Cursive

{source}

What happened to cursive? It's really disappearing now that everyone has computers and cell phones. My writing consists of half cursive, half not. I have a tendency to link some letters, but not others. I think I'm making it a goal this week to write in cursive more.

Project 365

Photo by me

My sister and friend started participating in their own Project 365. If you don't know what it is, it is where you take one picture every day for a year. A great way to document your life. I missed a week, but the urge to start my own is beginning to grow exponentially.

So...should I still do it? I think I may and just include it in my blog... 

Lazy Saturday

cutedogs.us

Today has been a lazy one. One that was well needed. When I say lazy, I mean completely lazy. Sitting at the computer playing games, reading blogs, watching a movie, eating...just plain relaxing. At times I even felt useless because I never did anything productive. Either way, this was something I think I needed after all the craziness. Especially since tomorrow will be filled with setting up a birthday party and spending it with family.

Note to self: Don't forget to do this every now and then. Your body and mind deserves it.

I love my family

So every holiday for me has always been about being able to spend time with family and just chat, eat and enjoy everyone's company. Holidays are usually the only time a family of our size can really get together. This year, Christmas was just that, in a completely different way.

Every year, my dad's side always celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve. Due to everyone living so far away, we usually alternate from having it either in the Sacramento area, or the Bay Area. We got to have my uncle host Christmas Eve one last time. My uncle has been battling cancer for awhile, but the 2 weeks before Christmas, we watched it spiral downward pretty quickly. Yet no one ever saw him moping or complaining about the pain. Realizing the unfortunate truth, we all prayed for one more Christmas and a peaceful passing. We all got what we asked for. As of the afternoon on Christmas Day, my uncle has been in peace.

My dad had made this comment to me while we were both walking to my car. "Your uncle brought us all here to America. I can't believe he's gone now. Us aunties and uncles have been very close. You and your cousins all better be the same. Don't lose sight of your family." Me and the cousins are all pretty close already, and we definitely don't plan to change that.

Thanksgiving

It's that time of year again, where we get to celebrate everything we are thankful for. It's always great to be thankful for what we have, but with everything going on in our lives, we tend to forget to sit back and enjoy what we really have and show our thanks. I am so thankful for everything God has brought into my life. I have the best family, husband & friends a person could ever ask for. With that said, here are a few other things I'm very thankful for.

Sunsets

{photo taken by me in Tahiti}

Music

 Buttons

 {Everyday Crafty Goodness}

Cameras

 {All You Need Is Love Events}

Books

 {Manolo Home}

Cozy Fireplaces

Coffee - Coffee art is even better

 {Photo by me taken in Queenstown, New Zealand @ Vudu Cafe}

Pretty Pillows

 {Photo taken by me @ Target}

Chapstick

 Magazines (Although I love the feel of a physical magazine, my current favorite right now is Rue, an online magazine.)

Glasses

{The Girls With Glasses Show}

These ladies are great. I found out about them through Oh Joy! and in Rue's Holiday Issue. Love their style & their glasses. The fact that their holding pretty cupcakes is just icing on the top.

Faith

Lately I've been thinking about so many things and my faith has been questioned. I mean, I still pray and talk to God, but I have been questioning what I believe a lot lately. Honestly, its freaked me out a bit too.

Here are just a few questions and observations I've come to:

How do people know their religion is the right one? The truth is, you really don't. It just falls back on faith and truly believing that your God(s) are there. I've talked to a few people about this and a close friend of mine told me that its just whether I want to have God as my Savior or not and having faith in Him.

I've noticed how science and religion are sort of coming together too. All the natural events that keep happening and how it correlates to what the Bible says will happen before God comes. Earthquakes, war, sinkholes, etc. But how do I know that it'll end and God will come? What if the earth just blows up or freezes over because of the ozone? I guess we won't know until something happens. Frankly, it all scares me. Mainly because of how its going to end (supposedly). Its not peaceful. At all. Is that too much for me to ask for? A peaceful ending. The only way I can calm down is through prayer. That's one thing I have not questioned. Prayer has power. I pray all the time.

I just keep thinking about how I'm not ready to leave this world. There's so much for me to experience and see. Parts of the world, have my husbands baby, raise a family...so much more. But I know I'm just being selfish. Its something I have to get over personally. With all this questioning, I still find myself believing God does exist and He's watching over me. I just have to find a way to truly have my faith in Him at 100%. If God feels I'm ready or not, then so be it. I just have to live life now and enjoy it. Live life the way He wants me to. There is so much more to look forward to in Heaven. Until I can fully feel that way, I don't think I'll be ready.

Its easier said than done...

Travels

Going to a different country really allows you to get away from your every day life and open your eyes to the different culture. You get a great perspective of your life and what you really what or don't want to change in your life.

Our trip did just that for us. Especially when we did not have cell phone service with us unless we were in hot spots. Although we did have some access, free wifi was not readily available to us. We truly got to experience the new places without electronics. You don't really realize how often you pull out your cell phone to check your texts, social networking sites, emails, etc. That takes time away from spending quality time with whoever it is you are with.

Don't get me wrong, I love all that, but I've realized that it shouldn't take over your life.

What am I really like?

Normally, when I think of myself, I think of all the things I can/should improve about myself. For example, learning more, understanding better, being less hot-headed, relaxing more, etc. It's a little hard for me to see the good about me. Most likely due to a large insecurity that I have about myself. Yet another thing I need to improve about myself. Well, I finally got to get a glimpse of what other people around me think of me. In my opinion, that's always a good thing. I don't think it's a good thing if you think you're so perfect, or if you think you're a complete mess.
Two days ago, we were having dinner at the in-laws with the rest of the family. It came up that my sister-in-law thought I was the best sister-in-law ever. *tear* All of a sudden, it came out as to when my MIL and SIL realized I was a good person. First, we were talking about how I didn't give off a very good impression the very first time I met them. I was very nervous and a little irritated that my now-husband had invited me to meet the WHOLE family at a last minute dinner with no way to get around it.
My MIL then told me that the first time she realized I was a good person was at my BIL's wedding. I was actually very, very surprised. My BIL's wedding was very early on in our relationship. I remember the wedding being pretty hectic and voluntarily helping the girls out. I had felt surprisingly comfortable that day and was completely myself. I had a great time running around and helping them out. Not once did I think about what would or wouldn't impress his family.
Then my MIL told me that the second thing that really confirmed that I'm a good person was when she met my parents. I love my parents. I truly believe that they taught me how to be the best person I can be. Apparently it shows.
Finding out what my in-laws thought about me and how much they really did think I was a genuinely good person made me feel great. That must mean I'm doing something right.

Nonsense rambling

My memory and attention span really sucks. I'm trying to get better at it, but it doesn't seem to be working. Am I really that self-centered where all I care about is talking about myself? How come my brain cells are dying off so quickly that my short term memory is horrible, yet I can remember something so far into the past that means nothing? And now I'm sulking about how crappy a person I am...which is more proof of how self-centered I am. I just need to focus on how it affects the people I love.

I am very sad right now...

Blogging

Oh blog of mine. How I've missed you. I hate being sick and busy. I shall return. I promise.