Ramblings of a Night-Shift Nurse: Inspired by...Oprah?

So, yesterday my mom and I were watching Oprah, which is unusual in and of itself since we never watch Oprah. It happened to be her "favorite things" show. That, coupled with a blog from my good friend Paris, and this Thanksgiving holiday inspired me to take a few minutes and list for you some of my favorite things and some of the things I'm most grateful for.

First and foremost, I'm grateful for my parents. They are such an inspiration to me for how to live a good and full life. They are also such a fantastic example for me of what sort of marriage I want. They are so loving, kind, caring and giving. My dad is such a wonderful man with a great sense of humor and a big heart. His one main concern in life is taking care of his loved ones and he will do whatever he can to make sure that we are safe, protected, and well taken care of. My mom is such a great example to me of kindness and concern for others. She does whatever she can to make sure that those around her feel involved, loved, and cared for. She is a great example to me of how to be a good mom and how to balance all of the challenges life throws at her. Everyone says that they dread turning into their parents, but I look forward to maturing into mine.

Secondly I'm grateful for my siblings. Maddie is a fantastic example of perseverance, strength, and courage. She is hard working and fun to be around. I'm so glad that on top of being sisters, we are friends. Zach is such a good example of service and hard work. He is definitely following in Dad's footsteps of taking care of those around him. He is one of the greatest 18 year old kids I know. McKay is always having fun. He is my little buddy and I'm so glad that we get to spend so much time together now. I look forward to Wednesday afternoons when I get to pick him up from school and we get to hang out together for awhile. Our trips to the library have become some of my favorite times as well. I'm so blessed to have such great siblings.

Third I'm grateful for great friends. They are all so patient with me as I struggle through life's challenges, and they are all so willing to give me guidance, advice, and love as I need it. I'm especially grateful to Ally who has spent the last 10 years being there for me and helping me through tough times. She is the best best friend a girl could ask for and I'm so grateful she's a part of my life. I'm also especially grateful for Colt, who always knows what I need to hear and isn't afraid to say it to me even if I don't want to hear it. He's the first one in line to make me smile if I'm having a bad day, and he's also the first to offer a shoulder to cry on. I have so many other friends that I'm grateful for in their own ways, it would take me 17 and a half blog posts just to list them all. Thank you, to each of you, for everything you do for me. Know that it does not go unappreciated and that I pray for each of you daily. You are all, truly, the greatest friends a girl could ask for. Thanks for being who you are.

I'm also so grateful for my beautiful home. (That's not my house in the picture, but it's pretty close.) It's so nice to have a place to call home, where I can go for peace and quiet, where I feel safe, and that is (at least half) mine. While I'm on the subject I'm also grateful for my wonderful roommate and cousin Greg. He is such a fantastic roommate who lets me have my space, do my own thing, but is still available if I ever need anything. Thanks, Greg, for always being the presence in the other room. :)

I am also so grateful for the gospel in my life. Everyday I learn something new about myself and returning to my Heavenly Father. I am preparing myself to go to the temple and recieve my endowment (January, hopefully), and growing closer to Father in Heaven and my Savior everyday. I am so grateful for living prophets on the earth today, and for the counsel and guidance we recieve from them. I am grateful for inspired priesthood leaders. Mostly, I am grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, who suffered for my sins, died for me, and was resurrected for me. I am grateful for that sacrifice and that it gives me the potential to return to my eternal family and live with them again. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who has a hand in my life and who cares about me and what I am doing, who guides me through life's choices and hard places. I am also so grateful for eternal marriage and eternal families and hope that I can start one of my own someday.

And now on to a few of my favorite things:

I love pedicures. It is my favorite way to pamper myself and I have one done at least once a month. I've become a bit of a snob about it, actually, I won't really even paint my own toenails anymore. The asian women I go see have the pedicure down to be the most relaxing half hour of my month. Purely fantastic, really. Plus, there are few things I enjoy as much as taking off my shoes after a hard night at work and seeing cute little daisies peeking up at me from my toenails. Sign me up for a pedicure any day!

The lovesac-esque bean bag in my living room. It is quickly becoming my favorite place in the house. Whether it's for a nap, to read a book, watching a movie, or just cuddling up next to someone (I wish), this little invention is fabulous! I think everyone needs one in their life.

This is my new favorite book. I'll be honest, I was somewhat skeptical going into it. I didn't think that every person could be put into one of five categories, but I've become a firm believer in this theory. I recommend that everyone read some version of The Five Love Languages. It will change the way you view yourself, the way you interact with others, and the way you make and build relationships of every kind. It has changed my interactions with coworkers, family, friends, and new acquaintances. It has also changed the way I look at and maintain romantic relationships. It helped me understand what I need to work on, what I crave, what I need, and what I should avoid. I've already put these teaching to work in my life and I've seen the effects. Truly life changing, my friends, go out and read it...soon.

As ugly as these shoes are they are one of the most amazing things I've ever found. As a nurse, I spend a lot of time on my feet. These shoes have helped eliminate back and foot aches, relieved sore muscles, and made my life all around more comfortable. If you don't have a pair, go get some. They may make your feet look like boats, but you honestly feel like you're walking on a cloud. So worth it.

This is my new best friend. I'm not even joking. My ipod, along with my skull-candy headphones, goes everywhere with me. I never leave home without it, and it holds my entire music library. Mine isn't just boring black like in this picture, it's got a cute pink cherry blossom skin, but this seriously is the greatest gadget ever. Now, I'm sort of mac-stupid. I don't really work so well with products made by Apple, but my iPod is so easy to use. It's fantastically amazing.