We are barely 4 months into 2018, and it has already been the best year of my life! So many amazing things have happened, and I am just oozing joy today. I want to share with you all the amazing, wonderful, happy things that have happened so far this year.
First of all, I started the year off on a cruise in the Bahamas with my best friend and his family. It was such a fun experience. I drank lots of orange juice and ate lots of bagels. We ditched our phones and documented the experience on a disposable camera.
There were 2 formal nights, but Corbs and I preferred to dress up every night!I was definitely not going to gamble–I’m too smart for that. But then Corbs won a ton of money… so I had to play, too! I won over a $100, not including this $20 bill I found sitting on a machine.This was the very first time I got to wear a glitzy dress for New Year’s Eve, and I absolutely loved it! We ate dinner and danced the night away. Still figuring out how to actually take *good* pictures on the disposable, though.
Yes, those are swim trunk overalls that I handmade for him for his birthday. 🙂 It was freezing cold–like 60 degrees or less everyday–but we made the most of it on our snorkeling and kayak trips!We’re really more of buffet breakfast kind of people, but we did eat in the formal brunch room on the final morning. Cheers to endless orange juice!
After the cruise, I had to head back to reality, which means work and classes. However, I impulsively bought a DSLR camera that I had wanted for so so so long, and I got the opportunity to practice taking so many pictures.
My absolutely stunning roommate posing in a jacket we fought over at Goodwill.A picture I took for an Instagram post that I got PAID real money for. Check out my instagram @practicallyclose.
My roommate/favorite person in the whole world, Wes, realized who he truly was (A BOY), so obviously we had to throw him a party! It was such a fun time surrounded by all his friends, celebrating how much we love him and want him to love himself.
It’s a boy!! And we couldn’t be happier. Side note: break the gender binary. Gender is a fluid, social construct that is not the same thing as sex. Love you.
I turned NINETEEN! 19! My parents made me a cake and took me to a trampoline park. Classic 19 year old things.
My mom made me a vegan cake, but it kinda fell apart. Don’t worry–we layered it in a trifle dish with frosting-that-turned-into-fudge and strawberries. It was SO GOOD.Wesley, Corbs, and my sisters all joined the fun. My mom and dad were also super bouncy and had just as much fun as we did.
I got the most amazing opportunity to volunteer at an animal sanctuary. This sanctuary saves animals from all sorts of situations and lets them live out their lives happily. It broke my heart to think of the millions of cows, pigs, and chickens that are not saved and end up being raped, tortured, and murdered every day for human greed. We did what we could while there, and got to connect with the animals.
How beautiful is this cow?! When you look into a cow’s eyes, you realize how connected you are. They experience emotions. They love their families. They have a desire to keep living just like me and you.There were hundreds of pigs there that squealed for joy when we fed them!
Spring break snuck up on us, so my roommates and I impulsively drove to the beach. Seriously. On Thursday at 3pm, I said, “We should go to the beach, right?” We packed a tent and some snacks and hopped in the car, driving the three hours to North Padre Island. We camped on the deserted beach and woke up to the waves crashing and the sunrise. We took a walk on the beach and played in the waves until we saw a jellyfish, and then we headed home.
Everyone got an avocado, some fruit, and a jar of noodles. How else would you pack your beach snacks?Didn’t take too many pictures because, ya know, living in the moment. We did manage to pitch our tent in the dark and get it to stay without steaks!
The rest of spring break was spent doing fun little adventures with my family!
I got to take my little sister’s senior pictures because she’s GRADUATING???? and going to COLLEGE?????? So proud but also so confused about how she got so old. Also, look how pretty she is!!It’s so exciting that she’s going to the same university that both me and our older sister go to!Look how cute my little parents are.We took a day trip to the LBJ ranch, which is where President Johnson spent a lot of his time. In the same town, there was a living homestead, which was interesting to visit, too!We swung by a strawberry farm and picked approximately 8 strawberries. It was a cute place, but pretty picked over.
Spring break ended with a celebration of St. Patty’s Day with good friends who never fail to make me laugh.
I’m taking a course on backpacking this semester, so I got to take an amazing camping trip with for class! We spent 2 nights in the backcountry at a primitive campsite in a state natural area. We hiked out there, cooked on camp stoves, and stargazed.
Our group took a 3 mile day hike, which had stunning views. We even got to swim in a freezing, murky pond!The group really bonded, so it was fun to make new friends!The sunsets were stunning, and they gave rise to the beautiful starry sky.
These were big events, large moments full of joy. But, I also experienced small moments of joy. Little things that made me smile and feel happy that I was alive in that moment. Here are some more photos of happiness, and hopefully they make you smile a little bit!
DID I FORGET TO MENTION THAT I GOT INTO NURSING SCHOOL?! Everything I’ve been working towards for the last 4 semester culminated into my acceptance to St. David’s School of Nursing! I’ll be moving home at the end of the summer to go to NURSING SCHOOL!!!
This is a great day. This is a great life. Thank you for being a part of mine.
