Day 9: A picture of your friends

These are pictures of the best people in my life. Some of them I've known since I was little, and some I only just met this past year. Either way, they all hold a special place in my heart.

Day 8: A place you've traveled to

This is Chicago, my favorite place in the entire world. My parents and I came to Chicago when I was about 11 or 12 and I remember sitting on a bench in the park across from our hotel, the air was warm and the wind was just the right temperature and pace. We were watching a street performer that was getting more money for standing still than when he was actually performing. My Dad lit up a cigar which smelled amazing, and then gave my Mom and I money to go get some deeeeelicious ice cream from a little place across the block. I would give anything to go back to that night, I would give anything to go back to Chicago.

Day 7: Favorite movies

This post is gonna be an easy one!


Beauty and the Beast (This has been my absolute favorite movie since I was a toddler, hands down)

Goodfellas

Wedding Crashers

...and Shawshank Redemption

Day 6: A picture of something that makes you happy

Considering that many things make me happy I decided I'm going to select the top few and share them!


Sunflowers


Coffee (and of course, don't forget the hazelnuts and some chocolate)

Summertime


My parents

and last but not least...






...my friends :)

Day 5: A song to match your mood

Though no one but me and you will understand this, when I hear this song lately, it reminds me of you. It reminds me of how sad you are all the time, and how the hour distance between us seems like oceans. I feel so helpless when you don't tell me what's wrong, and all I want is to come home and hold you. The only comfort I have in you being back home alone is knowing that I love you.

Day 4: Your parents

My parents are the kind of people that make me believe one day I will find a wonderful man who will want to marry me, and we will grow old together and raise a beautiful family. My parents make me see the good in things I never once would have. My parents are the two most wonderful and significant people in my life.



This is my mother, the most wonderful woman in my life. My mom and I's relationship is fairly similar to stories of other mother-daughter interactions being that during about ages 15-17 I was a horrible little monster and thought everything she did (out of love for me) was because she hated me. Once I matured a little, I began to realize that the majority of our fights could have been avoided had I just done the things I was supposed to do (i.e. keep my room clean, do my homework) ...you get the picture. Anyway, now that I'm older and I have gotten to know my mom as so much more than just being my mom, I see her as this whole other amazing person. To give you some insight, my mom is the type of person that will sit there and listen to my stories about drinking underage with my friends and getting into bars I'm not legally allowed to get into for another 3 months and just smiles at me and laughs at what I'm saying (even though afterwards there is a short but sweet maternal lecture, "no drinking and driving", "don't walk around campus by yourself" sort of thing). She is the type of person who makes you feel bad about not wanting to go to church on holidays, but somehow once you're there and sitting in the church with her you wonder why you didn't want to come in the first place. She is the type of person who asks to make cookies with you when you're sick, and buys you flowers when you go through your first break up, and makes you miss her as soon as you pull out of the driveway to go back to school after a weekend visit. My mom is an incredible woman and I wish that there was somehow I could describe her better and do her justice, but then again no way that I could describe her would ever suffice to acknowledge the person she is to me.



Now onto this wonderful guy, my father-the first man I ever loved. It would be an understatement to say that I am a "Daddy's Girl". The relationship I have with my parents is undeniably different, being that I do not tell my padre the stories I tell my mom, mostly because I know that my dad will worry about me more (which is not to say my mom doesn't, but she is more accepting that I actually make responsible decisions with things like drinking...if that makes sense). My dad is the kindest man I could ever know, and it is my firm belief that he has never made an enemy in his life. He is the type of person that when he is in a crowd, he is the storyteller, and he is the one bringing everyone together for a laugh, or making them speechless with his mind-blowing cooking. Seriously, my dad should open up a restaurant (which I tell him every time that I am home) because everything that he cooks turns to gold; even my friends rave about his amazing chef-like skills and get jealous when I bring leftovers back to school with me. From even when I was little I remember growing up thinking that my dad must be the strongest man in the world; he could fix anything from a broken furnace to my broken heart. His hands were always calloused and rough from the work that he did, but he had the warmest and gentlest hugs of anyone I'll ever know. There are moments that I've shared with my father that no one will be able to understand, even if you've experienced them for yourself; like dancing on his feet when I was little because the shoes I had on hurt. It is rare to see him without a smile on his face, or a silly anecdote to tell to make your heart absolutely melt. There are times when I miss my dad (and my mom) so much that it actually hurts and I try to find even the slightest reason to come home just to be around him (them). Even now I have an overwhelming urge to call my dad just so I can hear him ask me if my car is running okay...and I think I just might.