Rainy Day Reminder

Although I love the rain, I can tell it is quite easy to get caught up in the gloom of the clouds to forget how beautiful it actually is when it pours. So I thought I would take some time to try and remind myself of the beautiful rain that has poured down and blessed my life. I enjoy making lists, and have found myself forgetting the joy I have experienced.
Always take the time to remember how truly loved you are my dear friends.
Always take the time to remember the things you love my dear friends.


Things I love:

• Jesus, and how He pursues me after all the things I do wrong.
• My mother, and how she is the strongest person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.
• My father, and his utter compassion despite recognizing and going through terrible traumatic experiences.
• Midnight McDonalds dates with whoever will join me.
• The way my sister used to enjoy cuddling for movie nights with me.
• Long days at the pool with my cousins right in the heat of summer before big thunderstorms.
• Whenever my best friend would spend the night and we would turn down the AC to below freezing, find the cuddliest blankets, a pint of Ben&Jerry's each, and discuss our future.
• Chocolate cake.
• Going to the Regal Cinema 16, any time.
• Always excelling in English and Language Arts throughout school.
• Butterflies in my stomach from the first time he held my hand.
• Long thought out handshakes with anyone who would like to have one.
• VW Vans and the fact that you could have one amazing drive-in experience with them.
• Amusement parks and the fact that my best friend lied to me to get me on a corkscrew rollercoaster. I was scared for the ride, but wouldn't trade the experience.
• Walking on the seawall in Typhoon conditions with my best friend just because.
• Meeting Amy Deakins.
• Having Ron Coia as my AP Language Arts teacher.
• Being caught up in the plot of a thrilling YA novel.
• Being a published poet in the DoDDs magazine at the age of 14.
• My first play with my dad, and that I met my first boyfriend in the cast.
• Chalk, and that there are constantly new creations at my fingertips.
• That the first thing we learn about God is that he is a Creator, something I relate to immensely.
• Any Shorebreak that I have ever had the opportunity of being on.
• Shorebreak sophomore year with Jack, Abby, and Emily.
• Tie-dying with Jack.
• Meeting and becoming close with Dave & Andrea Hutchings.
• Having the pleasure of watching their family grow.
• Costume parties.
• Dressing up for parties.
• Playing basketball on a dedicated team.
• Being the Lady Trojans assistant and water girl.
• That my mom is one badass athlete and coach.
• Getting to play with a high school team while in middle school.
• Traveling to competition in Germany with the GCM Trojans in 7th grade.
• Berliners, and there delicious Erdbeere filling.
• The Brotchen cart and getting a Kinderegg every Friday morning.
• Christmas Caroling with friends.
• Ugly Christmas Sweaters with friend.
• Yogerette ice with Erdbeere sauce.
• That soda shops exist. 
• Laughing so hard that I cry with my Aunt Kendra and my Mother.
• Sleepovers with my Grandmother, and the fact she would buy me Master Wangs even when she wasn't supposed to.
• That my 16th Birthday party was a food fight.
• That my 18th Birthday party was an island wide scavenger hunt/amazing race.
• Space camp in Turkey.
• That I know who my Maid of Honor will be.
• That adoption is a thing, and that I am adopted by God.
• The autobahn joyride with my Father.
• Beating a boy at a game I was supposed to be inferior at.
• Jamming in the garage to the Beatles with my grandmother.
• Laying in a bouncy castle at a friends 16th birthday party at night making a new best friend.
• Mixed CD's made by anyone at any point in time specifically for me.
• Hand written letters that anyone at any point in time specifically write to me.
• Whenever somebody tells me that anything Peter Pan related makes them think of me.
• That my first overseas care was a Fun Cargo.
• Okuma bonding trips with Common Ground Leadership.
• The Ocean, and the vast reasons I love it.
• European Pizza.
• That Love exists and I know Him by name, and He knows me.
• The Valentine dances at Atekule.
• Salep, and the fact that a family friend is bringing me back some from Turkey.
• Oki Care Packages, and that there always a surprise.
• That girls are becoming more and more the YA novel heroes.
• Amy Phoeler and Tina Fey's relationship, and that it reminds me of Izi and I.
• Making dances and lip sync battles with my cousin for talent shows.
• Creating Bailey and the Beatles, were I Bailey was the lead singer, and my cousin Blayne was the guitarist.
• Joining band in middle school and picking up the flute within a week.
• Living in Germany.
• Living in Turkey.
• Living in Okinawa.
• Any memory from YogurtLand.
• Halloweens on Okinawa.
• Being cast in any high school play.
• Being cast as Draco Malfoy in A Very Potter Musical.
• Jumping of the Seawall with friends after chickening out for an hour.
• Movie nights at home with Pizza.
• That I have my first job.
• Any Spring Break Trip with Isabella while being in Turkey.
• Sunabe Seawall walks with Cody.
• All the people I have ever had the pleasure of becoming friends with from living overseas.
• The military family that I have thanks to my parents.
• The international family that I have thanks to my parents.
• That I am loved, more than I can comprehend.