23 Things

Monday I was way too excited about weddings to write about what was actually happening, so today's post is actually in honor of September 28th, and my turning 23, which, by the way, is not too exciting. In honor of living 23 years, I decided to share the 23 most important things I've learned in these 23 years. I promise, I'll keep them short

1.     The basics - a big thank you to the adults who taught past-LeAnn how to walk, talk, read, and write. Remember that next time your grandmother or parents need help. They helped you. 

2.     Quality over quantity in the friend department. A few great friends are much better than 20 okay ones.

3.     Never underestimate the power of a good night's sleep. 

4.     We all learn things differently, just because it's obvious to you does not make it obvious to others around you 

5.     A good book is one worth rereading, maybe even 20 times... 

6.     That you're never too old for Disney movies 

7.     Being right isn't all its cracked up to be. You can learn a lot by being wrong. 

8.     A well-placed semicolon is a game changer 

9.     When your dog is misbehaving, make sure you try to understand why before getting upset, dogs are just like small children and often have a reason for what they are doing. Try to figure it out. 

10. Prayer is pretty gosh darn powerful thing 

11. Even in adulthood, people can be mean - shake it off 

12. Your parents are right often

13. Sometimes your parents can be wrong; they are humans too by the way, don't beat them up for it  

14.  Don't start biting your nails, it is really hard to stop

15. Find people who inspire you to be more or better than you are right now 

16. Curly hair is beautiful, and you should rock it ( that one took a little while) 

17. There is nothing wrong with getting the feels every now and again 

18. Those people who called you bossy when you were little will call you a natural leader as you get older. It's a good feeling - bossy is a good thing. 

19. Just because you aren't a pro at the game doesn't mean you shouldn't play it

20. Risk makes for a great Saturday night 

21. People have different life experiences that form opinions. Someone else isn't right or wrong, they're just looking through a different lens.                                        

22. Some of your best memories are made unintentionally 

Now, there are many things in this world that I know, and there is so much more that I want to know. But two years away from a quarter of century, I'm feeling pretty good about my life choices. The most important thing I have learned though is this:

JOY

It's hard to find sometimes, but its essential to life. Seek joy. Be joyful. 

Tota tua, 

LeAnn 

It's a Special Day

Happy Feast Day, St. Frances!! It's my patron saint's feast day, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, who was an incredible Italian woman who wanted nothing more than to become a missionary nun like St. Francis Xavier who did missionary work in Asia.

When I was eight or nine, we were given the assignment of writing about our patron saint. I was incredibly upset to find out that my birthday and her feast day were not the same day. In fact, her feast day fell on my little sister's birthday.

Happy Birthday Ginna!

I am so blessed in so many ways, but there is one young lady who is a blessing to me each and every day. She is my best friend and confidant, and I can't imagine a world without her. There are very few seventeen year olds out there who can say they've got it figured out, but this one...this one knows what's up.

She is kind, faithful, and modest. She wants to dedicate her life to helping people and she is one the most hard-working, mature, loving people that I know.


She has helped mold me into the leader and friend that I am, because of how much she looked up to me when we were younger. Nowadays, I often feel like we are the same age, and that we both have so much to offer to the other. She believed in my ability to run camp before I did, and was there for me every step of the way this past summer.

My best memories of Ginna are infinite, I couldn't pick a favorite. When she was infant, she fell asleep in my arms, and all I wanted to do was read, but I also couldn't bear the idea of putting her down. So I sat there, holding and reading to her until my parents woke up from their nap and "relieved me" of my childcare duties.

I can remember cheering for her at every sport she has tried, trying over and over again to help her fall in love with books like I have, and eventually succeeding. Even when I didn't, I loved sharing a room with her. To this day, I dislike sleeping in an empty room because of our twelve years in a shared room.

But my most recent, favorite memory is when I shared my room with her at camp this summer. She was with me through that third week of camp, which was undoubtedly the hardest, and made each night before we crashed so much lighter, and made the thought of two more weeks seem so much more achievable.

For many siblings, a five year difference could cause huge fights and differences between siblings, and believe me, it did. But our differences have also brought us closer together, and created, for me at least, my best friend.

I love you Ginna Rosie, happy birthday!

LeAnn