So Many Things to be Thankful For...

I apologize for the lack of posts. Last week has seriously been, in my opinion, one of the most stressful weeks I've had in a while. As I reflect back on the week and on a recent Target trip with my dad, it really hit me how much I've been blessed over these years and even now.

Even through the toughest times, there is still something good to find in every day.


I am thankful for my wonderful family. Although like any family we fight and bicker, I still love them with all my heart.

We have been through so much, but I'm glad that we still have stuck together and have had a few good laughs. Although mom is not currently in any of these photos due to the fact that she is out of the country, I love my mom. I thank her for her guidance and how much she has sacrificed for me. I thank my dad for being the person who keeps our family together, provides for my siblings and I, and tries to make the best of a bad situation. I thank my brother for being in my life for my entire life, and trying your best to help others. Your love for music, your intelligence, and your heart for others will take you so far in life. And to my sister, I am thankful for her craziness and talent for art (she drew the castle in the background by the way). She definitely has great things coming her way if she keeps working hard!

I am BEYOND thankful for my amazing friends. I use to tell myself how lonely I was, but not to realize all the amazing people that have stood behind me and supported me when I needed them most. They are such patient and loving people, and I seriously look up to these people. They are literally like family to me, and put up with my absolute craziness. There could be so many ways I show my thanks and love for them, but it's hard to say it entirely in words; I do them with my actions. I wish I could say something about all the friends that I have posted pictures of, but I think I will be redundant and probably bore people... Anyhow, these people have become huge blessings in my life. Here's to many more years of friendship! :) Love you guys to the moon and back! 

P.S. I probably have more pictures of some other friends somewhere, but I'm kinda too lazy to find them.. Haha

I am also thankful for having a creative mind and finding the beauty in the little things. I have always been an artsy person: doodling, doing arts and crafts, and taking pictures. I'm grateful to have these talents and I hope I can use them for good in the future. There's so much for me to learn, but I'm continuing to grow and find inspiration! 

I somehow don't have a home at the moment, but I am thankful for the shelter, food, and belongings that have been provided for me. I understand that not everyone is privileged like me, and while I admit that I can be selfish at times, I am still that I am still healthy, alive, and cared for. 

I am thankful for bad days and bad experiences. It's true that I get haunted by my horrible decisions and days when everything went wrong. It pushes me to become a better person, learn from my mistakes, and move on. I have learned this the hard way because I tend to take everything way to seriously, and make everything worse than it actually should. As Ralph Waldo Emerson says, "Don't be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams." In the end, everything will be okay and will make perfect sense, so just let them be (I just hope I follow everything that I have said). 

I am most of all thankful for an all-knowing, and wonderful Savior. It's kinda weird saying it aloud, but I'm not afraid of saying it. He has blessed me more than I can imagine, and provided nothing, but the best for me. I still have a lot to learn, but I'm still trying, and he reveals himself in the most mysterious, but amazing ways. I hope to continue growing in Him, and be a light to others! 

There's still so much to be thankful for, but for now, this is what I will leave with. Always treasure the people that have loved and cared about you, and for everything that has been provided, or has happened to you in life. It makes you a stronger person, and pushes you to keep trying, and also don't forget to smile, because as Marilyn Monroe says, "Keep smiling, because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about." 

My Week in a Nutshell

Well, things have been a little hectic since it is the last week of school for me! I can finally say that I have survived junior year! I have made some wonderful friends and memories, along with experiences that I will be taking with me throughout life. I can't believe that I'm officially a senior now.. It was only yesterday that I felt that I was starting kindergarten. I have definitely been blessed!!

Anyhow, some pictures to go along with my hectic week! :)

1. Graduation parties! I still have some more to attend. It's going to be bittersweet. 

2. I think I have heard this quote before, and I feel that this is so  important in finding a guy. Right now, I'm not looking for one, it's just something to keep in mind. ;)

3. My home girl, Jenny. I'm really going to miss her when she goes off to Cali next year. Hopefully, we will be making some pretty LEGEN-wait for it-DARY memories this summer! (For all you How I Met Your Mother fans) Thanks for all that you have done for me this year! 

4. This is my English teacher, Ms. Guerrero. She is one of the strongest, sweetest, and most beautiful people I have known. She has always been welcoming and put up with my weirdness this year. I will admit that English is not my favorite subject, but she has made it all the better! She has made my junior year tons better and helped me so much this year. I have been really lucky to have a wonderful teacher like her who always cares about her students and always finding any way to help. I love her a lot! :) 

5. Finally, my brother has paid me back with Starbucks. Green Tea Lemonade for the win! 

6. I mean, no post can go without my love for food.. And tiramisu. Honestly, I always get really excited every time I'm about to have some. It's to die for!

All in all, this week has been pretty crazy, and at times stressful, but I'm thankful to have survived this week! I just have to tackle this ACT, and then I'm going to have myself a wonderful summer! :) 

-Rachel

Let Me Clarify Myself...

Before people get concerned about why I'm stealing a famous person's name, I would like to say that my name is spell with an "EL" instead of "AEL." I got the nickname of Rachel Ray from a close friend of mine who knows I have a secret love of food and baking.

So who is this Rachel Ray?
Well, it's obvious that my name is Rachel. 

I am a person who like a lot of things. I could go on for quite some time, but I don't think it really matters at the moment, but anyhow, a little bit more about me... 

I am the second out of three children in my family. The oldest one is to my right, Samuel, who is a year and four days apart from me. I also have a younger sister, Esther, but apparently, she's too cool for this picture.

I enjoy drinking tea, especially the Starbucks Passion Iced Tea Lemonade. I prefer to drink tea more than coffee. I'm sorry if I have already offended the coffee lovers out there... Unfortunately, there's still people out there who can't spell my name. Sad life.

Next year, I will be on my high school's drill team. It'll be a new and exciting journey for me, and I'm looking forward to it! 

I have a huge knack for photography, and flowers. I currently have a Nikon D5100, and I love it! Nikon users for the win!

I also like flowers. I know that some do not enjoy them because they die easily, but it doesn't matter to me. They are such beautiful creations and it brightens my day whenever I see them (cough cough to my future nonexistent boyfriend that is out there...). 

Oh, and let's not forget why I got my nickname, but it's an understatement to say that I love food. I wouldn't consider myself an experienced foodie, but I'm still working on it, venturing out of my comfort zone and trying different kinds of food; I especially like desserts. I recently made some kick-butt peach cobbler with my brother, but that can be written another day... 

I have always enjoyed reading blogs and getting fun little glimpses of other peoples' lives (in a non-creepy way) and learning new and creative ideas to do. There's so much to learn about me, but I think you will as I start posting more. I don't know where this will go entirely, but it will most certainly be documenting my life in a nutshell. I hope that you continue to check out my blog in the future times to come! 

-Rachel