26 and counting...

It's my birthday. Yipee :) I am 26 today, but I feel like I should be 76. ha ha. In honor of my 26 years of life, I am going to write 26 things I'm thankful for right now. And I'm feeling very reflective, so it will probably be long-winded. ha ha.

1. My testimony. Definitely the thing that has made this last year bearable.
2. Taylen. She makes me laugh every day, and tells me she loves me, and gives me a reason to get out of bed each morning and put on a happy face.
3. Ryah Bear. She is such a sweet baby, and I am so thankful that she came to our family. She has been (and will continue to be) a huge blessing in Taylen's life...as Tay is getting passed around to daycare, and my house and Brad's house, she doesn't have to do it alone. She's got her Bryah with her. They will always have each other. I am so so thankful for that.
4. Makeup. I like to feel cute. I can't do it without cosmetics. ha ha.
5. My parents. It has been very difficult for them to watch me go through this, and not being able to take it away from me. I appreciate their love and them stepping back and allowing me to deal with this how I choose to deal with it, and not how they think I should deal with it.
6. Tanning. I know this is superficial. Superficially fabulous!! When I was in college I would go tanning when I had a bad day, but I stopped doing it as much once I got married (being pregnant and tanning doesn't really mix). I don't go often, but I love it when I do.
7. My hot sisters. I love my sisters so much. We always have a ridiculous amount of fun together, and every time we hang out we are laughing and being pretty obnoxious. If any of you know us, you'll know that's actually a huge understatement. I can't think of anyone I'd rather hang out with than them. They are all above and beyond beautiful, and ridiculously smart. I learn things from each of them, and I am proud to be their sister.
8. Toothpaste. I can't stand not brushing my teeth. I literally can't sleep if I don't do it.
9. My patriarchal blessing. I have read it countless times the past few months, and the blessings and promises are unbelievably comforting.
10. My bachelor's degree. My life has taken a turn I never thought it would, and I am so thankful I have a degree under my belt. GO TO SCHOOL. GET EDUCATED. You never know what life is going to throw at you, prepare yourself.
11. Music. Sad, happy, angry. Music has been a haven for me.
12. My car. My Avalon got "voluntarily repossesed." Basically, I called Toyota and said that I couldn't make the payments anymore, so they came and picked it up. My parents found a way to get me a 99 Mitsubishi Galant, and every time I get into it I say a little thank you prayer. It runs great, it could be way uglier, and I don't have a monthly payment. Fab.
13. My cell phone. We take them for granted, but could you live without yours?
14. Dr. Pepper. Basically I'm addicted to it, and it makes me happy :)
15. My job. HUGE BLESSING. I got my first paycheck today...YIPEE!! It's not a lot, but it's a heck of a lot more than I've been getting the past little while :)
16. Chapstick. Can't live without it.
17. Photo albums. I love looking at old pictures. They remind me that I used to have game. ha ha.
18. My friends and neighbors. There have been a handful of friends that have really gone above and beyond and have been huge blessings to me. I have zero family up here, but there honestly has not been a single day that I just felt alone. To name a few...Kristin Hinson has me over for dinner almost every Sunday. Jen Perrow has me over for dinner on the random sundays I'm not at the Hinsons. Tiffani Morgan has made me dinner a few times. Leslie Groff drops off goodies on my doorstep. Jennifer Penney, Jeannie Retamal, Kari Stacy, Sarah Bartlett, Heidi Hage, Leslie Ashby, Cathi Bitter, and countless others who make it a point to ask how I'm doing, sit by me at church, give me a random phone call, and just keep up on what's going on in my life. Even if I don't always call you back, or reply to your comments on my blog, I really appreciate all the support and love I feel from each of you. I'm sure you'll never know how much it means to me.
19. Facebook. Haha. Geeby, I know. But I've reconnected with a bunch of old friends I would have otherwise probably never heard from again.
20. DVR. Honestly, I never watch live TV anymore. I love that I can watch my couple shows whenever I get time...even if that's Saturday night :)
21. My BYU roommies. We lived together all four years of college, and I love all of them! No matter how long it's been since we've seen each other, we fall right back into being best friends when we're together. We had fun times, and sad times, and mean times, and I learned and grew more during those four years than probably at any other point in my life (until now, ha ha:). I'm excited for our reunion in May!!
22. My long hair. Sounds weird, but I've been growing my hair out forever, and I've hated it forever, and it's finally gotten to a point that I can do it and actually like it. Yipee!
23. My grandparents. They send me emails, or phone calls, and just let me know they're thinking about me. I have good relationships with both sets of grandparents, and that is something I have always been very thankful for.
24. The Temple. It just puts things in perspective, and brings a very real peace.
25. Ms. Gina. She is Taylen and Ryah's daycare provider, and I really like her. I feel like I was sort of led to her, and feeling comfortable dropping my kids off with her each day is a very real blessing.
26. My positive attitude. I have always thought of myself as a positive person, but I've never really had anything to not be positive about. It is amazing to me that I am so peaceful about everything right now, and that I really am happy despite the craziness that is my life at the moment. I know that the ability to be positive through this trial comes from something greater than myself.

Here's to a great day, and to a happy year ahead!! Leave me some love...