My cute friend Jenn (the one next to me in the white) had a birthday.  So we had a party.  It was a great night.  Love you Jenn!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my beautiful, amazing, wonderful best friend Amber!  Friday afternoon Jessi (another best friend) and I kidnapped her and took her to lunch to celebrate the wonderfulness that she is.  We spent hours catching up on life because there is never enough time to do that.  

And of course we ended the day with cake!  Thank you for being born Amber!  I'm so glad I got to celebrate with you!

A letter to yourself: tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself.
This one has been more difficult than I thought it would be.  It's taken me a lot of thought to decide what should go into this letter. But here it is.
Dear Me,
I love pretty much everything about you.  Sure, you have flaws but you're human and that's part of life.  No one is perfect!  I love your smile and your laugh and I love that you use them a lot!  I love that you are a strong, smart, independent woman.  I love that you've taken this last year and changed it from a miserable experience into an opportunity to learn and grow.  I love that you are happy and healthy and full of life.  I love that no matter what is going on around you, you find a way to have fun and always enjoy life.  I love that you have so much love in your heart and you find the good in everyone.  Most of all I love that I am you!
Love, Sue

Something you hope to change about yourself & why.
Well this is a little strange but here it goes.
I hope I can learn to love Christmas again.
Christmas used to be my FAVORITE time of year.  My tree was up on Thanksgiving day.  My presents were bought before November ended.  My cards were mailed by December first.  I spent hours upon hours decorating my house.  Every room had something special in it.  I took days to wrap my presents and sang along to all my favorite Christmas songs while I did so.  But this year... every time I attempt to do anything remotely related to Christmas it reminds me of last year.  When I thought everything was happy and perfect.  Except it wasn't.  I just didn't know it.  And now Christmas makes me think of all the heartbreak and betrayal that I went though.  I know it's not Christmas's fault but it still reminds me all the same.  I hope that maybe next year, or in years to come, I can learn to love Christmas again. 

What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
This is an easy one.  I may not be "grown-up" but I never really plan to be.  But I am 24 years old, and old enough to maybe handle life.  
If I was pregnant I would have a baby.
It would be hard because children are hard but that's just part of life.  

What's the best thing going for you right now?
This is actually a hard one, not because I can't think of something but because there's more than one wonderful thing in my life right now.  But I would have to say
The best thing going for me right now is all my possibilities for the future.
I have everything to look forward to with my whole life in front of me.  There is always hope for the great things to come.

Craft day was a success!  My cousins and I spent 6 hours cutting pictures out of magazines to make our own envelopes and cards.  It was so much fun and the results were pretty awesome.  They're called "envies" because they are the envy of all other envelopes. What do you think?

{day 26}

Have you ever thought about giving up on life?  If so, when and why?
Well the short and easy answer is 
Yes.
But I don't want to talk about it.  I'm happy now.

The reason you believe you're still alive today.
Well the stupid answer is because I haven't died yet.  But really,
I believe I'm still alive because people still need me.
I haven't done everything I'm supposed to in my life.  I don't believe that everyone has a pre-determined time that they're going to die though.  Your choices and your actions lead up to it all.  

Make a playlist to someone and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter.)
This is a playlist for someone I love.
When You're Gone by Avril Lavigne
Don't Let Me Fall by B.o.B
You and I by Secondhand Serenade
What You Are by Jewel
Truly, Madly, Deeply by Savage Garden
I'm Yours by Jason Mraz
Fall To Pieces by Avril Lavigne
Halo by Beyonce
Come Home Soon by SHeDAISY
Firework by Katy Perry
Hot by Avril Lavigne
Obsession by Sky Ferreira
OMG by Usher
Your Love Is My Drug by Ke$ha
No Explanation. 

Something you wish you had done in your life.
This one is funny.  I'm only 24.  I still have plenty of time to do the things I wish to do.  So I'm going to say one I still wish to do in my life.
I wish I could see Vegas for New Years!
And this year I just might.

Something you wish you hadn't done in your life.
Well there's always regrets, no matter who you are.  But hopefully you learn from your mistakes and know that life goes on.  It's hard for me to really wish that there was something I hadn't done because everything I've done has made me into the person I am now.  I suppose if I had to choose something...
I wish I was more cautious with my heart.
When I was young I fell in and out of love too easily.  But I've definitely learned that lesson.  I'm older.  I'm wiser.  Now if I say I LOVE YOU I feel it deep in my heart.

(scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before.  What do you do?
This one is totally stupid.  If she really is your best friend then 
Of course you go to her (or him)!
And I'm pretty positive everyone I know would answer the exact same way.  I am lucky enough to have SEVERAL people I consider to be my best friend and if ANY ONE of them was hurt I would be there without a second thought in my head.  My friends are EVERYTHING to me.  

Your views on drugs & alcohol.
Honestly?
It's a personal choice.
And the only other thing I'm going to say is I agree with Dani 100% about pregnant women and substance abuse.  They're the ones that I have a hard time with.  It's one thing to damage your own body.  It's completely another to destroy the life of your unborn child.

What do you think of religion?  Or what do you think of politics?
I have opinions on both of them... 
Politics are a necessary evil.
All I can do is hope that mixed in with the bad apples a few good ones come out to play. 
Religion is a personal comfort.
EVERYONE believes in SOMETHING.  Even if it's nothing.  For me personally, all I have to do is take a look around me at this world we live in.  All the beauty and the wonder... how can there NOT be a higher power?  How could all of this POSSIBLY exist without some sort of divine intervention?  I believe in miracles.  They happen every day.  It's a small miracle in itself that my mom met my dad and they fell in love and had me.  I mean really, what are the chances?  And then they had five more just so I didn't have to be alone in this world.  It's kind of amazing really.  Without the HOPE for something better I would not have made it through this year.  I have been through more than I could possibly have imagined and I've come out fighting harder than I ever knew I could.  I didn't do it alone though.  
Without HOPE, without FAITH, we have NOTHING.

Your views on gay marriage.
I hesitate to write anything about this one because of what a controversial subject it is.  I know that most people who read my blog will not agree with me.  If you don't, that's okay.  But please be respectful.  That's all I ask.
I believe that people who are gay should be allowed to marry the person they love, no matter who they are.
Marriage should always be about love and you can't choose who you love.  

A book you've read that changed your views on something.
The book is easy.  It's in my top five all time favorites.
13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher.
But now for the explanation... It's not so much that this book changed my views.  It's that the book reminded me of how we affect people every day and we never even realize it.  This book is beautiful and heartbreaking.  It will make you consider the way you act everyday and how your actions affect the people around you.  I will recommend this book to anyone, no matter what type of books you enjoy.  It will not disappoint. 

Someone or something you definitely could live without.
This one is easy.
I could absolutely live without mind games.
No matter what the truth, I will always prefer to hear it to a lie.  Don't try and mess with my mind.  I do not like it.

Something or someone you couldn't live without, because you've tried living without it.  
I don't like this one because I don't like "couldn't."  I prefer "wouldn't want to."  My mom used to tell me never say you can't live without someone because when you have to you'll learn the hard way.  But these are some things I wouldn't want to live without.
Chocolate.
iPhone.
Chapstick.
Family.
TV on DVD.
Eggrolls.
Dr. Pepper.
Friends.
High Heels.
Kissing.
Those are just a few that come to mind!

A hero that has let you down (write a letter).


I don't have one.  I really don't.  
So instead I want to write a letter to a hero that is STILL A HERO!
Dear Shelly Ann Harman,
You may be my little sister but I have always LOOKED UP to you.  You are SMART, FUNNY, SWEET and BEAUTIFUL.  No matter the time or day you are ALWAYS there for me.  You are my BEST FRIEND and my SECRET KEEPER!  I know that if I ever have a problem that is TOO BIG for me to handle myself you are there without even a thought.  When I am down you PICK ME UP.  When I am happy you LAUGH WITH ME.  You share my HAPPINESS and my SORROW and you always remind me HOW WONDERFUL LIFE IS.  You are a wonderful example to everyone around you of how to be a HAPPY, AMAZING WOMAN.  I LOVE YOU more than I could EVER tell you.  You are MY HERO.  
Love, Sue

 A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough days (write a letter).
Dear Avril Lavigne,
Everyone knows I adore you.  I've loved your music since the first time I heard it. I was 16 years old and your lyrics spoke to me.  You sing passionate, beautiful songs.  Some are mellow, some are sad, some are happy and some are crazy.  It doesn't matter what they are, I love them ALL!  I can laugh, I can cry, I can sing, I can dance, all to your music.  
Thank you for writing music that I LOVE!
Love Sue
This is perhaps my favorite song and music video of all time.  Take a look.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.  
When You're Gone