Today we headed our to Mexico City once again. This time we will be there for 12 days celebrating Dia De Los Muertos. The day of the dead. Being raised in the U.S. and never having any recollection of the past of my ancestors, I journey over with excitement. We headed over and had some inflight reads. My recent copy of Conde Nest Traveler magazine finally arrived a few days before and I saved it especially for this flight. The magazine was the readers choice awards. I even found pictures of Mexico City that said “Still the best” and we all know it is. The magazine held everything from best cities, to best hotels, and even food. when we finally arrived, I found myself yearning for the City I loved, Coyoacan, where Frida Kahlo lived, were the coffee was the best, and the church where my great great grandparents were married at. Since the earthquake in September Mexico mexico has not been the same. We could see the damage all over. The city is still recovering. The church of San Juan that I adore, had the top of it fall off durin the quake. It was so sad to see. I took pictures and compared them to my old ones. Though the church was shaken, it was not destroyed. Just like the country. Mexico is hurting, but it will heal. There has been so much help since it happened, but there is still work to be done. My heart was saddened seeing the damage, but we will get through this.
The rest of the evening when we arrived was spent talking and eating and wandering the city. It was a good day to end the first night.
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I find myself writing again about the one thing that is always on my mind, adventures. Whether big or something, not knowing what your day will hold is an adventure. I was reading through this month’s AFAR magazine, and I was almost in tears. I envy every single person within the magazine for getting to live their dream of traveling abroad. To be able to experience new places, and also come back to write about it. I envy them, but I know that my place is here. I found this quote yesterday, it read She’s not bored, just restless between adventures -Atticus. I found myself just resonating with this quote so much I couldn’t explain it. Over the past few months I have felt this lack of contentment in my life, and school hasn’t helped. I went from leaving our home to moving into a new one, from having my car catch fire on the side of the road, to facing the reality that I’m not where I thought I would be at 22. A lot has changed, I have changed, some good and some not so good, but it’s happened. I feel lost, but the only times in my life I can remember being free was through my adventure. It was through my travels, through stepping out of my comfort zone that I truly felt alive, I want to feel that again. I keep feeling like i’m never going to make, like i’m never going to leave these four walls that confine me. Yet, I know that my adventure is just beginning. I yearn for the fulfillment of an adventure just as much as I thirst for water, I am not satisfied with my life anymore. The travel bug is a deadly one, and once you’ve been bit, the poison settles in, you’ll never be the same. Whether its having coffee at your favorite cafe in Barcelona, or feeling a warm summer breeze a bridge in Paris, or even seeing the tombstone of your favorite writer in England, it becomes a part of you. It's the moments in your life where you didn’t have to feel afraid. Where you felt free to live and enjoy life and not just try to survive. It’s the moment where you knew that everything you were feeling, everything you were seeing, wasn’t a dream, it was real. Traveling is the moment in your life where you knew you were chasing moments. You were chasing and creating moments that no one can take away, because they are creating you. Through the challenges and struggles, you find your limits and find that there are some you were able to push further than you thought. Traveling changes your perspective on life. Traveling makes you richer, in ways money never could. Lastly, traveling brings you peace in the unknown as you let go of what is known. Life is an adventure, no one knows what tomorrow will hold, but know that until you step out of your comfort zone, you haven’t truly lived.
Yesterday marked a week since the tragic Vegas shooting. My family and I were able to head out for a small trip while my dad took care of business. We arrived around 5:00pm to the famous Vegas sign where crosses and memories signs were in honor of the victims. 58 people lost their lives during that tragedy, many more injured. Although the shooter has been caught the heartbreak has not been eased. The many people that were there yesterday were families of the victims, to visitors, to Miss Nevada. Seeing all the people there, some were walking, taking pictures, and some were even worshipping. It’s always times like this that everyone unites. It was hard to walk around and see the place that just a week ago held so much pain and confusion. Everywhere you walked, you could feel the pain of the incident. From where the sign was, you could see the Mandalay Bay hotel. It is so hard to think of what had been going through that man’s mind while being up there. What evil he had inside of him to open fire on innocent people just trying to enjoy some live music. The unity during the concert and while the shootings happened is just too much to think of. My heart aches for those who were there. The fear of dying being upon everyone there must have been traumatizing. I can’t imagine what they went through. I commend those who were able to help out during the time. I still see videos of people carrying wounded on the barriers and trying to get them to safety. I am thankful for those in law enforcement who spent long hours treating and protecting those who were there. The pain of this incident will continue for sometime, but we as a nation will heal. As United Nation we will rise back up from this. During this time we find that we are united as a people and we will not let this break us, we will stand tall, we will be strong. #VegasStrong
My family took a few days out and drove to Arizona. We always come out every summer, but during this year we weren't able to with the move and school starting. We are finally able to take some time and wind down with just the five of us. We drove out Sunday and spent time stopping and getting food and taking pictures in the desert. Then we finally arrived at Harrah's and it was all fun and games from there. We had dinner, spent the rest of the evening in the pool and relaxing. Then today we woke up and get ready to head to Oatman City where they have everything from ghosts (if you believe in that), to donkeys, and some great ice cream. After we had our fill of ice cream and treats, we sat across the Oatman Hotel and just enjoyed the breeze and the sights. The donkeys were walking around and we just sat there, talking, laughing and living in the moment. My family ( just like all families) have their ups and downs. During this time, we have been able to go over old memories and make new ones. The seasons have been changing, and to think that we might not have as many family vacations like this kind of scares me. As everyone gets older, we can only make sure to take ahold of the time we are given, because you never know when it can be taken away from you. I cherish times with my family, even though some days I want to rip their hair out, we're family, that's not going to change. These are my people and they are as fun and as crazy as they are. From there we grabbed some food and headed to the Colorado river and just played in the water and just relaxed. Then headed back to spend the evening in the pool again and made some new friends. Nights where the weather is cool, the water is nice, and there's great conversation, these are the nights I live for.
If you're ever out in Arizona, staying at Harrah's or any of the many casinos you're in for a treat. If you're not a big gambler or drinker, there are so many things to do that avoid just that. From all the food spots (like Cinnabon, Smashburger, and Pinup Pizza within Harrah's) You can always head to the movies, or the river and find some jetskis to rent. The possibilities are endless. Today is my mother's birthday. She is another year older, another year wiser, but still here. My family and I have fought through many challenges this past year, but we're here. We're here celebrating the life of my mother and a new house. As an early birthday present I bought her a Disneyland Pass so now I don't have to go alone. This year my mother was supposed to spend her birthday in Mexico City with our family, but with all the moving and the turning in of our other house, plans got changed. I knew she wanted to go see the Plaza De La Familia from the movie COCO at California Adventure. So that's the first thing we did after we got her pass. It was so cute. From the entrance you feel as though you're being transferred into a little spot in Mexico. When you walk in there is an area where they do free face painting of little skulls with flowers and such. The line for it was so long that we didn't get a chance to get one, but the ones we saw were adorable. Within that area there was a Tree of Life that was held against the wall like the ones in Mexico. Next to that was the wall of memories. Where you can write or draw memories with your family and place them on the wall for others to see. You can also view other's memories. Some were happy and some were sad, like the one's of those who have passed on. It was a nice time to remember the good times with family. Next to the wall and tree there was a little food cart that held Elotes and cookies. For those who haven't had a Mexican corn, you don't know what you're missing. This however was the first time I had to put my own toppings on my corn, they are usually done for me (I'm so spoiled). The corn came with a tajin packet, parmesan cheese, and Heinz mayonnaise packs. It was definitely a sight to see. The corn was amazing though and our little COCO cookie was really good. It was a white frosting with a cookie over another and like a caramel paste in the middle holding them together. After we ate, we spent time looking at the Mariachi band and hearing the stories they told inform of the Plaza. Then from there we went through a little walk of the movie. It was designed to give insight into the movie and show the background of it. Since my mother couldn't go to Mexico this year, we found our own little Mexico. Everything for the movie felt so authentic. From the banners, to the food, and the music, everything was celebrating our culture in such a rich vibrant way it was touching. We spent about two hours there just enjoying the sights and the sounds. From there we went to do some of my favorite things. We decided to head over to Disneyland to partake in the sights of Halloween that have come so early. I absolutely adore Halloween and the fall season in general (even though it's still 80 degrees in SoCal year round). The seasons changing mean, longer cooler nights, the start of school, holiday's approaching, sweaters and leggings, and just getting closer with family and friends. We walked into the park and first thing was to take a picture of the famous Mickey Mouse Pumpkin. We took some pictures then walked down to the fruit cart and my mom got some watermelon and I had to get my hands on a poison apple cups. I then got it filled with grapes and everywhere I went people asked where they could get one too (I also found that they glow in the dark). The walk down Main Street is always a fun one, but when the halloween decorations are there, it makes it all the more magical. You know right then that you're in for a treat. We walked around and found ourselves taking yet the most famous picture of Cinderella's castle. I found the castle to be so beautiful today. Everything seemed to be going perfectly that day. We got to Disneyland around 5:00pm so the after school crowd was starting to come in. Even though it was getting crowded we couldn't be happier. After walking around some, we found ourselves in New Orleans Square. My mother had never had a bread bowl before, so that was the mission of the day. We spent the rest of the evening people watching, walking around, taking pictures and talking. It was a day I will never forget. My mother, letting out her inner child with me at the Happiest Place on Earth. Now that she has a pass, there will be many more days to come.
I started Graduate school the other day (finally) but I've also been in the process of moving. It was hard, but I decided that I was going to be all moved before school started so I can get ahead and focus only on school. Well after long hours spent packing, loading, and driving, my room was finally all set up. The rest of my family took a couple more days to get situated. Since Tuesday I hadn't been to our old house so I had no idea what was still left to move and what not. I finally stepped back in there today, and my heart sank. Its empty. Now, a year ago, I HATED this house. I thought the house was gross and ugly, the colors were bad, and my room was nothing compared to my old one. For my family though, this place was home. It was a house house at first because after we were told we had five days to get out of our old one because the landlord had fallen into foreclosure and didn't tell use, we had to buckle down and use all the help we could get. It was traumatizing really, we soent hours day and night trying to pack up all of our stuff with nowhere to go. we ended up having five storage units and staying in a hotel. It was a miracle from God that we ended up finding this house and we're able to sign a year lease within a few days. we knew this wouldn't be permanent, but it was a blessing, it was an answered prayer and a shelter for a family of five. We went through so much in that week, but we knew that no matter what, as long as we were together we would be okay. We KNEW God was going to get us through, and he did. Now or a year later, we were able to buy our house and have an ENTIRE MONTH TO MOVE! We had so much time on our hands but we didn't let anything go to waste. We started little by little but got everything done and we still have a week left. Each day was tough, but looking back now seeing how much progress we made was just incredible. we finally once again own our own home. As I look around at this empty box, I feel so sad. This kitchen held my 21st birthday dinner, late night family discussions, and lots of food. We had a water war in this kitchen, my goddaughter would steal cookies from the pantry, and too many cups of coffee to be poured. I sat on the counter, talking to my mom, going over the memories of this house, but she reminded me to smile. She told me that the memories here were good, sometimes bad, and inbetween, but this new house was a fresh start for us. This door is the one that held my most precious belongings, behind this door I shared in so many secrets, sleepovers, and cuddles with my goddaughter that I will never forget. It was filled with my memoirs from my travels abroad, the mess when I would pack, and the relief when I finally came home. Behidn this door held nights of crying crying myself to sleep and days of listening to music and drawing til the sun went down. I spent hours studying in that room that led to graduating with my bachelors. I lost a black widow in there with my best friends and had to sleep on the couch. I spent so much time looking out the window and seeing my polaroid pictures on the wall of all my travels as I would wake up. I would sit there for like an hour each morning and remind myself that when things get bad, I know that my travels have made me stronger. Now this room is just an empty box. It has no centimental value to me anymore, because my memories I take with me. I take my family with me. This year alone has taught me that material things don't matter, what matters is the people you love and who love you in return.
I get emotional for change, but I know God has the best in mind. Things can only go up from here. This chapter in our lives is over, but the new one is just beginning. With summer coming to a close, I can't help but feel nostalgic. My heart grows sad thinking of the memories from summers before. The memories from this summer are now overshadowing those. I can feel summer slipping away, but I'm not as sad about the season itself as I thought it would be. I'm actually kind of relieved, relieved to have the heat fade and the cool autumn breeze to set in. I'm missing the long nights, the fun drives, and the times spent with friends that I won't ever get back.
This summer has held everything from trips to Florida, Napa, Mexico City, Denver, San Francisco, and Vegas. It held some great times, but it also held some struggles. I went through trying times with my family, my car blew up on the side of the road, I had to cut people out of my life, and others also walked out. God also brought some blessings also, we are in the process of moving into a new house, I was blessed with a new car for my birthday, and I also am starting Grad School in a couple weeks. That being said, I am now stressing about the requirements for school and honestly this is a whole other ball game. I know though that I can't let the fear control me. I am stronger than the things that scare me. When things get hard and I find myself quoting the scripture from Proverbs 3:24 "If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet." It brings me peace and comforts me. I know that I am going to make it through the roller coaster called life. I was looking through the polaroids of my own life from the past year. My new camera was burned up in my car so I haven't been taking pictures for a while, but I love looking at my old ones. I love the pictures and the memories that they hold. Each image is a memory, but also a doorway into a time that made me feel alive. It's a window into the sights, smells, and sounds into a time that was captured through this little piece of paper. I am thankful for the times that I have had, and I am ready to make new ones. Here I am, twenty-two years old (Never thought i'd say that) with the world at my fingertips. I'm ready to stand tall, fall flat on my butt, and get right back up from the challenges that come my way. I know that with the love of my family and the grace of God I can handle whatever comes my way. My heart breaks today from news of what is happening in Barcelona. I woke up to my father telling me about the news. I watched BBC News for the next hour and a half. It was so sad to see the people terrified and running for their lives. I spent almost a month over there last summer helping teach English to the community and interacting with the Muslim community. The trip changed me. From the beautiful sights and sounds I couldn't find the words to express how much this trip meant to me. I learned to be free and to stop being afraid of life outside my four walls. I went there with complete strangers that I hadn't met until a few months prior, but even through the challenges of different personalities, we made it work. We were a family overseas, away from home, and it was great. My little Barcelona family had its ups and downs but we made memories there that I can never forget. .We played games on the metro, people looked at us like we were crazy. We played the tourists and we're living it up. We ate at the best restaurants and had the best views. We hung out at Sagrada Familia and I was just in awe of it all. I found a part of myself that I didn't know existed. I found my voice, I felt like I belonged. I didn't care what others thought, I was confident, I was free. I can't forget that. The way I felt there I still try to feel now. I can still tell you what metro stops to take, how to get to my favorite cafe, and I can still order my lunch in Spanish. I left my heart in Barcelona. I was devastated when I heard that Barcelona had been attack (terrorists or not) innocent lives had been lost. People who were just enjoying their time in the streets like I did. I walked down these same streets. I went to the same places, never once was I afraid of being harmed. Now seeing all of this, sitting here, in the states not being able to do anything about it. I hate feeling helpless. The first thing I did was make sure that my friends that live out there were okay. Many of them were staying in the states visiting family and friends. I'm so thankful that no one I know was hurt. How selfish though. How terrible for me to find comfort in such a tragic incident because it didn't affect me. I think that is what makes me so mad about incidents like this. We give our condolences, we say we're praying, but because it doesn't directly affect us, after a day it's all over. What is it going to take for us to wake up? To realize that we could be next. People have lost their lives, their loved ones, and there's nothing I can do about it. Im tired of just sitting here and pretending like bringing attention to it is enough, because it isn't. Im not sure what to do from here, but I am praying, my heart is heavy, and I will continue to pray, constantly. Barcelona has my heart. #PrayforBarcelona
So our final day was spent driving back down for what should have been around seven hours, but with our many stops along the way, it took about ten. I honestly don't regret anything. We checked out of our room around eleven, packed up the car, grabbed some coffee, and headed down to Santa Cruz to find the oh so lovely Penny Ice Creamery. It took us about two hours to get there from Napa, but we made it there around 1:30pm. We found their ice cream on instagram, they have some fun different flavors, but their main thing is the fun marshmallow fluff goes great with any ice cream. If you love a soft torched marshmallow like many of us do, then you'll love this place. From their fresh ice cream, to the crunchy waffle cone, it's only a bonus to add marshmallow fluff to top it all off. It's located on 820 41st Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062 If you are ever in Santa Cruz toking for a sweet spot, this would be it. After this we drove for a few hours until we found ourselves by this lovely fruit stand in the middle of Moose town or something, I forgot what it was called. They sold the sweetest grapes and strawberries, and I found some very ripe kiwi also. It was a fun find. Inside the little market they had this wall where people would leave their signatures and stuff, it was pretty neat to see. From there we started driving some more and found ourselves in Salinas County. I had no recollection of this place, but my mother said that we had been there before and she also said it was the place that the famous John Steinbeck lived and wrote about. We drove for a bit and found that his library and his burial spot were only about five minutes our drive. So inevitably we drove over there and got to admire his library, but we're saving his burial spot for next time. We drove from there for another five and a half hours to get home. By the time we made it back, it was around 10:30pm and we were so exhausted. As we pulled up into the driveway I saw this unknown car in my driveway, as I was asking who's it was my dad was holding ups key. It was yet another birthday present, I was so blessed. (details to come).
It was a great (but short) trip, filled with plans that went right, plans that would have been better, but the memories either way were some that can never be taken away. Cheers to being Twenty-Two. The next day we woke up and got ready to drive to the Cheese Factory for wine tasting paired with some fun cheese. There were four different wines and cheese's we tried. The cheese was good and helped wash down the wine. Pairing the wine with the fruit and nuts after also helped. It was overall enjoyable, but I can't say I'm too big of a fan of wine. We also were able to keep the wine glasses as souvenirs. It was nice to be able to cross off wine tasting off of our bucket lists. We walked around, got some champagne gelato and took some cute pictures. After this we headed over to Domaine Carneros Vineyards. It was so cute and the view was beautiful. After this we went to walk around downtown Napa and found the Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company. They had the best cinnamon latte From here we went to dinner then back to the hotel to relax for a bit before heading back to San Francisco to hangout and enjoy the evening at the View lounge in the Marriott Marquis. It was a great finish to our final night in town.
After our fun little adventure during warped tour, we came back home in time to eat, shower and sleep for a few hours before a mini vacay to San Francisco and Napa. My mom, myself, my friend Liz, and my friend Audri left at 5:00am on Monday and drove for 6 an a half hours to get to San Fran. When we arrived in San Fran the first thing we did was head to this adorable coffee shop called HOME sf and it was so adorable. When we walked in the worker said "Welcome Home" and I smiled so big, it was so cute. I ordered a Birthcake Latte and while conversing with the barista he asked if I was local in the area and explained why I was there. The employees wished me a happy birthday and they even wrote my name in the latte, it was so cute. I was so excited and the latte wasn't just pretty it was tasty too. From there we went to the Golden Gate Bridge and enjoyed the fresh air and the sights. We even sat on the wall that that they said not to climb. I always love coming up to the fort and getting so close to the bridge and the water. Then we drove over to the Palace of Fine Arts that was close by and stopped to take some pictures and climb the side f the palace even though it said not to. We are rebels incase you didn't catch that by now. After that we drove to Ghirardelli Square and walked around and went to this cute little crepe shop and even broke into the school from Princess Diaries. From there we drove up to Napa and found ourselves in a field of little horses and my mom stopped to talk to them and they came over thinking she had food, it was so cute. We made it to Napa around 6pm and the drive up was so nice and peaceful. It was hard not to enjoy life while being up there.
When we checked into our hotel we relaxed, took a nap, and then went out that night to have dinner and came back and slept. We did so much in such a short amount of time, we were exhausted, but it was worth it. Today's the day, I'm officially old. No more "forever 21" jokes, I have crossed over. I spent the day with my best friends and my little brother at the final stop of the 2017 Vans Warped tour. It was epic. From being tossed around in the pit during Silverstein's set, to almost passing out in the front for Neck Deep, to almost getting punched in the face, it was a day for the books. I was sad I wasn't able to be with all of my family, but I spent it with my best friends and some of my favorite bands. Last year, the day before I turned 21 I was spent at Warped Tour San Diego.my brother and his friends went with me last year, we had such a good time. I live for live music, and having my baby brother there with me was something I never thought I'd have. I love having him around, knowing he's got my back. I've never had someone to share the same taste in music with, and now I finally do. We had a blast last year and this year he was the one throwing blows and ending up on the other side of the venue after a set. It was so much fun. Next, was finally exposing my best friends to the wild adventures of warped tour. We got to enjoy the music of Andy Black and Falling In Reverse and singing til our lungs have out. They had never been to a festival and I'm glad that this was their first one. No matter what happens or where life takes us, I know these two will be with me through it all. I am in awe of the memories and the adventures we've been on the past five years, and I can't wait to see where God takes us in this new season. Life would be a lot harder if I had to do it alone, but I have not own, but two best friends in the same area of life as I am, and for that I'm grateful.
When I was younger, I was never allowed to listen to the music I do now, or even imagine about going to a concert. Now that I'm older and can make my own decisions I choose to do things I want for myself. Now spending your birthday with a bunch of punk rock bands and sixteen year old girls isn't what you would call typical for a twenty-two year old, but it's how I chose to spend mine. I want to live, be free, and not care about what others think, that started on the day I turned 22. I've been terrified of life for way to long, it's time to start living. Cheers to a new year, a new season, and new adventures. Let the games begin. I find the terrors of being twenty-two are not as bad as they seem. With tomorrow being the day I spent the day with my family having an early celebration. We were trying to figure out what to do and where we should go then someone thought of the OC Fair. We headed over around 4pm and got in around 5:30pm. We were starving so the first thing we did was order food. As it goes, everything at the Fair is most likely larger and deep fried, but so good. We walked around and enjoyed the sights. The walk through the works from local artists was my favorite. Such beautiful works and great talent from those who live in the same areas as us. It was nice to see that. While admiring the art and seeing the beauty within each image, I was distracted as I looked beyond the works and saw four people standing in front of me. I saw my mother the one who gave me life, I saw my father who works so hard to take care of me, I saw my brother who is the other man in my life, and my sister who bring the fun and excitement to the house. This is my family, I know some days we have our difficulties, but I would give my life for these guys. We have grown so much over the years and as I get older I cherish every moment I get to spend with them. From vacations, to movies, to just being in the same house, I enjoy doing everything with them. Sometimes they make me want to scream, but I thank God for them, they've helped make me who I am. After this we went walking about the fair again and decided to do the chair lift. It was nice being able to look all over the fair. While we hung I was terrified of dropping my phone, I almost did. The view was amazing, but also very scary. We walked around and I took a cute picture with my siblings. I couldn't get over how much we've all grown over the years. Seemed like yesterday we were playing with dolls and action figures and now one is going to Graduate school, one is starting college, and the last one made it through ninth grade. Life comes at you so fast and before you know it you're out on your own starting your own family. It all happens so fast. Wstayed st the fair til late, walked around, ate, and just took in the sights. Later on that night my parents decided to give me my birthday present that night seeing that they wouldn't be able to give it to me tomorrow. I got exactly what I wanted. A pair of basic vans and two tickets to warped tour.
Later on when the clock hit twelve, my best friends came and brought me gifts too. We talked about the birthdays before and the fun memories we've had over the years. How fast time flies. The first birthday we shared together was out 17th, and it's been history ever since. I am so thankful for them sticking by my side all these years. I couldn't imagine life without them. As I sit here, listening to music, writing, I'm emotional. I'm thinking (which isn't always good) about the time spent in this house. More like where I was this time last year. Ignore the mess of my room, most of it is packed up, because we're moving again! Many of you know we moved to this house last year after our landlord lost our house and the police gave us Five days to pack up our entire lives and find another place to call home. It was one of the most traumatic events in the lives of the Mejia's. It took some time, but we were able to get this house and move in within a few days. It was hard and although this house wasn't our ideal home, it worked. Since last March, many memories had been made in this home. Now as I pack up my life once again, I can't help but look back on all those memories. I look back and remember, the good, the great, and the not so good. All of it, every memory, has brought me to where I am today. There are some things I wish I could erase, some memories I wish I could relive again, but either way they are apart of me. Like my twenty-first birthday that was spent here. Now to make matters worse, my birthday was a difficult one. Last year, we spent the Saturday before my birthday having a small family party, trying to get my grandparents, aunt, and cousins together. With the dynamic of my family sometimes things don't go as planned. The day ended with the exchange of comments that led to everyone leaving before I could even blow it my candles. It was frustrating, but what can you do? That night however, ended with a flowers, a bunch of friends, a dart tournament, a game of corn hole, and great memories. It was unplanned (like the majority of my life) but was turned into a great evening. My twenty first was actually a great one. The day before we went to Warped Tour in San Diego and I climbed this arch that I always swore when I was little I would climb. I have always enjoyed doing things that not everyone would do, or expect. Climbing the arch was just one of those things. I wouldn't recommend climbing it, because there's snakes around (don't ask how I know that) but I was determined to do it. I knew when I was sixteen they on my twenty first I would climb it. The day before my birthday I did. It wasn't to prove anything to anyone other than myself. I knew that by doing this I broke down barriers that held me back for so long. I vowed to be more adventurous and free, to stop caring what others think and just enjoy life. Now looking back a year later, I would say I've conquered some (not all) of the things I've been afraid of. I am still learning to love myself and not overthink so much, but I think I've made progress. I find that as I get older my family does too, so I need to spend time with them more. I'm learning to be patient and content with where I am in life and not rush things. Most of all, I'm learning to trust God in where he's taking my life. I can't do anything without him. I always dreamed of being twenty-one, now that I'm moving from the best year of my life to the next year, it makes me sad. I know that twenty one was great, but it also held its challenges. I'm taking life day by day, learning to appreciate the little things, and leaning in to those who love me the most. I look at the pictures on my wall, the polaroids I've taken and I smile. I get to relive each and every important memory from this last year, through the frame of a little white border. I take polaroids not just to remember, but because they open a door back to that memory. These were my memories from being twenty-one, and I cherish them dearly.
Since I was little, I couldn't wait to turn twenty-one and say I'm an adult. Not looking back my only regret was not having enjoyed life more. I'm sad to let go of twenty one, but I know that twenty-two is going to be double the trouble. I'm ready for what God has in this new season. I'm ready for the next Adventure. Today, we went to Columbine high school. How crazy it was to see the actual school where the horrible shooting happened. We also drove over to the memorial and saw the different messages on the plaques. It's so sad to think of the lives that were lost. In the end they will never been forgotten After that we found Ice Cream Riot and basically got diabetes from a Poptart Ice Cream Sandwich. The ice cream was blueberry pop tart smashed in between two strawberry pop tarts. It was good but you could honestly split one with someone. Had such a sugar rush afterwards. Our time in Denver was short, but memorable. The adventures we were on we're small ones but so much fun. I didn't get to do half the things I wanted to do here in Colorado, but there's always a next time. Now headed home to face reality. Sometimes it's good to forget a little. Let go of the bad and find some good. Life is great, just need to make the most of it.
Tuesday we flew out around 9am and got to Denver around 12:30pm. We got to the hotel and our godkids came to stay with us. We spent the day at the pool and getting situated. That evening we went to Cheddars for dinner (which is a great restaurant that is only in Midwest/ Eastcoast). Then we went home, cause a few shows for Shark Week then went to bed. Wednesday was spent relaxing during the morning then the afternoon we all went to get food at Pizzeria Locale but found it by mistake when stopping at a Noodle place. It was #6 on my list I found on Pinterest on "50 Things to do in Denver." It was crazy that we found it. The Hawaiian pizza was amazing. I don't want to hear people's comments on the pineapple because it was so good (don't judge me). We then went to drive around for a bit, passed the capitol and just explored. We found ourselves driving around Parker and found this park. We let the kids run around at this park and found the cutest little coffee shop called Fika Coffee House. It was adorable and the little square that it's in was so adorable and the weather was nice. Unexpected adventures are my favorite, today was definitely one of those.
Today started out kind of rough. I found myself waking up abruptly this morning from a nightmare about the crash. I was upset all morning and had a massive headache. I find that even with the distractions, the music, the migraine medicine, I can't shake those emotions from the wreck. When they hit, they hit like a ton of bricks. I keep praying for peace, when I do, after sometime I feel peace. I find myself able to go on with my day, but at times the fear is so overtaking I can't handle it. I'm not scared to get into a car or to drive, but I'm just afraid. I don't know what to do. I keep telling myself that I'm stronger than this and that I shouldn't play the victim, but I can't help it. Talking about it and getting my thoughts off my chest has been good, it helps me process everything. I'm okay for a little while, then the cycle continues. As I enjoy my time here in Denver I smile, but I know this is slowly coming to and end and soon I'll be back home, facing my reality once again. I can't escape forever, but I feel like I've been trying to. I always tend to run when hard times come. I didn't know when I started running I'd be running my whole life. The first day after the accident was hard. I stayed home all day and didn't want to do anything. I had a visitor to keep me company, but once they left the silence started to eat at me again. Saturday my friend Lizette and my parents took me out of the house. We went on an adventure and got my mind off of things. It was nice. We went to Maz Cafe con leche and tried some fun coffees. We also took some cute pictures in their cute set up they had. After that we drove to Dana Point for fun and ended up running up and down the 1,000 Steps that we found by chance. Then we found the Sawdust Art Walk and had a grand time. The art walk had art from local artists. It held live music from a great band, and it was just a peaceful atmosphere. The art was up for sale and most artists had prints of their work as well. Liz and I ended up getting some really cute toe rings and drank some really warm wine. It was overall a good day and a much needed distraction.
Sunday we went to church and I had to retell the story about 100 times more. My anxiety had kicked up and it was hard to talk about it, but I got through it. The service was about praying more and giving your cares to the Lord. I've been having so much anxiety trying to figure out how I'm gonna get these memories out of my mind. I realized I haven't been giving it to the Lord like I should. I kept praying for peace. I started to feel better about the situation, but not fully. Monday was spent packing doing laundry and getting ready to leave to Colorado. My dad was flying out for work, my mom was going with him to go see our godkids and they decided to let me tag along thinking it would be good for me. Yesterday, I had one of the most traumatic experiences in my life. I'm still a bit shaken up so it's hard to put this all down in words. My car had been making this weird noise for a while, but usually it's from it running low on oil. While I was away in Mexico with my mother my dad took it to get an oil change and work on the AC because it was just blowing hot air. I was leaving yesterday around 1:00pm to go pick up my best friend so we could get coffee and just have a nice afternoon. As I started my car I heard that noise still. I called my dad and asked him about it, he said "they changed the oil and said the clicking sound is a little part that needs to be changed but your car is still fine to drive, the noise is just annoying." I didn't think anything else of it, I left my house around 1:10pm and about 1:20 my air started to get hot again, I tried to turn the AC on then off, then put the windows down a bit and then left the AC alone and tried to ignore it. I was on fasttrak on the 91 West and so as I was getting a little annoyed I used my hands free app and told Siri to text my dad and say "The AC in my car lasted for about five minutes and now it's back to being hot." Within two minutes of this I heard a pop in my car. I wasn't sure what it was but then I started smelling gas in my vents. I started to pull my car over to the shoulder and it started smoking. The car turned off on me and I could turn the steering wheel. As I grabbed my phone off the holder I started to call my dad, as it was ringing the car started smoking and I jumped out of the car. My hazards were on and so was the car still. I called my dad freaking out telling him that "my car is smoking, dad what do I do?" He said "stay calm, I'm calling AAA." I said "should I call 911?" He said "I don't think you'll need to, but we'll see." About a minute later I started walking to the car to try to get my backpack from the passengers seat and the hazards had stopped and windshield wipers started going off and flames started from the car. I decided at this point I needed to back away from the car and call 911. As I was talking to dispatch she said "ma'am someone had already called us, an officer is on the way, take a deep breath it's going to be okay." As she said this in attempt to keep me calm I was already hysterical. As I'm on the phone with her a Santa Ana officer pulled up behind me and asked if I was okay, I explained to him the situation and he took my phone to talk to dispatch. In his attempt to keep me calm, we heard a huge pop and found that the airbag was being deployed and windshield exploded. As that happened he told me to get back and stood in front as to shield me from the bang. As we waited for the next few minutes the fire department arrived in attempt to put out the flames and Anaheim PD showed up and the Santa Ana officer said "I hope everything works out for you." And drove off. By this point I've already called my dad to tell him what's happening and he tells me he's about five minutes away. With the fastrak and freeway almost completely stopped, I didn't think he was gonna make t through. The Anaheim PD already came and asked the situation also and I explained to them what had happened through my tears and adrenaline. The officer put his arm on my back and said "this car and everything in it can be replaced, but we can't replace you." I finally heard words that helped me calm down. He then went on to say "I'm just glad you're okay." The next 10 minutes or so we waited as now two fire trucks and several firemen were putting out the car. A firefighter finally walked over and asked me for my drivers license and car insurance and everything else, but it was too late, everything was destroyed. As I began talking to him my father showed up and they took him to see the car. As he saw it they were taking out what they could find still together from my trunk. He looked at the car and walked over and said "are you okay" and I said yes as he hugged me. The next half hour was spent waiting for the tow truck, dealing with information and insurance exchange with the police and firemen and then finally taking what remained to my dads car. I walked over and took pictures and video of the car to see what was left and nothing was there. Behind the black ashes what remained was the foam of the seats. My backpack, my high school and college tassels, my Polaroid camera, pictures, my great grandmothers rosary, my college cap, my cds, my sunglasses, my rainbow sandals, my journal, blankets, iPod, and other things were just gone. was thankful to be alive but I'm still sad about the things I lost that I worked so hard for. I then proceeded to leave with my dad and head home. By the time I got home all I wanted was to see my mom. She saw me and we both broke down crying. She was terrified and I was still in shock. We talked about what had happened and the events leading up to it. Before I left it just felt like an ordinary day. This is what was left of my car. I was so mad because I had been getting cabin fever being home, and the time I finally decide to go out I almost died. I was still shaken for hours, not sure what to do with myself. I kept playing the day's events over and over in my head. I was terrified, all alone on the side of the freeway. Had I not acted fast enough I could have been in the car too. To think that if anything had gone differently, the outcome could have been worse. I am grateful to be alive, grateful for the person who called 911 for me, for the firemen who risked their lives to put my car out, and for the police men making sure I was safe and keeping me calm. I'm going to be 22 in two weeks, and to think that the enemy was trying to take me out. I don't see this just a physical accident, but a spiritual attack. I made it out alive. I am still very emotional and although I am comforted but the words and support of those around me, I think this is going to take some time for me to heal. This morning I have taken time to just sit in my word and soak on God's grace. I replay the events over and over in my head, I can't get this images out of my mind. I can still feel the fear I felt and the rush of adrenaline as I decided to fight or fly.
All the things I was worried about before I left yesterday, I can't even remember what they were. I am hanging on to my family and the ones who love me. I am even more appreciative for the life that I have and I can't imagine if things had been any different. I don't know why that happened yesterday, or what bad things usually happen, but I do know this. I know God was watching over me, I know he has a purpose for me, and I know he loves me. Some days you wake up and have everything l planned out. Where you're going to eat, what time you'll be ready, and when you'll come home. My days are usually not like that and I've found out that those are usually my best days. Today was one of those days. My mom woke me up and said that she wanted me to go out to LA with her. I am typically reluctant to go, because I don't do good with the traffic, but I went anyway. While on the way over there she told me to find a fun coffee spot for us. We ran some errands at the Flower District and I got my usual bouquet of colorful flowers. Flowers are my love language and every time we stop by LA I have to get at least one bunch of them. After we ran errands we drove not even five minutes away to Stumptown Coffee Roasters. I found it on Pinterest and knew that we had to try it. We tried the Iced Vanilla Latte's and they were amazing. They are pretty big with their cold brew, but if you want something sweeter the latte is the best. Before we finished our coffee orders, we were thinking of getting food, when the girl at the register told us that it would be better to order from the food truck outside. The truck was called Free Range LA. It was some of the best chicken i've had. My favorite was the crispy potatoes, omg they are amazing. My mom and I usually find ourselves on little adventures here and there and some have been greatly successful, like this one. This one was also different, because today is different.
Exactly a year ago today, my family went through a rough time, and I wasn't sure if we were going to come out of it. We were bent so far we almost broke. So seeing how far we've come and knowing that God brought us through a time we didn't think we could get past is such a miracle. I tend to reminisce on where I was the year before and reflect on where I am now. Since that dark day my family has grown closer and stronger as a unit and I am so thankful to have them. We are all in a different place than we were last year and it's great to see the progress. My mother and I talked and cried and were able to really let some things go. With our talks alone, it was worth the trip, the food and flowers were just extra. We woke up a little earlier this time to find this restaurant that my dad said he went to all the time when he lived out in Florida, while being stationed in the Navy. We had the All You Can Eat salad bar and were pretty full after the first round of food. After this, we made our way over to our final Disney park, Epcot. When we arrived we went directly to our fast pass for the Mickey and friends. When I was little I used to watch the Disney Sing-Along videos where all the kids would look fun and go to Disney World and they would just have a grand time, and I used to envy them. There was this one commercial before they would start and this little girl would go with her family on a trip to Disney and she did all these things, but was sad when the day was over. Before she left her parents asked if she had a good day and she said "almost," and as she looked up Mickey Mouse was there and she smiled and said "I've waited my whole life to meet you." I always remember watching that and thinking maybe one day I'll be able to go there too. When I saw him, I looked over at Liz and told her the story. I got so excited to see him, and when he hugged me I almost cried. It was a dream of mine, and I finally was able to live it. Nothing of that had come to my memory until we went to meet Mickey. I felt like I was eight again. After this we walked around and went through the world. Our first stop was Mexico. We heard some Mariachi play, and walked around like we were tourists. Next stop was Norway. We saw Elsa and Ana, rode their cute little ride. After this we went to China. We saw the plans and layout of Disney Shanghai. Next stop was Germany. Then onto wine tasting in Italy. Then we found ourselves at home in the American Adventure. After that was Japan. This was where you could find all the Hello Kitty, Pokemon, Tortoro, and Gudetama toys you could imagine. This was where Liz and I stopped to have some appetizers, and they were delicious. On to Morocco from there. Then (one of my favorites) France. It was a lot smaller than I expected, but it was still really cute. Then we found ourselves in our second home, the United Kingdom. Liz and I actually spent a couple weeks in Oxford a few years back, and that's actually how we met. We were taking this course at school and took and International Business trip to Oxford and studied at Oxford University. We met through the class and her, myself, and two other friends extended the trip and stayed out in Paris for an extra week. As we walked around, we thought "This does not compare to the real thing!" We both know that this may be the closest some people will get to England, but it was cool to say that we've seen the real one. Fun Fact: Did you know that "ER" stands for "Elizabeth Regina". Regina is Latin for "Queen" so her name is "Elizabeth the Queen". Isn't that cool? I found that out a few days before my 20th Birthday in England as we toured Windsor Castle. Last, but not least, we found ourselves in Canada-A!. (Only few will understand). Epcot was everything and so much more. We had such a fun time and felt more cultured than before. To all the places we haven't been, Epcot made us want to see them even more.
Sadly, this was the last Disney park we were able to go to. Hollywood Studios just didn't fit into our agenda this time. Next time we will surely hit it! This ended our Disney journey, but our Universal one took place the next day. The next day our adventures would lead us to the one and only Magic Kingdom. We woke up and got all dressed up (again) spent time doing our hair and make up and were determined to find some really cute ears we saw at Animal Kingdom the day before. By the time we got to the entrance, it started to rain. It was actually pretty cold too, so we were already in for a treat. Despite the rain, I was a little excited to feel somewhat at home, I knew Disneyland and hopefully Magic Kingdom would be similar. Main Street looked pretty similar to Disney back home, but there are still many differences. We arrived around 12 and our first fastpass wasn't until around 2:30pm, so we walked around to kill time. I was determined to find the ears I wanted and also a Mickey Mouse Straw. I had told Liz from the beginning this was a goal of mine, and I wasn't leaving until we found it. We walked around, went on the Stitch's Great Escape (which was really cute) and found a shop with the ears I wanted. I was already soaking wet and my hair fell flat, so it didn't matter how I looked in selfies, I just wanted my ears. From there we still had time to kill so we walked around, and as I walked I saw some girl with a drink in her hands (being the foodie that I am) and saw the Mickey Mouse straw I wanted. I ran over to her and asked where she got it, she said it was "around the corner at the restaurant in Tomorrowland." I looked at Liz and said "WE HAVE TO FIND IT!" So we rushed over and found it at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe. Here's the thing though, I wanted the straw for ONE Reason: to find a green one and put it in my Starbucks drink. The thing is, the straw actually cost $0.69 and you can buy it there, but being there person I am, I also bought a smoothie with it just for fun. I was disappointed though to find only red straws, but I found a straw so I was happy. From here we went over to the castle and tried to take some cute pics in the rain. They didn't seem to meet our Instagram standards, but they were still fun. The one in the middle is the one I posted on my Instagram. The overcast worked well with the highlights and bringing the brightness up made it nice to look at. After this we wandered around a bit, found Ariel's Grotto (her home not the restaurant), found Rapunzel's Tower, and lastly Gaston's Tavern. In here we were going to find this giant cinnamon roll that when you look at you'll get diabetes, but it's great. When we walked in, I looked to the left and heard the girl in front of me talk about the "rose cup." She said "that better not be the last one, I'll be so mad." I looked around the room and saw the image of the Beauty and the Beast rose cup. I was so excited and looked at Liz in denial saying "they have the cup here? At the Tavern back home they've been sold out!" Then while looking on Snapchat saw that my cousin had JUST BOUGHT ONE and I wanted to cry. As we got closer the girl repeated what she said, and I chimed in and said "if they ran out, I'll cry." She looked back and said "me too." I asked for one, they had them, and I almost cried. I loved the movie and honestly items that just go with movies and bring them to life really make me happy. The cutest thing about the cup is that if you push the button on top it lights up, you push it again, it goes fast, and once more will turn it off. I then spent the rest of the day having to turn the light off because it would go off in my backpack, it was annoying. From here we walked over to Starbucks and I finally was able to put my Mickey straw in my cup. Even though the straw wasn't green, I dealt with it. When I got my cup they called my name on it was written "Queen Regina", which made sense because my name actually means Queen. I went and posted it on Facebook with the caption: I think I just reached the highest level of Basic I didn't even have ask her to put Queen on it. She already knew. — at Disney's Magic Kingdom. It was actually pretty funny. Everyone loved it. I was happy. We then walked from here to Tomorrowland to get our fast passes for Space Mountain, and honestly the line for fastpasses was longer than the standby, everyone in line was so mad. It was still fun and was a little faster than our back home. We walked around, found more rides, saw fireworks later that night, rode the famous Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and walked until our feet had blisters, it was great. I usually take some time after a trip to go over everything that happened. I need time to process everything, sadly that means taking longer to get everything together and written up. Now finally, I feel I can compose my thoughts and memories together and tell you about the start of my summer. A last minute, beginning of summer trip I took with my good friend Liz to Orlando Florida. The funny thing is, whenever we would tell someone we were going to Florida, they assumed that we (two single twenty-one-year-olds) would be going to party it up in Miami or something, but no, we were going to Disney World. We paid around $220 for our flights, $155 for our Airbnb and honestly this price alone was worth it for five days in Orlando. We also packed everything into one bag, and together we made it to 46 pounds. We left Monday night and made it to Orlando Tuesday morning at 6:30am. Once we landed, we took an Uber directly to our Airbnb, (which was lovely!) and got situated. Being as exhausted as we were already, we decided to take a little nap. We slept for an hour, got up, got ready, and Ubered to our first stop, Animal Kingdom. The first thing we did when we got there was walk in to see the Tree of Life, it truly is beautiful. It was kind of hot when we got there, but within an hour it was raining. We tried to stick it out, but once it started pouring and we got soaked, we figured it was time to buy a poncho. We walked around and rode Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, and had a grand ole time. Even though the rain ruined our hair and make up within an hour, we had fun, roaming around, experiencing things we never had before. Day one was complete.
The first time I had to say goodbye to my family in Mexico, I cried so hard I thought I would never stop. When I finally did, it was because I was comforted in knowing that I would see them again. After this trip, I didn't cry, I didn't even feel sad. This is now my home, I don't feel butterflies or feel uncomfortable, I feels are, and at peace. I can't forget the things I have learned here and experienced. The memories are what I hold onto until I see them again. Everything I do, everything i've learned, is all apart of me now. The people who have impacted my life, everything has made me who I am.
Sometimes you need to look to finally move ahead, and that's what I'm doing now. I can't look back in pain, knowing that I grew up not knowing Spanish or anything about where I came from. I need to take what I've learned and pass it down to my future kids. I need to teach them to be proud and not ashamed of where they came from. I can't imagine a time now where I was ashamed of being Mexican, feeling like the names that people would call me would actually define who I am. None of that means anything. I am proud to be an American, but I also am thankful for the Mexican in me that is strong. Until next time Mexico. By Sunday, we found ourselves running out of time. I desired to head to downtown and find the Angel De Independencia (also known as the Independence Angel). So we went to breakfast, and while we were walking back, my mother saw some people eating watermelon walking back from the church by our house. So we decided to walk over there and see it. We ended up running into another aunt that I also did not know existed. They talked for a while and my uncle and I walked through the church. The church was built on a pyramid so the foundation is not even, so the church sits slanted. This was my first time inside the church, and it was beautiful. After this got ready, and headed out. My mother, Aunt, and I took the metro to downtown, it was hot and full. Honestly it was pretty suffocating. We finally made it about a half hour later, we took a taxi, and there it was. We walked around, took pictures, went to Starbucks, and made some good memories. We had a great time and it was beautiful. The city is radiant and just full of life. We also went to the biggest church in Mexico and saw where the President comes out to speak. So much history that has come together with the present, it is altogether wonderful and exciting. We even found the street with my name on it. I felt kind of special. We made it back by 6:30pm and I walked over to the theater with my uncle. My cousin and my aunt work there and we know the manager there so we were able to get into the show for free. The show playing was called Dracula Jr. and it was honestly so funny. I am so proud to see the arts alive and well in Mexico and to know the actors as well. After this we went to my favorite Cafe in Coyoacan, El Jarocho and had some Cafe de Olla. I walked to the church and spent time just sitting there. I was there with my cousin and we just talked for about an hour. It was such a good night. It is always so peaceful there to be out at night. Nights like that I will always cherish.
I waited 65 days from the moment I landed to go back. I was excited and couldn't wait to make new memories there. On the plane over I felt nothing. It wasn't an excitement, it wasn't something I was opposed to, but it was just normal. I felt like I was going home and I was happy. When we arrived we went down to the house and went to get food and enjoy the time with our family. We went to dinner at Los Bisquets Obregon I got a cappuccino with chocolate on the bottom and it was amazing. After this we decided to walk towards the Callejon Del Aguacate. This is the alley where (as it has been said) that you can find the devil himself there. I don't know too much about it all, but there's been people killed here and it's been said that there's a lot bad things hat have happened in that alley way. As my family and I went down and tried to find anything, we took pictures and video. The whole time we walked down the alley I felt nothing but chills. I was paranoid thinking someone was following me, but there was no one there. I don't believe in ghosts, but I know that there a spirt real that has both good and evil. Walking down this alley, I felt nothing but evil. I also took a video on Snapchat, when I first took it, it was just a normal video. Now when I go back to review the video, it stops two-seconds in and there is only audio that sounds like whispers. It was really scary. The next day my mother and I woke up early, ready to head to Frida Kahlo's Museum. Last time we were in Mexico we didn't get the chance to go because it was packed. We decided to go breakfast in the square of Coyoacan. It was really cute, with the European vibes. I had a cappuccino, my mom had a cup of cafe de olla and we ate some amazing chilaquiles. We were there for about an hour then walked over to the museum. Like we suspected, the museum was packed, both lines were so long. At the museum there are two lines, one for purchasing tickets, and the other for those who already have their tickets. We were going to wait in the line to purchase tickets, the line itself stretched almost around the building. It would be about a 3 hour wait. While we waited for a few minutes, one of the workers was speaking to a woman about 20 feet away from us and I told my mom to try to listen to what she was saying. She came back and said that you could purchase tickets online and it would be a lot faster than waiting to buy them. So I jumped on my phone and bought tickets within five minutes. We only paid $10 for both tickets and would only need to come back an hour later to wait to get into the museum. I was so shocked at how dumb we had been. We are usually really good with researching and looking stuff up, and we had no idea that you could buy tickets online instead of waiting for them. From there my mother asked if I wanted to find the cemetery where my ancestors were buried. I told her let's do it. We asked a police officer where we would need to go, and he said it was about an eight minute walk from where we were, so on we went. We reached the cemetery and my mom purchased 24 flowers so I could lay on the grave. Down in Mexico, if you go to visit someone there, you also take a bucket and broom and clean the grave as well. While being in there, we had trouble finding it, so we look for about a half hour in this huge cemetery and then right before we gave up, we found it. My mother said that hardly anyone from there comes to visit. She said that the beauty of this is knowing that someday I'll bring my kids down here to see the line of people who came before them. Those who lived their lives in such a beautiful place. There is something special about finding out where you came from. I didn't come from Coyoacan directly, but my ancestors did. My great, great, grandfather did. With the life he lived, that trickled down to my great grandparents, who decided they needed to make a better life for themselves in the States. Had they not made the decision they did, I would not be here, or I certainly wouldn't have the life I have now. Seeing the family I have down here, we come from the asme bloodline, but were completely different. It is all because of where I was born, what I taught, and how I lived. I appreciate everything that my family has done for me. I look back knowing that my life is good because of the decisions they made, good and bad. I want my kids to come back and see where they came from, to appreciate the lives of those lived before them, and the sacrifices made so they can have a good life. That is my desire for my children. After we cleaned the grave and placed the flowers, we walked back to the museum. We made it in time for our slot in the museum. As we walked in and walked through, I couldn't believe my eyes. We also paid extra for a photo pass to be able to take pictures in the museum, it's a few dollars extra but it's so worth it (pics or it didn't happen). To know her background, is just a little window into seeing her art for what it is. You won't understand the paintings with her in a waist/chest brace if you didn't know about her accident. You won't understand why Diego Rivera did some of his paintings in shapes if you didn't know that he was friends with Picasso and also inspired by his work. There are so many things I have read and known of her and Diego, and to see it come to life before my eyes was really special.
She went through a lot of pain in her lifetime, but she managed to move past what people thought of her and she took on each challenge that came her way. She was strong, she was weak, she loved to paint, she was Frida. I admire her confidence so much. She didn't have the sex appeal like Marilyn Monroe, but she was beautiful in her own way. I have always hated it when people would say that, but it's true. Beauty isn't based on how you compare to the standards of others, but to radiate beauty in the way you talk, the way you act, the way you carry yourself. She was beautifully terrifying, and honestly I wish I could find the confidence that flowed through her. |
AuthorReggie is a college gradute with a degree in English. She loves traveling and hopes to one day stay on the battle field for missions. Life is a book and everyday is an adventure, follow her on this journey and see the world through her eyes. Archives
November 2017
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