8.16.2020

Another 365-days Around the Sun ♡

Birthday art gifted to me by one of my brother-in-laws.
This painting reflects meaningful moments of my last year of life, written below.


Another 365-day journey around the sun disappeared just like that in a blink of eye --as I celebrated my birthday and what a year it has been. 
A year ago this month I could've not fathomed all the lessons learned, all the memories made, and where the world would be today. 

Let's see how my year went...

AUGUST - One of my best friends got married at the SLC Temple and it was a very special moment to share with her and her family--we have been through a lot in the crazy dating world. Trip to Orlando, Florida to visit family for my niece's 3rd Frozen themed birthday. And a few trips to Disney World (Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom).




Trip to Seattle, WA to visit one of my best friends. 1st time visiting the Space Needle and fell in love with the Pike Place Market.


SEPTEMBER
- Lightened my hair for the first time, this was a big deal to me because I was always to afraid to try. My hair is dark again but now I don't have the "what if" and it was fun while it lasted. 

OCTOBER- Went to Florida for Halloween and went to my first Mickey Not So Scary Halloween party at Magic Kingdom. We had two costume themes (Star Wars and Nightmare before Christmas). The girls made Halloween so fun!

NOVEMBER- Fall trip to Florida. Visited New Smyrna Beach, and Epcot's Food and Wine festival for the first time at Disney World. 


Made a work trip to Laie, Hawaii. Visited the Byodo-Temple for the first time (with a friend from near by island). Taught two classes of marketing students at BYU. Went to the Laie Temple. Was a part of the grand opening night of the Light the World Giving Machines

For Thanksgiving I went to Boston for the time to visit my sister and brother-in-law. My flight was delayed in NY for a half the day but we still made it to see Frozen 2. We got all dressed up for our family Thanksgiving Dinner at the roof top of a beautiful fine dining restaurant. Shopped at Newbury Street. Wore pink to visit the Harvard Law School campus. Explored the beautiful underground art and campus of MIT with "backstage VIP access"since my brother-in-law is a grad student there. Had best fresh New England sea food. First snow fall of the year. 


DECEMBER- Started the month attending a special filming of the President of my church playing the piano with a young talented girl. It was so amazing to hear him play and be in his presence. It was so special to feel his spirit, tenderness and love towards people it was almost tangible. 



Trip to Florida for Christmas and New Years, always a blessing to have the opportunity to travel for the holidays since I have no family where I live in UT. And of course while in Florida always fit in a few Disney trips--this time to Magic Kingdom and Epcot. 


JANUARY
- Went the the magical Midway Ice Castles in Utah. Finally paid off some big debt, increased my  savings, rewarded myself for reaching those goals. 

A kind stranger in front of me paid my all my items I was going to buy when I was shopping at the mall, all she said was to pay it forward.  


FEBRUARY- Trip to Florida to celebrate my niece's 1st birthday, lucky to have been able to be at both my nieces celebrations.
And 1st time at Magic Kingdom for after the Super Bowl Disney day.
 
Got very sick once (at this point there wasn't much talk of COVID only in China) I got back to Utah but lucky to have friends to help me. Read about it here.

MARCH- So lucky to have reconnected with one of my best friends from home, we had kept in contact over the years but hadn’t seen each other since like 18 years old. I got to see her often since at the time she had job responsibilities where I live--what are the odds?


BUT then the unimaginable happened...WHO declares COVID-19 is officially a pandemic emergency. Toilette Paper, Hand Sanitizer, Rubbing Alcohol, Disinfecting Wipes and more sold out (click here to see photos of my local empty stores)... First presidency of my Church announces that our gatherings have been temporarily suspended worldwide, Disney closes, Sports get cancelled, school turns virtual, work turns remote, self isolation starts and dating/social life is put on hold. Read here to see how I spent my first month in self-quarantine. 

THEN later on I experience my 1st real earth quake LIKE WHAT?!!? 
WHAT A DAY. Woke up to an 5.7 EARTH QUAKE  here in UTAH. It was one of the most scarcest ways to start the day especially since everyone is already worried by Corona. What are the odds that the last big earth quake in Utah was 30 years ago and the next one was now. I taught it was a dream. My room, bed everything shook and...

Lastly, our family finally received some good happy news in the middle of all that chaos... my first nephew is on the way!! What a blessing in troubled times and thanks to technology we all were able to share a special moment. 

APRIL- I made the scary decision to fly to my family after being alone for a month since work was from home. I traveled with a mask, gloves, didn't sit until on the flight, stayed away from people and wiped all my stuff. I was lucky I flew on an almost empty plane. No one in-front or behind  me for rows on rows and no one on my row across. Once with family I spent two weeks wearing a mask and making sure I was fine from flying which I was. I thought I would stay just a few weeks and celebrate my dad's birthday, Easter while "COVID ended and our lives went back to normal" however that was not the case... at all. 



MAY- Everyone is still social distancing and there is a curfew. Work is still remote so I was still in Florida. Some beaches open while enforcing social distancing. Went to the beach for the first time since being in Florida, it was different, it was empty, and more peaceful than ever. Learned video and opened my YouTube Channel

Then the world stands still to learn about racism. America returns to space with SpaceEx.

JUNE- Everyone is wearing a mask in public places. Food spots start to open and some attractions. We went to Wild Florida, it was extra hot since we had to wear a mask while walking the zoo. We got to spend time with my sister and her husband since they came on a road trip to visit for our 1st family staycation to celebrate my older sisters birthday. 



 JULY- Get to celebrate my first 4th of JULY with family in many years. We go to our favorite isolated  beach. But then the news tells us the second wave of virus cases start to sky rocket (when it was said that would happen but until Fall). Disney opens.

                

AUGUST again - As you see I never returned to my Utah home, currently it's been almost five months. I thought it would only be a few weeks so I brought nothing with me really and since we were all staying home I didn't think I would need more. However now I have bought clothing and other day to day things. And felt so blessed to have had my birthday celebration with my family this year, it has been many years since I did because I chose to travel at the end of the month for my niece's birthday instead. 


So started the year traveling a lot, had unforgettable spiritual experiences, learned new skills (video), reconnected with family and friends, lived with my parents again and slowed down. 

And that's how my 365 days around the sun went for me this year. 


Here are some of my birthday celebration photos:

















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