2013.

I love love LOVE the idea of a fresh start. A new beginning.  To re-focus, re-prioritize and re-new.

This years resolutions include:

1. More prayer, meditation and yoga.

2. More patience and kindness.

3. To go for more jogs/ walks outside in the sunlight.

4. To not be so hard on myself. To be kinder to myself and not demand perfection.

5. To breathe and let it go.

6. Be productive with my time and do things that enhance my happiness and quality of life.

7. Read more.


2012 has been full of ups and challenges. Hard to believe that last year I was celebrating new years in the little flat I shared with Taraneh in Bourla, Akko.

(New Years Eve last year in Akko)

2012 highlights:

 (Serving in the most precious place in the entire world with my sister)

(Naw Ruz celebration in Haifa with joyous souls)

 (Spending my days with these beautiful beautiful people)

 (Getting engaged to the most wonderful human being)

(Going to Brazil! Being reunited with my love in his hometown. Meeting his friends and family and getting to know his world)

This year has been good to me. And I am so excited for 2013. Bring on the new year!

19 Things i am thankful for today.

19 things i am thankful for today:

1. Piglets.
2. My mom and how when im home she always asks me what we should have for dinner even though she knows the answer is always USH! Aka my fav Persian dish.
3.  The smell of summer. And freshly mowed grass.
4. Old family photos that provide hours of fun and take me back to childhood days in Dubai.
5. How close I am to my family and how frequently the cousins would see each other growing up. They are much more like siblings to me than cousins.
6. Prayer. For helping me find my center time and time again.
7. My grandfather, Baba Enayat, and great grandmother Madar, who are now in heaven and are my angels.
8. How adorable Honey is when she makes silly noises in her sleep.
9. Trees. Flowers. The ocean. Sunshine.
10. Black tea w/ milk and honey.
11. The amazing people i have in my life who always inspire me and bring so much joy into my life.
12. Travel. New places, new smells, people, music, foods, dancing and new perspectives.

13. Paisleys.

14. Juicy, goosey mangoes.

15. Optimism and hope even when things seem a little grey.

16. Receiving handwritten letters in the mail.

17. Dancing however i please w/o any worry or concern about people thinking i look ridiculous.

18. The fact that i was able to go Goucher and meet these amazing girls on the right.

19. Love. Cheesy, but true.

More things in April.

1. Honey has the cutest little nose. It melts my heart.
2. Sometimes Honey likes to find  clothes i have lying around and curls up inside of them. This makes me love her even more, if that could even be possible.
2. I have a bad habit of drinking lattes in the evening. For some reason thats the time of day i want them the most. This does not help my problems w/ sleep. Shmello insomnia. When will i ever learn my lesson?
3. My cousin recently pointed out something to me that i had never really thought about. Growing up in Dubai my family celebrated Easter and Christmas more than we do here. I remember sitting on santa's lap as a kid and getting a new Barbie. Also, Christmas decorations were 10 times more serious and beautiful in Dubai than they are here in Maryland.
4. i love being barefoot. Socks make my feet feel trapped & they would rather be free. Another reason why i love summer.
5. I truly enjoy cooking, but hate to follow recipes. I just follow my intuition.
6. I love to leave surprise "i love you" notes for people, and sometimes i wish i would get some in return
7. Its funny how i used to hate it when my food would touch when i was younger, but now i like to mix EVERYTHING together

Things in April.

1. Cute little kiddies are everywhere. My friends are getting frustrated w/ me squealing to them about how excited I am to have kids one day.
2. I have fallen in love w/ photography. So glad i signed up for the photo class im in. The several hours it takes to develop film is so worth it when you can see the pictures you took days before appear on the roll. It almost feels like magic.
3. I love the word magic. And magical. And whimsical. It amazes me the power a word can have. Positive and kind words can have such a transformative effect. As can negative, hateful words.
4. My African Drum and Dance class is performing tomorrow night. We have not practiced as much as we should have and i do not feel very prepared.
5. I graduate in less than a month. Too crazy for me to comprehend at the moment so i am choosing not to think about it:).

Gratitude list.

Im a firm believer in gratitude lists. Whenever any of my friends are feeling especially down i advise them to take some time and write a list of all the things they are grateful for. For me, making this list always reminds me how lucky and blessed i am and always manages to put things in perspective for me. Since things have been very hectic lately and i have been feeling a wee bit blue, i decided to take a few minutes and write a quick list.

1. Honey. This little creature has brought so much love in my life. The number of time she makes me laugh out loud because of her sillyness and cuteness is absurd.
2. My cousins. Who feel more like siblings than cousins. I feel so blessed to be so close to all of them. I truly feel like I have life-long sisters.
3. Starbucks.
4. Barnes and nobles.
5. Goucher. The fact that I have been able to attend the school of my dreams is such a blessing. I love everything about my school and am so thankful to my parents for helping me attend my first choice.
6. Being Persian. I love the Persian/ Iranian culture. The music, the language, the social scene... Im so happy and proud to be Persian.
7. Tea.
8. Meeting/ hearing about inspirational people who push and motivate me to follow my dreams and help confirm my faith in humanity.
9. My parents. Such amazing role models. I truly am lucky to have been raised by 2 people who live their lives with the goal to serve and promote love and unity. They are such givers.

Number 2 on my list: Cousins.

 Canada, summer 2007.

Poconos, summer 2007.