beautiful inside and out and brings such light and beauty and positivity to me and my life. :)

"Honey, I Shrunk the Audience Syndrome"

When I was a small girl my wonderful parents took us to Disneyland (you saw that coming didn't you?) and I vividly remember seeing the "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience" 3-D movie. Through the whole thing I was miserable! Everything made me jump and squeal and I was just NOT happy with it. At one point a snake popped out at me and I just couldn't take it anymore. I just couldn't. I took off the glasses and started crying, sobbing, wailing. My sweet mother stopped watching to comfort me and asked what was wrong. I sobbed, "It's picking on me! It only jumps out at me! It keeps being rude to me!" (Or something similar to that...) And my mother explained to me that the screen does that to everyone and pointed to everyone in the audience jumping at the same time. So I put my glasses back on and watched, not as unhappily as before.

I think that sometimes in life we get what I now call "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience Syndrome". We think that life or God is picking on us, only giving us trials and challenges. When really everyone is having trials and challenges. We are all having a tough time, or we just went through one, or we're about to go through one. The trick is to remember that you aren't alone. Sometimes you have to take off those hideous 3-D glasses and look around you at everyone else in your life. Maybe the snake is jumping out at them at that moment and they need you to comfort them and listen and offer advice if they want it. And focusing on all the things that are going wrong will keep you from laughing at the funny show life is putting on for you, along with the tender moments, the blissful moments, the peaceful moments.

Thank you to all the beautiful people in my life who've taken off their glasses for me when I'm crying even over something as stupid as a fake snake popping out of a 3-D screen to comfort me and give me advice.