the list

jeannette inspired me to write a list of things i love, even though i am on strict orders by matt to go to bed because i'm sick. alls i gotsta say is, he knew how stubborn i was when he met me! gold:

1. phrases like "golden", "bum bum" or "holy hannah" instigated by close friends and adopted by everyone they love.
2. blankets that feel like home...always and forever.
3. thinking about my future and knowing that i can make it whatever i want it to be...it's empowering and terrifying
4. witnessing truly amazing things, whether it be someone's idiosyncrasy that no one else caught, an old forgotten house, a glance between two people in love, or the way a baby's eyes light up when it smiles
5. adding to the list of people i love and call family. i am amazed every day how much the human heart can love.
6. forts. you're never to old to enjoy a well-built fort.
7. buying books that take me to a new world that i never end up reading...it's nice to know that the adventure is there even if i don't have time to pick it up.
8. driving to the beach in the summer with the windows down. sometimes it's better than actually being at the beach.
9. the stars in the kaibab forest. even if the job sucked, the forest was amazing.
10. laughing so hard that my laugh gets obnoxious and uncontrollable.
11. being able to whine and literally cry about being sick and knowing that matt won't get annoyed because he loves me.
12. photography. not actually doing it, but being able to look at a moment in time and see what the photographer saw.
13. weddings. even if dancing is awkward. it's worth it to see two peoples' lives become one.
14. the prospect of something new and exciting.
15. surprises. LOVE them. they make me feel special.
16. the day after my birthday. i hate being the center of attention.
17. interior decorating. i am a strong believer in the power of one's surroundings to change their mood.
18. lighting. kind of goes along with 17. the way a place is lit can change everything. windows = important.
19. people who are polite to and interested in strangers, just because.
20. architecture. beautiful.
21. the feeling of accomplishment
22. the fourth of july..it will forever me jeannette's and my holiday.
23. being tucked away at home during bad weather with the fire going.
24. my mom's cooking.
25. art museums. they never cease to inspire me and give me faith in mankind, even if i don't particularly like the art displaed.
26. ghetto cars. life is more than the car you drive.
27. experiences and things that remind me how connected humans are to one another.
28. God's continual presence in my life, even when I stray.
29. random acts of kindness.
30. the world of Gilmore Girls. I want to live in a town like that...yes, i know it's fake. shh...
31. my increasing desire to become a mother. i only hope that once i actually become one, i will remember what this feeling felt like.
32. good memories, and realizing during the making of one that these are the days.
33. inside jokes.
34. wingmen. can't live without em.
35. antique stores. they always make me eager to go home and write in my journal and save ridiculous things from my life.
36. finding something old you forgot about and reliving good times.
37. the opportunity i have to receive a good education, even if it feels like i'll never graduate. i am truly grateful for the option.
38. playgrounds. swinging soothes the soul and warms the heart.
39. people that influence my life for good and don't even realize it. they're doing something right.
40. ridiculous things like butt chins, velour sweatsuits, and comb-overs.