Mega Long Day ## Post.

Friday, September 10th. Day 16: Your first kiss, in great detail

My first kiss was a boy named Levi in Kindergarten. He had red hair and was just the most adorable thing ever. I had a birthday party and all my friends from my street and a few from school came over. It was a Cabbage Patch party complete with a Cabbage Patch cake, hat, plates, and party favors. During picture time, all my friends and I sat on the couch and Levi sat next to me. Both of our moms were telling me to give him a big ol' kiss. After much MUCH encouragement, I wrapped my little arms around his head, pulled him close and him a kiss on the cheek! They all "awwed" and I just smiled and quickly got off the couch.

Saturday, September 11th. Day 17: Your favorite memory, in great detail
I have several that I really love: 

• Americorps when I was sent on Disaster Relief to Hazard, KY (yes, really). I was driving around in this huge old Ford Taurus with a retired volunteer who was at least 70 years old for my entire time there. We would meet with his wife and her team of Americorps volunteers at McDonald's each morning for breakfast and then head out on our adventures. It was just the most hilarious thing to be in these tiny hollows looking for people that needed help with someone I just met but felt very safe with. 

• Driving up to the Gorge with Brittney & Dana to see Warped Tour. Listening to amazing music then sleeping next to some loud heavy metal lovers feeling the ground shake all night long in our tent. Of course, I still managed to sleep. 
• Driving on the Columbia River Scenic Highway from Portland out towards Idaho at 4:30am. It was breathtakingly beautiful. 

• While Jodie and I came back from an afternoon at the Navy Pier in Chicago, we got on a bus with a bunch of little kids that were part of a childcare group (Salvation Army? YMCA?) and they were just completely tuckered out. One by one they started to fall asleep on each other and although the teachers tried to keep them awake, they were just the most adorable children as their lids got more and more droopy and their heads slumped over on a friend's shoulder.

Sunday, September 12th. Day 18: Your favorite birthday, in great detail
I can't remember the year or age (yes, bad I know!) but it was a full day of events with all my girls in Portland. We started at the Beavers baseball game then hit up Bartini (my favorite) for happy hour. At some point we realized we should just keep going so we went to see "Blades of Glory" at Pioneer Place and then grabbed donuts from Voodoo Donut and pizza and beer from Rocco's. We ate SO much that night! But it was so much fun to have a relaxing day with my girls.

Monday, September 13th. Day 19: Something you regret, in great detail
I regret a lot which I know isn't great. I am always thinking "what if?" and that will never stop. However, the things I regret the most on a day to day basis are that I don't push myself hard enough AND I don't follow through. I am a very responsible person and if someone else needs something, I will always be there. For myself though, I rarely follow through and always have to internally push myself to try harder and be better. I settle for less for myself all the time and I am trying to break the cycle but it is incredibly difficult.

Tuesday, September 14th. Day 20: This month, in great detail
This month is a whole lot of "well, you got yourself here so figure it out." I have a new job, new education plan, new place to live, new very tight budget and new goals. I have a lot going on and it is stressful. My brain doesn't want to function all the time and my social anxiety creeps in when I wish it wouldn't but I am determined to do better. I have to do better and succeed at this since it is such a huge leap of faith that I am here at all. There are many opportunities around me and I want to advantage of everything. September is half over and there is still a lot that is going to happen!

Wednesday, September 15th. Day 21: Another moment, in great detail
When I was a nanny, both boys would be asleep when I arrived in the morning. When the older one was about 3, he would come down the stairs still sleepy and curl up with me on the couch to watch some cartoons. After about 10 minutes, his 2 year old brother would wake up and start hollering for me to get him out of his crib. I opened the door and he would kind of whisper "nanny" and then have his arms out for me to pick him up. As I held him in my arms, he would nestle his head in the crook of my neck and just burrow into me. He would be warm and sleepy as well and it was just the best thing.