thankful thursdays & getting my nerd on

thankful thursdays:

technically, it is still wednesday as i'm sitting here typing this. the early bird gets the worm, right? i feel like this is the start of a weekly reflection post. it's so important to remember what you're thankful for & to remember how truly blessed you are. today, i want to talk about someone i'm extremely grateful for. (hint: this isn't about one of my parents...they get their own post soon). i wanted to take a moment and recognize my boyfriend anthony. this isn't some sappy post about how great he is, but he does deserve some praise. i'm a handful. anyone who knows me will vouch for that. i'm emotional, irrational, selfish, and at times immature. how anyone could love me despite my flaws blows my mind. i sometimes question how God could possibly love me unconditionally. anyways, i met this guy a long time ago, and on july 8th, we'll have been together for fifteen months. that. is. insane!! to be with someone for that long comes with a lot of ups and downs, but it also comes with so much love and happiness. we're certainly not perfect, and i wouldn't want us to be. he gets on my nerves, and i have my fair share of rude comments sent his way, but i can't imagine being with someone else. we fight, we laugh, we adventure, and we experience life together. i can honestly say that he has been a huge part of my life that i don't want to leave anytime soon.

the "grossology" exhibit at the arizona science center

getting my nerd on:

this past saturday he treated me to a day of exploring downtown phoenix. this is significant because i never go to his side of town. he always comes up to gilbert. we went to the science center and relived our childhood. sushi is our go-to type of food to get, so naturally i found a sushi place that we thought was decent. after a lots of walking and exploring, we went back towards his house to swim. i had so much fun i came back the next day! swimming with his little sisters + eating dinner with his family was a new experience for me which was long overdue given that we've been together for so long. i strongly believe that God put this amazing guy in my life because he knew that i needed him. anthony's my person. spending the weekend with him and his great family was definitely one of the best visits wit him i've ever had.

ultimately, i'm a mess, but i'm so so so thankful to be the girlfriend of someone so patient. it takes a special kind of person, (and a someone a little crazy) to put up with me... i don't know how he does it.

here are some pictures from our weekend together :)