Catch Up

I haven't really been good at blogging lately so I have decided to give you an update on my life. I know, I know, I always promise to be better at blogging but alas I haven't been any better.  Erin's last two posts have inspired me to post something today and hopefully more in the future? I won't make any promises on when the next post will be though.  So here are so new things that have happened since the last time I blogged:

Top 5 New Things in my Life:
1. Colored Hair: I recently did a semi-permanent dye on my hair. I LOVE the color but I have too much hair for a normal application of hair dye. Right now I have some splotchy patches of hair that are not colored. I have another box of hair dye, I just need to get around to coloring it again.

My darker hair and a fantastic orange sweater I found for less than $3.00. 

2. Glasses: Yep, I have had to get glasses. I have had the worst migraines lately and I am trying to figure out the cause of them. Excedrin does wonders for me but it only masks the symptoms so I can temporarily feel better. I had my eyes checked and sure enough I have needed glasses. I am wearing them for the first time today! Some of the other things that might be triggering my migraines are sugar, TMJ, low-pressure weather, and stress. I sure do hope the glasses will help a little with this. It is amazing how many small things I have been missing out on before wearing these glasses!

New Glasses! I bought two pairs..a brown pair and a black one. 

3. Study Abroad:  I am going on a study abroad this summer to study art history in Italy! The program is a 4 weeks and then I will be doing some independent traveling to Switzerland, Paris and London after with some of the other students for about 10 days after the program ends.  68 more days until I leave!
Not like I am counting the days till then...

Cinque Terre, Italy (I will be staying a weekend here! AHH!)

4. Working a Lot for Study Abroad: I have been working at my regular job at school and I went back to my bakery job to help fund my trip. I also work four hours at a call center on Saturday's. EEK! Luckily, I am only taking one class right now or I would probably be going insane right now.

5. Boyfriend: I don't post a lot on here about my relationship status because, well, it has been pretty complicated the last couple years. With a long term relationship tragically ending about a year and a half ago, dating has been an interesting journey that I wasn't planning on ever having to take again.  I did date a guy last summer for a couple months and I was very grateful for that relationship. He treated me really well and was intellectually stimulating. We broke up before school started. I was pretty upset for a while but I am now grateful that he broke up with me for many reasons. I have gone on dates here and there since then. About a two months ago, I went on a date with one of my friends John who works as a freelance pianist. I was excited to go to Cafe Rio with him but honestly I was thinking it was just a friend date and nothing more than that. I was wrong. He is charming, genuine, loving, funny, and also extremely handsome, bonus! We went on a second date a couple weeks later and then shortly after that we decided to date exclusively. It has been an interesting journey dating him and I would have to say I have been happier than I have been in a really long time.  I usually am pretty happy anyways but he has brought a lot more joy in my life that I never knew I was missing. 

John and I at BYU's concerto night. 

Challenge

Do you ever find that sometimes, life just seems to get stuck into a rhythm?

Go to work. Go to school. Eat. Sleep. Breathe. Repeat.

It can be oh, so tiring and just plain exhausting.  I am finding myself the need to endure the seemingly-endless schedule, just waiting for a moment beyond the horizon to arrive.  But isn't life about enjoying the moment?  Can't I choose to be happy now? Can't I make life exciting each and every day?

I've decided I need some creativity back into my life.  Something to bring in the new and exciting.  Something to look forward to in each week.  Even each day if possible.  I don't want to simply endure life, but to enjoy it.

I've decided to challenge myself for this next week and for the week of March.  Here's my list:

Have something to look forward to each day.

Do things outside of the box.

Challenge the husband to see who can create the most creative date night in the month of March.

Make personal goals every week to do something that challenges you and improves you.

That's my list for now.  I think that should help with the creative juices flowing AND help me to step outside the norm.  Life is stressful as is, so let's bring some fun back! #I'mbringingfunback?

This is Erin, signing out. Peace.

Mondays

Do you ever have those terrible, no good, very bad Mondays?

Yup. Me too. It makes Tuesdays that much more exhausting. Thank goodness for a cute husband and custard. Otherwise, I may have not survived my terrible, no good, very bad Monday. 

I'm grateful for new days. It's like a clean slate. Ready to start again and make a better day than before. I tried to set up my morning for success by listening to Elder Holland's talk "Like a Broken Vessel" and some awesome music to pump up my morning. These are my favorite songs for the moment:

"Come to Me" by the Goo Goo Dolls

"Hello My Old Heart" by The Oh Hello's

"Step Out" by José Gonzalez

"Benny" by Mideau

Here's to a brighter, happier day than before! Thank you Heavenly Father for new days!