Bruxelles

I wasn't kidding about belgium beer and waffles. Delicious.

Pictures on Flickr--->

Kung Fu

My trip was wonderful.  First class for almost the whole trip, wonderful food, good company, brushed up on some French, saw beautiful, old buildings, shopped a little, drank some, and overall just had a very pleasant get-away.

I hope your memorial day weekend was just as wonderful.  Pictures soon. 

Some other interesting things from recently:

1.  The book The Glass Castle - absolutely wonderful.  I think this book should be required for middle school or high school kids because it instantly makes you appreciate your parents.  My mom thought it was inspirational, my sister thought it was sad, I just think more people should read it.

2.  The movie Seabiscuit - really good movie and makes me want a pet horse.

3. The Bucket List, I had such high expectations for this movie because the idea of it is really interesting.  However, I was kind of disappointed.  I feel like the plot had so much more potential...

An alphabet of crazy stuff i'm thankful for...

A - airplanes because they get you places so very fast.  However, I'm terrified of flying.  I do it really often but I hate it, it's scary.

B-Brianna...yes my name.  because although it's unusual for my age it's terribly popular now which just makes me seem even younger.

C-christmas music!!!

D-dogs, all of them.  Oh wait...scratch that, the man carrying a chiuaha in a pink blanket for his girlfriend today.  I don't like those.  I'd get a rat if I wanted a dog that small.

E- my twin

F-freedom, I know we aren't actually free to do very many things but there is this amazing essence of freedom that we can feel sometimes...like when you're on an open road or when the world stops for a second and you realize you're so alive.  That kind of freedom.

G-God, I'm not even trying to get into religion, but I'm thankful for God.

H-happiness

I-ice cream, recently ice cream sandwiches that I can't seem to get enough of.

J-japan because without it I wouldn't be able to take the leaps I've been able to.  I remember talking to my mom a day or two before I was supposed to leave for three months to a foreign country where I didn't know the language, without anyone I knew.  I hesitated and for the first time in my entire life my mom told me I didn't have to do it.  No fight, no arguing, no guilt.  And I did it anyway.  And I learned that everything does happen for a reason.  

K-kites.  I really can't remember the last time I flew a kite.  I'm not sure I even know how but I think that is going on my short term goal list.

L-laughing

M-moms, their advice, their pain, their love.

N-the Nikon camera that is on my wish list.

O-owning something instead of owing someone.

P-priceless, those commercials where they have all the expensive stuff and then the event at the end that is priceless.  those are really smart commercials.  

Q-questions, and the kind of conversations where you talk for hours and question everything knowing that you will walk away with more questions and that's okay.  Reminds me of this song.

R-reading, knowledge, smart stuff =)

S-singing really loud, songs that I make up.  And the fact that even though I might be tone deaf my dad still calls me a songstress.

T-traveling

U-You why of course!

V-the purple velvet dress my mom made me when I was little that I absolutely loved.  So much that I tried to wear it every Sunday to church.

W-winning

X-oxoxoxox

Y-Youth, knowing that I have a long time to grow up and realizing that I have a lot to learn and experience still.

Z-zest for everything.  

BEEEEEEE- cause

I'm off to Brussels on Sunday.  Yes, Belgium for the Memorial Day weekend.  I'll be back on Wednesday (it's a quick trip).  

I'm ever so thankful for my sister's flight benefits which will allow me a round trip adventure to Europe for around 300 dollars.  

My sister and mom who also like to take spur of the moment trips because...we can.

A very understanding new boss who concurs: trips like this are once in a life time. 

Belgium Beer, and real Belgium waffles - in Belgium.

My kind of Rain

It's been darkish cloudy all day and started sprinkling as the day wore on.  For the last couple of hours it's been pouring like crazy, there's also lightening...and I like it.  Apparently it's snowing in Flagstaff - and there is a flood advisory in the valley.  

I need someone to explain to me exactly how we're experiencing global warming again?

It's easy as 1, 2, 3

This weekend made me very, very thankful that I have supportive parents.  

Louisville is a beautiful place and I love that there are places so green with that much land.  I can see why people live there - it's adorable.

I love my family even the ones that I only see every 5 years.  It's interesting how genetics really work and how even not agreeing with everything or not being like one another we still are family and we still have some common traits. 

New Pictures on Flickr...

Some, some, sorry.

Wow life has gotten crazy.  I've had a lot going on lately and some interesting surprises.  I'm continuously learning and dealing with everything that's going on and I have to say that some days I am completely overwhelmed.  Some days I'm lonely.  Some days I'm restless.  Some days I have doubt.  Some days I'm completely content.  Some days I think I know everything.  Some days I feel like I know nothing. 

I hope that I'm getting closer to answers even though I'm sure that I'll just end up with more questions.  

I'm off to Louisville, KY for a family graduation.  I'll have pictures and hopefully more consistent updates with less ambiguity and more substance.  My apologies...

EDIT:  Wow I realized that I didn't even write three things I've been thankful for lately.

1.  I'm thankful that I have a job, even if everyday isn't perfect it is still a wonderful 

job and there are people that aren't so lucky.  Especially with the way the economy is turning.

2.  I'm fortunate that my parents pushed me to do certain things, to become a certain type of person.  I realize that work ethic is not something everyone has and I'm so fortunate that I wasn't handed everything with a silver spoon.  It wasn't a

 wake up call when I entered the "real world" and I don't think the world owes me anything.

3.   Being able to travel. 

  

Tired of it?

1.  Someone who understands.

2.  Someone who listens.

3.  Someone who cares.

280 posts.

I was contemplating beauty when I went for my run tonight.  The moon looked like a fingernail but you could still see the outline of where the whole moon would be.  Stars were sprinkled around the dark outlines of the palm trees and nothing seemed like it was standing still.  The sky appeared to be in motion.  

Sometimes when I hear a song that just instantly makes me feel better I can see the inside of me becoming happier.  It's funny how we forget that humans are made up of so much internally, emotionally.  That person who always seems so happy and so content, isn't.  And that person who you would think would be miserable - experiences unbelievable joy at times.  Internally we are all so much more than we appear.

Life is not easy, in a beautiful and complicated way.  Nature isn't peaceful in a realistic and irrational way.  And there is nature in life.  

Brinner

Back in Phoenix after 46 degree weather and thunderstorms in Flagstaff.  

1.  Brinner.  You know, breakfast for dinner.  I'm such a fan. 

2.  Tons of plans for exciting weekends away and little trips with the fam away from reality...and responsibility.

3.  Talks of possible therapy under the stars sessions with one of my best friends who has been gone too long. 

Some new pictures on Flickr---->

Good news

So my grandpa's 88th birthday was pretty exciting, but the real news of the weekend is that I'm going to be an Aunt! My brother and his girlfriend are pregnant.  They've been together for about 7 years now and their baby is going t be so adorable.  I couldn't be happier for them.  

I'm leaving for Flagstaff for work for two days, so I'll update again on Wednesday.

I can't stand leaving my dog behind in california so I'll be apartment hunting this weekend.

I found out I'm going with my family to Louisville, KY for my cousin's graduation from seminary school in a couple of weeks.  

We celebrated Mother's Day today because I won't be able to come home next weekend and it turned out really well.

One of the presents my sister and I got my mom was registration for all of us into a 5k in San Diego in June.  I'm excited.

It's funny that I had this feeling I just needed to move closer to home.  I couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was but I had general ideas.  A new baby is just further validation that I really am supposed to be in Phoenix right now.  I am so happy.

Everything is A-OK.

1.  I think one of the best things about living at my sister's right now is the fact that I am able to get to know her boyfriend better.  They have been together almost 7 years and are pretty much married; my sister is just stubborn.  

Now that I see him on a weekly basis it is more than just cordial family holiday chit-chat.  Instead I'm able to realize how good they are for each other.  We can

 argue like siblings about the stuff we don't agree about and not feel bad.  It's like having a brother in law, and actually knowing him.

2.  Stars at night, 80 something degrees with a breeze, and wind in my hair as I run.

3. The client I'm working at right now is a school, and they are having their prom tomorrow.  All the girls are really excited about their dresses and what not.  I have to say that high school in general was really fun.  I don't think about it that often and I don't remember Prom being the best  night ever or anything like that, but it is interesting how everything in high school seemed like the most important thing in the world.

I remember thinking if I didn't get my license I would just die.  And how important it was to have the perfect outfit for the first day of school.  I remember not being able to talk on the 

phone when I was in trouble was the worst thing ever.  And how having a crush literally consumed all of your thoughts.  

I wonder why when we get older we get less passionate.  I assume it has something to do with responsibility and the fact that we have to grow up, to have bigger things to worry about.  It would be nice to instead spend weeks deciding how to make the cute guy in third period ask me out.  Yet at the same time I laugh when I think how little I actually knew when I was 18 and how fortunate I've learned so much since then.  Ahh...milestones.