The Final final

This is what the end looks like.

That's all, folks.

~Esa Cita

Back to the Grind.

It's been a beyond marvelous break...one of those kinds where reality goes away to leave you to yourself and the wonderful things that surround you everyday.  Now, it's back to the grind.  I don't know if I'm quite happy to kiss this time goodbye, but time waits for no one.

Finals. Wooaaahhhhh.

I can react in two ways:

 

REACTION A

REACTION B

Friends, please pray that I take on Reaction B...because I really like giving others a thumbs up.

~Esa Cita

I dig.

It's amazing what a four days of no commitments other than your own family, your own food, your own shopping, and your own homework looks like.  Not that I hate the world outside myself or anything, but man oh man have I been digging this Thanksgiving break like no other.  For the first time this semester, I spent it selfishly away as a real vacation.  What a concept!

I actually watched two episodes of my favorite TV show, Psych.  I went shopping and spent that birthday money that's been waiting for five months to be spent.  I actually took a day to do homework..and by the grace of God I was able to actually focus.  I actually ate all three meals sitting down.  I didn't go out to socialize, I simply enjoyed quiet days with those close to me in the daylight hours.  I actually turned off my phone for a day.  I woke up early and prayed in the morning daylight while waiting for a wonderful day to continue.  I got to just talk in the daylight hours.  I watched a bit of a movie or two.  I'm going to go back in a few minutes to finish my homework, and watch a movie into the early morning...because I can and will sleep in.  I really dig this Thanksgiving break.

World, I don't hate you.  I actually love you.  I just really liked my vacation.  God gave me an awesome past few days to recharge, work hard on my 17+ page paper (it's easier to stop counting at 17) and final presentation, and prepare for the 4 or 5 other papers that I will be preparing in the next 2 weeks.

~Esa Cita

P.S. You may notice that I used the word "daylight"  multiple times and that I sound redundant.  Disclaimer: I don't care.  Daylight is a big deal.  I like the sun.

Black Friday

I'm sitting here in Maryland on my grandparents' coach...sadly, I'm not currently living here so the little yellow room that I normally occupy is not for mine to take tonight.  But not to worry, for in the background while my family is waiting for each other to arrive, He is We is playing, and I have a Corona to keep me company while I work on an assignment due tomorrow night.  Plus, I went Black Friday this morning all alone for the first time in my life!  Though I bid all my birthday money goodbye, it was very worth it.  My birthday was half a year ago, so it's about time I said goodbye.

Not being a morning person in particular especially after very little sleep, it was pretty painful to be up and about at 5:30AM, but the quiet store made at least the first 3 hours quite peaceful.  So many items bought!

Once I got home I ate a bit, bit the world goodnight, and headed into dreamworld for a few hours.  I woke up to get ready for Maryland, and here I am working on my paper on internally displaced people, daydreaming, and listening to my family members wait for each other to arrive for dinner.

Oh wait, family is calling. Off to enjoy!

~Esa Cita

Owl keeps me company at night

I have a new pet. He's an owl and his name is With Godfree....pronounced Godfrey.  He's not much into politics so he'll never run for office, especially with a name like Godfree.  However, he's more than happy to stick with his truths and wonderful opinions so he really isn't concerned.

When it's late, I have the owl to keep me company while I chitchat with my books and discuss how they should help me write my paper.  Sometimes, I even listen to the owl's city...and that keeps me awake throughout the twilight hours.

Godfree keeps me company

even

when it's late

Having just arrived from my flight a few hours ago, I am up from my Boston-nap excursion to work on a final paper. It's funny how when there's so much to do the time just runs off with the wind.  Such is the life, such is the semester. 

This weekend, I was interviewed like crazy...and my oh my it was a cool experience.  I don't know if there's any job quite like that job, so naturally the interviews were like no other.

Cool facts:

• I played trampoline dodge-ball.  Yes, trapoline dodge-ball.
• I whacked myself in the face with a door that looked like a small drawer.  The top of my nose has a black spot as a result..battle scar.
• I gave my testimony to a few missionaries, missionary bosses, and fellow applicants.
• I met amazing people
• I named my car finally! His name is Jorge (pronounced George) Mason.
• I was in Cambridge today
• I hung out around Harvard and went shopping inside The Coop.
• I am writing about Cardinal Newman for a paper...yahhooo!

I'm becoming quite used to rattling off lists. It's kind of a shame.  Oh well, dreams don't turn to dust.

~Esa Cita

Brest Friend

The following are reasons why Ana Teresa Deliz is my best friend.

• She tells me to fix my eyebrows when they don't look good to her...and then changes her mind.
• She doesn't like my facial expressions---they're "..special" to her.
• She laughs in my face when I make a fool out of myself.
• She makes fun of everything I do.
• She loves teasing me before, during, and after all my mistakes.
• When I pour my soul out to her on the phone...she yells "WAIT!"/"YESS???!!" and talks to her family members about the food that they're going to be eating and how she's on the phone talking to Carmen.
• She tells me that I'm awesome.
• She has a secretary for when I need to rant who will transcribe the message for Ana to laugh at, then talk to me about how I feel.

Behold, my best friend Ana.  I've posted about her before.  However, today while I was heading to work late from a class that went over I was inspired by one of her text messages that reminded me of the beauty of our friendship and why no one, not even my worst enemy (if I ever had one), could ever truly affect me with silly insults.

The love of my best friend has this all well taken care of.  With Ana's support...I conquer the world.

Ana inspires me to be a fool and to be laughed at in return.  As a person of ridiculousness, I often am faced with a questioning look, glare, or laugh.  With Ana on my side, I can remember that life is all about doing what's worth it---even when you get laughed at sometimes.  While I don't believe that life is to be lived in order to accumulate laughs, I do recognize that there will be many a time when doing what's worth it will collect a laugh or two in this collection called life....such as this afternoon when I acted like an idiot and had to call Ana's secretary to let Ana know.

Thank you Ana for always making sure I know that I am ridiculous.  Thank you for toughening me up, and reminding me to fight for what's worth it.

~Esa Cita

Habitual postings

I have a bad habit of going to this blog when I am distracted...such as this exact moment.  Now, I have an assignment that I told myself I'd finish by seven, and the time is 6:30pm.  Will I finish? Highly likely.  Will I be speedy Gonzalez? Yes, that's likely as well. I had a few horrid lessons in procrastination this weekend, and man oh man did I pay for them.

It's funny how some people just keep on learning the same old lessons, day after day.  I'm pretty sure that the only thing that would motivate me to do my work is a cookie and a communist I wanted to prove a point to. 6:32pm.

Actually, I'm going to walk outside this little booth. See ya.

Okay, I'm back, didya miss me? 6:43pm.

Time to actually accomplish work. Nonprofit management class awaits my assignment.

~Esa Cita

another lil quote

The happiness you have a right to enjoy has a name and a face: it is Jesus of Nazareth, hidden in the Eucharist.  Only He gives the fullness of life to humanity!  With Mary, say your own "yes" to God, for He wishes to give HIMSELF to YOU.
-Pope Benedict XVI

Amen amen, what keeps me through my days. :) Oh my God, I love being Catholic.

~Esa Cita

Celebration

It is time to celebrate.  Come on friends, do a little jig with me, for I was like this all day:

In my special "Shecave," where heroes, leaders, and papers are made.

I was working on a paper.

And now, I am finished with that paper.  You don't want to see my current face, because it's quite tired.  Here's another face instead:

Procrastination face.

So, I will celebrate.

I will celebrate by: texting my friends back, taking a sip of lemonade, blasting the music I stopped listening to, and cleaning my room that has been trashed by my recent trip to the mountains.

Goodnight world, the trashed room is calling.  And so is God...He's about to receive a bunch of prayers of thanksgiving for a completed paper and fruitful day with my sisters who care about each others' salvation.

~Esa Cita

Samantha's Stop

You know Samantha, you’re the kind of gal that gives all that she has.  She has the passion; she has the heart of a soldier.  She gives and gives until the world can’t possibly squeeze any more heart out of her being.  She doesn’t mind though; she simply pushes on through like the massive producer of love, heroes, and leaders that she is.  Inspiring the crowds as she goes, speaking to classrooms and mini groups, personally taking in the people of the world while writing a book and reading a novel along with a spiritual reading or two…there’s not much she hasn’t stuck her head into.  Nothing but missions make her life and there’s not a single person that doesn’t like her, except when she’s not leading them because that means that she’s not working hard enough for them.

You think that this is the way that you can live, but mark my words Samantha; the day will draw near when a new mission will come around for you and the world will not be ready for it.  You’re going to be called to a mission where no past mission can really follow.  You will be so faithful to it that you won’t know anything else in the world.  You will be so in love that there will be nothing else and nowhere else where you can go.  Mark my words Samantha, love will hit you so hard that there will be no other place to go but to where your heart is finally home.  That is the day that I will pay to be a part of; I want to see you so in love that the world won’t be able to stand it because of your fire.  I want to see you taking the world by it’s neck and wringing the death out of it with that heart of yours, that fire of love that God gave you.


~Esa Cita

Yes.

This is a blogpost that is so on point.  Please read this.

~Esa Cita

My Best Fran

This is a blogpost on one of my best friends...she's pretty great. And she's all about evangelization.  Therefore, it's a party every time we hang out.

~Esa Cita

Spoiled

I had some time today in the car to write in my notebook, here are the words. :)

No phone, no internet.  Just me, my car, and some music telling me that this has got to be the good life. Looking back on the weekend's events I count my blessings and notice that I should probably stop counting by now...

I have friends that give me tea and water when I get sick, and hold my hair back when I throw up.  I have a cousin and protective friends who defend me and keep me safe from questionable individuals until the police show up to take care of business.  I have friends who care about the salvation of souls through community and relational ministry.  I have a family of fellow servants who prays together; you can best believe that we will be staying together.  I have a good protective soldier to walk me to my car when I don't feel safe.  I got to walk the streets of Centreville to speak to God's people searching for day labor.  Today, I get to teach english and experience the joy of serving others.  I even have facebook to go to when my phone dies, and a Cece Moschetto to offer me a shirt when I don't have enough clothes.  Best of all, I have in my stomach the pancakes that Rebecca made me for breakfast.  ;)

I am so blessed.  I am so spoiled with a home in my world.  Be it Springfield, Cuba, Illinois, George Mason University apartments, or the front seat of my car, God you make me at home.

I love you, thank you for your blessings and infinite, passionate, marvelous love.


Love,
Me

~Esa Cita

Why so silent

Dear Blog,

Sorry that this place has been a bit dead.  Truth is that I'm not dead.  In fact, I'm very much alive...so alive that none of my emails have been responded to until now, my laundry is sitting on my bed waiting to be folded at 11:35pm, and the infinite amounts of homework due tomorrow are still waiting to be completed (some just started).

I've been very busy living.

Here are photos of places I've been and activities I have participated in...I would be here forever if I gave you my thoughts on them so I'll let the pictures tell a thousand words.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

So dear blog, please let any words that could possibly sounds marvelous go through your mind and know that it was better than that.  I couldn't have imagined a more beautiful past few weeks.

It's just that extracurricular activities tend to get in the way of school so much of the time.

~Esa Cita

Not my will, but Yours be done.

"Few souls understand what God would accomplish in them if they were to abandon themselves unreservedly to Him and if they were to allow His grace to mold them accordingly." 
-St. Ignatius Loyola

Direction

It's 1:19 AM and I'm far from getting into my comfy new pretty comforter.  Oh soft bed, don't be too lonely without me tonight...I'm just trying to win a job so I can get you a room to go with your fabulous pillow one day. 

I am at a transition in life right now, floating somewhere in between college student status, part-time job, part-time intern, part-time volunteer, full-time soul.  While I find this status exciting, it's been so exciting that I've lost many peaceful nights of rest, and my memory has become quite mushed along with my sanity.  I'm even losing my normal human functions...knees with the ability to move without hurting, heads with the ability to feel nothing but normal...you know, the petty things middle class kids are spoiled with sometimes.

Somewhere in the mush of things I keep reminding myself that yes, there's something greater behind what I'm doing.  There's a reason to do things and to do them well; and it's beyond my own success.  Yes, there's a way to work towards sanctifying myself.

A quote from one of my directors comes to mind:

If you lose the supernatural meaning of your life, your charity will be philanthropy; your purity, decency; your mortification, stupidity; your discipline, a lash; and all your works, fruitless. (The Way, 280)

 I cannot lose the focus, I will continue the fight. No battle can be quit.

~Esa Cita

Peace in the storm

I never cease to be amazed at the doors that God opens up to us when we are earnestly seeking to follow the way, the truth, and the life.  Today in prayer I believe that there was an opening to what I am called to do this year.  So plan of attack: keep praying about it and be open to the moments of peace where I know what to do and where to go.  Best you can do when you're just human with few chances to grasp things that are outside of time. ;p

As I take a small break here before heading for more 168 things, I pause and smile with peace.  Wonderful things are happening here on campus, just as they do every year.  I love it, despite my inability to be everywhere at the same time.  Thank you God for a great last 168 here on campus, thank you so much.

~Esa Cita

P.S. Hurricane Irene is starting to hit us right now...but she's just a lil storm. Tehe.

1-6-8: a pause.

In the midst of this running day, I stopped to eat.  I took a deep breath, and many more deep bites into my sandwich. 

I have been up getting tasks done since 8am this morning and have yet to stop to take some type of nap or stop.  I have fallen asleep in prayer and stayed in the prayerful state the entire night, to wake up with a headache.  I have partied away my night with a migraine and met many a new friend. I have spoken to many, prayed for the many, and I can't remember much past the last few hours that I've been awake.  I am everywhere and no where.  I am letting everyone and no one down.  Sometime today, I will finish the newsletter for my internship. 

But above all I have three numbers constantly on my mind, heart, and soul: 1,6, and 8.  Those numbers are the defining countdown, the stage-setter for the next nine months.  Always in the back of my head, Mary is telling me that her kiddies are walking all over campus and my job is to talk to them for the remaining of the 168 because they are super precious to her.  The hours are a whirlwind, the hearts are looking for sacrifices.  Everything is at stake, the price has been set high due to demands in love.

My name is Cita, and my life is student leader.

~Esa Cita

How to follow WYD Madrid 2011

How to follow WYD Madrid 2011

Miracles with Reason

This evening on my way home from work I was almost involved in a five-car crash in which I would have been hit hard by a combination of three cars from behind.  While I slammed on my breaks as hard as I could to avoid hitting an ugly license plate that decided to move from 50mph to 09, I had a naive peace on my mind that told me that I was going to be okay.  Luckily, I was naive and correct.  After stopping, I looked behind to see a car pulled to the grass and two other cars that showed signs of some stressful swerving.  I'd feel more guilty about the pain I caused them if I had more control over the situation.

Needless to say, this incident led to a bit of thought.  It reminded me of the time that I have been given to live.  How do I appreciate the gift of life?  Am I living with passion and purpose every day?  Why am I not in absolute pain?

I was reminded that I've been put here and kept here with a purpose.  No random Cita life for moi!  I was created for today, to humbly report that I have failed in my second and third days of my Triple R bootcamp with the exception of my daily Rosary---man I love Mama Mary.  I was created for today, to have a delicious dinner with Colleen at the Havabite Family Restaurant in downtown Fairfax and adore the yummy Greek food.  I was created for today, to speak to my brother in Colorado while I finished my internship homework.  I was created for today, to give each of my breaths to God.  I was created for today, to realize that when I do what I was meant to do, I will live each day with a fire that no one could deny.  Such a good life.

"Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on FIRE." -St. Catherine of Siena

~Esa Cita

day one

My first day of the three R boot-camp proved to be a fulfilling day.  After a lovely Mass at school and brunch with the Seniors (aren't we the cutest?), I came home to paint the fourth wall of my room.  Today I will approve/disapprove to determine whether or not it needs a second coat.  As of last night, it looked SO great.  Seeing those four walls colored was such a cool thing.  Walking around Fairfax that afternoon with paint in my hair and on the back of my heel was another...

Once we finished with the second coat of paint, the kiddies and I watched another episode of Psych.  Now, because I still wore paint all over me I had to lay on the hard-non-carpet-y part of the floor.  Which would have been fine, except my 11-year old brother was sitting on top of me pulling my ponytail the entire episode adding much more suspense and headache to the episode.

Just in case you were wondering what it looked like, here's an example.

Okay, so now on to the part where I get specific about my three R's.

Rosary:  The rosary was done on my way to Mass that morning.  I was impatiently waiting for my dad to return the car, and was consequently late to Mass. Meditating was the perfect way to not get angry on the road for being late.  Surprisingly enough the entire rosary was finished before I arrived, which means that I hit a lot of red lights.

Run:  My run was completed after the Psych episode.  It started out with listening to a cutesy Owl City love song, then I found myself praying and soon enough a running date with Jesus began.  The rain started to pour down on me, and I was just thoroughly enjoying it.  Right now I don't remember much other than the peace felt there in the rain, but what a good time it was.  When I got home I spent about 30 minutes stretching...one of my favorite things to do after a run.

Read:  For the last 30 minutes of my day, I read from my good ole' G.K. Chesterton book that needs to be finished by the 11th.  Why the 11th? Because I said so, because I want to suck in thought processes.

Successful day.  Friends, breakfast, running, reading, praying, romance, and joy.  Gotta say, it was a nice day of rest.

~Esa Cita

“Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair.”  -G. K. Chesterton

Childhood dreams and a rosary

Two main things took place today.

First of all, I finished my summer reading book for CYO.  Yahoo! On to the next one.

I'm not a fan of the title, but I AM a fan of Jason Everts' sarcastic humor.

While it took me longer than I had anticipated to finish, the final chapter was well worth the wait.  Plus, Jason Evert once had a nice hamster and can occasionally hear violins playing while bad boys tell cool stories.

I now have given myself the goal of August 11th to march through my Aquinas book.  It is high time I finished, because I have accumulated a large sum of books that I want to finish before August 20th.  Impossible? Perhaps.  Will I try from this day forward to suck in as many good books as possible? Oh, you betcha.  I'm feeling greedy this month.  From today forward, I have a few daily "chores" that I will bootcamp myself through:

1. a run
2. a read
3. a rosary

It doesn't have a name yet, but once I come up with something cool to call it I will let you know.  This Triple R, or R Cubed Project will continue until August 20th when I go back to school. 

 Second main thing that took place today: my family and I have completed 3/4 of painting my room.  No pictures yet, but it's really exciting for me.  21 years and I have never painted my own room.  A childhood necessity will be completed tomorrow when we finish the last wall.

Well, it is now 12:38 and I have to shower, crawl into the bottom part of the trundle bed I'm going to sleep in tonight while my painted room dries, and sleep.  Tomorrow's a new fresh day where I wil go to Mass, eat an awesome brunch with fabulous people, finish a childhood dream, start my RRR "Bootcamp," and maybe watch an episode or two of Psych.

Buenas!

~Esa Cita

Summer night

As I wait for the last few minutes of this hour to pass away so that I can go home, I'm making a mental list of things I want to do tonight before I go to sleep.

• Watch another episode of Pysch, or a movie.
• Drink a tasty drink
• Finish my July book
• Clear the last things from my room to prepare for painting in the afternoon
• Get in my PJs and stretch my sore legs
• Thank God for a beautiful life

~Esa Cita

New drinks, new horizons.

As I have been enjoying my new life of being a 21-year old, I have come to learn that with new drinks in my life comes a new lifestyle: the lifestyle of sitting down and chatting your night away over drinks.  There's nothing like gathering with some lovely people over drinks and enjoying each others' company.

Oh wait, I already do that with coffee.

 

Let me try this again.

There's nothing like getting cool drinks because you're allowed to.  But wait.

This is actually kinda cooler..

I don't know.  I don't quite understand it yet.  Now, I have yet to understand what it means to have a hangover or even be slightly close to doing something my ridiculous sober self wouldn't do, but I have a feeling that I won't find it in a stupor.

But there's something, definitely something different.  And it's nice. Really nice.  Pretty cool thing to be 21 actually.  I can feel young and old at the same time.  I have the youthful perks (good looks, charm, good looks, sass, cool friends) and the elder perks (a debit card, a license, a birthday before today's date in 1990, good lasting friends).  I have been alive long enough to read and come to the more definite conclusions about life and how it is so beautiful.  Most importantly, I can get that cool pink phone cover because it's my birthday.  Please don't take that last sentence seriously, I just finished watching three psych episodes in a row.

There's something different about being 21.  There's the drinks, there's the atmosphere, there's the tastiness, there's something.  Don't deny my claim, I have female intuition so I know what I'm talking about.

Maybe I'll find out later on tonight as I try to fall asleep. Or maybe I'll put my finger on it next time I go out for drinks, which if I follow the schedule I've been following, it'll be two nights from now.  Maybe I'll figure it out 5 minutes from now while I'm talking.

Nevertheless, I stick to my conclusion without hardcore facts.  Turning 21, despite my previous assumptions, is in fact really nice.


~Esa Cita

*

As I sit here at work recovering from a long weekend, I find comfort in the sudden pouring rain that decided to show up this morning.  It's such a cool sight and feeling, especially since it's been so humid all day/week long and my laptop was in my trunk baking for a few hours.  While I feel bad for the frantic people running around without umbrellas and screaming, I can't help but envy their summer shower.

Um, that's all I really got right now.

~Esa Cita

lil weekends that make your life

What a weekend!

Here is my status from Saturday: "today I spent 8 hours at an encuentro event for dialogue and reconciliation between American-Cubans from the Church here and Cubans from the Church in Cuba. Rare occurrence in this lifetime, so beautiful. I spoke in two languages, attended Mass using three, and we all spoke one main language...love. One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic. Legit, happening. God is so good!"

This morning, I drove into the city for the concluding dialogue meeting and Mass. I think it was my first Mass at St. Joseph's, and oh it's a gorgeous church.  Mass was beautiful, but that's a fact that's over two-thousand years old.  Mass in Spanish was so beautiful..there's something special in seeing the same True Sacrifice happening in a different language.  Same God, same Love. Ah, I love the Mass.


Speaking of the Mass, this week will be blessed with two talks on the Mass. So exciting.
Alright, time to take a nap that's long overdue.


~Esa Cita

Ladies just need to talk it out

Just another day in the life....

Me: "Hey Mami.  Did I ever tell you what time Las Tapas stops serving food?"
Mom: No, when?
Me: "Oh, I just was asking in case I told you at one point because I don't remember what time they do."
Mom: Oh. No you didn't tell me.  They stop serving food?
Me: Yeah, cuz I wanna get there before they close kitchen at 11pm. Oh....WAIT!!
Mom: Hahahahahaha


Some ladies just need to talk it out.  We'll figure out the answer to our questions that way.  In fact, we actually know the answer already, we just don't always see it. We do this for figuring out our dreams, figuring out ourselves, figuring out men,figuring out our situations, and figuring out what time Las Tapas closes.

~Esa Cita

When I can't sleep at night...Sorry OneRepublic

What a romance, to fall in love with what truly captures your heart. To want nothing but peaceful dedication to the life of striving for nothing but goodness.  This has gotta be the good life.  This has gotta be what we're here for.  We are here to exist in the best way possible.  We were made to one day reach perfection. 

It is no easy task to find the friends, teammates, and followers to run with.  It is no easy task, but beauty!  Oh beauty! How desirable it is to reach perfection in satisfaction.  How desirable it is to get it right one day.  How desirable it is to have that peace in running, knowing that your teammates are with you, supporting you each day, knowing that your teammates are with you, supporting you each day, and together you are all peacefully falling into the love that knows no bounds.

Oh heavens, I just love the communion of saints.

~Esa Cita

a few days...a few years

So what has Cita been up to the past few days?

Here a quick list:

• emailing a paragraph to the broski in Colorado every day
• watching Psych....every day
• working....and getting accustomed to it
• interning...and loving it
• reading a Jason Evert book and CYO
• drinking coffee with caramel and sugar every day
• waking up at 6am every day
• resting in the afternoons
• mentally preparing for the school year
• spiritually considering the future
• turning into a nice office-y-ish person

With bouncing around places for the past few days, I haven't taken much time to sit down and think.  But now that I sit down and think, I'm recognizing how blessed my life is.  I like where I am.
I like where I am, and I like where I'm going.  I wish I knew more of where I'm going, but I like it.  In fact I love it.  I'm in a good place.  I am blessed.  And now, for the rest of this post, the word "I" will no longer be used....such a self-centered word.

Three years in a stage is never three years of the same exact thing.  Three years is one big culmination of experiences and lessons.  One can never come out of three years with the exact same understandings, but one can definitely come out with more conviction of truth.  What a beautiful three years, thank you God.

~Esa Cita

Speak

"A new missionary age wil arise, a new springtime of the Church." -JPII


Amen, JPII. Amen.


~Esa Cita

On to the next part

My family is approaching a new chapter in life: a kid is moving out for school.

Although I've been going to college for 3 years and am about to be a Senior, I have never moved away from the family.  I took the road less traveled and have been commuting to school from home.  No, this post is not about that.  Not only does that topic need a whole other blog post on the craziness of that life, but it also requires a whole bunch of praying beforehand in order to avoid complaining list of the sacrifices and "woe-is-me" attitude.

But I digress.

My brother Ricky is moving out of the house to go to the Air Force Academy Prep School, which is the school where 250 peeps from this country go to in hopes of attending the Academy.  After 10 months of the prep school, many preppies get appointed to attend the Academy, technically making their "college experience" a five-year plan.  It's an opportunity of a lifetime, and a route that my broski has chosen to take.

After Tuesday morning, I won't see him until Thanksgiving break.  I definitely plan to take all that break off to have massive brofest activities (as we like to call them) to make up for the many bro-fests that will be missed.


Ricky, Rafiki, Kique, whatever you would like to be called, we all love you and are going to miss you terribly.  Here's a classy picture of all the kids together at the beach this summer:

We're a very serious family.

Here's Ricky and I with Javi, whose soul has been charged upon us to pray for in a special way.

The excellent godparents.

Not having Ricky at home will be quite weird, but come Labor Day he will have access to internet and a cell phone.  So, he will be bombarded with snail mail for the next month and a half.

Love you Kique.


~Esa Cita

Downpouring the blessings

Dearest Blog:
I've missed you. Hope you didn't miss me too terribly.  I sure did miss you. I've been out and about, bouncing from place to place inside this great country called the United States of America.  It's a favorite thing of mine, this whole moving around thing. Lemme tell ya, I've been taking it all in.  It's a dream come true, and I can't believe I just did all I did!

In 12 days, I traveled at least 2,249 miles through 10 different states.  I lived out of a suitcase everyday with the exception of one day.  I'm so excited, and so ready for more.

After the FOCUSequip adventure, I rested a day at home and then headed for New York with my internship.  Since I forgot my camera, I only have one picture to prove it ...

 The next day, I headed back to DC for packing and more sleep.  I was to head to Virginia Beach the next day after work in the morning.

After work, I drove with Audrey Assad, L'Angelus, Brooke Fraser, and 2 of my good ole' playlists.

The hotel we stayed at was awesome. The beach wasn't too crowded, which was SO nice.  I got REALLY burned this afternoon...which wasn't so nice.

Tomorrow, I have my first day at the office for my internship.  So, I probably should be going to bed soon.  Nonetheless, there is my long-story-short update on my happenings!

So many blessings really.

~Esa Cita

FOCUSequip

June 11-21, 2011 The FOCUSequip Training Adventure

June 15, 2011-Ohio


June 16, 2011-DAY 1






June 17, 2011-DAY 2











June 19, 2011-Day 4




June 20, 2011-Day 5

Rush

It's time to take a breather.

I find it pretty crazy that now, at 2:31AM, is the moment that I finally have to myself and my emails, rushing through and taking care of the minimal business that I must.  All the while, I am reminding myself to stay in the moment; this moment is the moment that I am currently called for to live in love.  So, that is what I must strive for.

A few significant points about Thursday:

• We had a lovely morning at the Smith residence in Ohio, We had a lovely lunch with Jennifer's cousin in Indiana, We crossed the border into ILLINOIS (My first time back since high school graduation), we went dancing with a bunch of fabulous people,
• I saw highway signs for St. Louis ...it was a good day.
• The sky is bluer when you cross state lines into Illinois. Did you know that?
• I went to Mass and received Jesus in the Eucharist .... it was a perfect day.
• I had a holy 30-40 minutes in the gorgeous chapel......it was a beautiful day.

It is now  time to get as much sleep as possible. It's the second night in a row where I fall asleep with red eyes exhausted from a day full of activities, so I pray that I have another restful sleep time.
  Gotta get up at 7AM!  Good night world.

~Esa Cita

Adventure time!

Good day folks, this is your captain speaking.  We will be departing at approximately 0630AM, destination Catholic Disneyland in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois with an overnight stop at Columbus, Ohio, land of the Jonathan Smiths.  I would like to please remind you to fasten your seat-belts and turn on the Audrey Assad, Backstreet Boys, and Beethoven, as it is going to be a bumpy and long car ride.  For a special fee of $00,000.00, we will be providing a video blog and eventually notes documenting the trip and any pearls of wisdom obtained from the stay at Catholic Disneyland, also at times known as the Fellowship of Catholic University Students.  The goal is to spread the tools given to us onto the George Mason University Catholic Campus Ministry Community.

All are encouraged to please take from the nuggets and to encourage each other to do so as well.  There are no emergency exits, and this is not a drill. May produce side effects of joy, peace, excitement, and the opposite of death.  Suitable for all ages. Standard rates apply.  Please see humans for details. Thank you for choosing George Mason University and we hope that you have a lovely week, life, and eternal salvation.

~Esa Cita

24 hours

The drive to work this morning was so much more appealing to me as I drove with the knowledge that my skin was significantly tanner due to my runaway day trip to the beach.

There's something special about taking a 24-hour break to a warmer location and returning to work with that coat of warmth that surrounds the beach-goer's skin.  It comes with the knowledge that you beat the system; you had fun during the work week.  You ran away for 24 hours and came back tan, showing it off with your dark skin the next day as you came into work.

Yeah, that's right. How about them apples?  I took a sweet spontaneous vacation with sweet people to visit sweet people, and ended up visiting more sweet people that I didn't know I'd be able to visit beforehand.  I had my first Maggie Moos, I jumped around and did gymnastics, I fell on my back twice being ridiculous, I jammed to 90's music and Hellogoodbye, I ate a ton of fruit snacks with melted chocolate chip cookies; I had the time of my life.  Best of all, in case I should ever forget that I had the time of my life, and in case I forget just where my swim suit lay on me on that lovely Tuesday, all I have to do is look at my back to see the line of contrast between Spaniard skin and darker/redder Spaniard skin.  That coat of warmth that traveled with me to work this morning will serve as the physical proof, the physical reminder of my fabulous 24-hour break to the beach.

Just in case I would ever forget within the next hour or two. Or Twenty-four.

~Esa Cita

Turn around, you just passed by beautiful

When I "grow up" I'm going to look back upon my last summer as an undergrad student and I will smile upon it with joy.

---I will remember jumping in a pool with my clothes on and throwing myself in with a cartwheel 30 minutes later.
---I will remember making the least amount of money that I had ever made in a college summer and desperately searching for concrete answers to everything.
---I will remember Lil' Wayne shocking the world with a slow thought-provoking song on the sad concept of not knowing how to love.  [This may be the only legitimate proof that the world is much closer to ending.....;) ]
---I will remember having the chance for the first time in a college summer to have a social life instead of working every single minute until bedtime.
---I will remember the beauty of prayer, the rosary, advertising Mulieris Dignitatem on my campus to my disapproving non-Catholic brethren, and the Holy Spirit being my love
---I will remember watching my brother's dream come true by getting into Prep.  Holy Spirit provides.
---I will remember Mass and Panera dates with lovely ladies, my morning coffee with G.K. Chesterton, and spontaneous trips to the Shrine...or trying to get to the Shrine through "shortcuts" that add 45 minutes to the ride
---I will remember sassing one of my bosses with a charming smile.  (Only in college)
---I will remember meeting wonderful young people in my parish and talking about letting our hearts come alive.
---I will remember wanting terribly to go back to Spain for my Tia's funeral
---I will remember driving on random nights to iHop with the windows rolled down, music playing ever so loudly, and singing as loudly as I pleased.
---I will remember the reminder that all things come with a plan.  A plan way greater than mine.


I will remember the good; I will remember the challenges; I will remember my silly little heart, wanting everything to be figured out but forgetting joy that surrounds me every day.

It's June 2nd, and I can't imagine a more fabulous start to the summer.

Turn around Cita, you just passed by something beautiful.

May I never forget, may I always remember this marvelous summer.

~Esa Cita

View from the Window

I'm a fan of windows.

That last post from Matthew Kelly had me constantly thinking about being re-sensitized to the fact that every day if a gift from God.   

 

As I was driving home from dropping off two friends at their dorms, I opened my car’s windows to the cool rain rushing down and kissing the earth.  I stuck my hand out I smiled like a goof as I imagined Jesus kissing my hand through the rain and cool wind. Meanwhile Audrey Assad was playing and I thought about love being planted deeply.  JPII’s words ring so true about where our deepest desires come from:

"It is Jesus in fact that you seek when you dream of happiness, he is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; he is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is he who provokes you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is he who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is he who reads in your hearts your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle.

It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be grounded down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal."

It’s so comforting to know where everything comes from; it’s so nice to know that there is a way, a truth, and a life.  It’s so sweet to know that there is a perfect love that exists for humanity.  While I can only experience little cute dates while I’m alive on earth, I am so happy knowing that I can one day participate in the wedding feast where my heart will truly understand in total fullness about where it came from and where it reaches.  Sweet apokaradokia.  

Love planted deeply becomes what it ought to be.

 

~Esa Cita

Where is Truth?

From Matthew Kelly’s book, The Rhythm of Life:

When God was creating the universe, some of the angels were discussing where they felt God should hide the truth.  One suggested the top of the highest mountain.  Another offered the very depths of the ocean.  A third thought that the farthest star would be best.

God heard their discussion and said, “I will hide the truth in none of those places.  I will hide the truth in the very depths of every man and every woman’s heart.  This way, those who search humbly and sincerely will find it very easily, and those who do not will have to search the whole universe before they do.”

~Esa Cita

epi

The end is near, it's SO near.

My epidemiology final is in the morning, and then I have four days until statistics.  So close yet so far. Ahhhh!!! 

Wiki races, Mass, unhealthy snacks, prayers, I love you's and good-byes...finals week at college is always such an event.

Back to studying.

~Esa Cita

Study Break

On Sunday, I got to Mass before anyone was at the chapel yet and sat down in a pew.  The sun's rays went through the glass doors and windows and onto the floor.  I had to smile because it was beautiful, it was good.

This morning, I turned in my final paper for a class I've been waiting to end.  It was relieving to check it off.
At noon, I went to Mass and prayed.  It was beautiful, it was good.
This afternoon, I went to a beautiful park, ate strawberries, got hugged by the warm sun, and hung out with great people.  It was beautiful, it was good.
Today, I went to pizza hut with the bible study gang for the last time with all of us; it was beautiful, it was good.

Now, I do my stats homework.  Guess I should make that beautiful, and good.

~Esa Cita

El Papa :)

~Esa Cita

Pizza Thoughts

Linda de mi vida

Pizza's in the oven and the future is in my thoughts.

More specifically, my final paper, my finals, summer plans, and the fall semester are on my mind.  This transition period tends to be the awkward, waiting-yet-celebratory stage where uncertainty and excitement meet for drinks and throw ideas at each other.

I don't know what the next few weeks hold for me, but I do know that I cannot wait to give life my all this summer.

This time, I am trying something new instead of what I've normally done for the past two years.  The security and the many nice aspects are behind me now, and I can't wait to find new fabulous experiences again.

After speaking to a good friend about accountability and goals for the summer, I couldn't wait to get home to make my list, check it twice, and plan superbly on thriving.

What can I do? Where can I go? What can be better?  Summer goals are such fun to make sometimes. 
However, there's only so many things I can plan on.  The rest is just life and whatever comes around.  Here's to life!

~Esa Cita

To make myself feel accomplished...

Finals:
HEAL 350 - Final Paper
GCH 405 - Final Paper

GCH 412 -  Exam, Final Presentation

STAT 250 - Exam, Final Online Junk Stuff
ECON 103 - Exam

I get to cross them out when they are completed.  You got this Cita, you got this.

~Esa Cita

Sanctification

Don't say: "that person bothers me."  Think: "that person sanctifies me."
-St. Josemaria Escriva

Dear Monday,

You sanctify me.  You sanctify me very much.  In fact, you sanctify me so much that I may just sanctify you.  We can be sanctification buddies.  We can bring a whole new meaning to the saying "saints have saints for friends."  I wouldn't even mind making you a martyr if  that's possible..as long as it brings you sanctification and ultimately salvation.  I'd do it just for you because I know that would be for your greater good, just as all loving friendships should be.

Compiling the end..

Stop and Stare.

 As I compile the end of my semester, I will write a few random thoughts that I'm thinking lately.

• Beautiful things grow in silence.  In my life, I can see that this is true in prayer, studying, learning, speaking, conversations, and in overall relationships.  Silence has proven to me not to be a killer, but a nurture-er(sp?).
• Lack of constant Facebook was ever so lovely this past Lent, mostly because it brought more silence to my thoughts.
• My best friends surprised me early Friday morning with Brooke Fraser's newest album, Flags. 
• I woke up at 5AM Friday to watch the royal wedding.  We celebrated with English muffins, English morning tea, a magazine on the royal couple, ice cream and princess diaries the night before, and of course spoke English the entire time.  I slept through much of the wedding, and from the looks of the couple at some points it looked like they wanted to as well.
• I stayed up until 2:30AM to watch JPII get beatified!!!! I slept through the majority of it as well.  There's a pattern with the whole staying up thing....I'm quite the old lady these days.
• I haven't slept on a bed since Wednesday night due to festivities.  I can't wait for tonight! I shall celebrate my bed.
• My FOCUS candidates had their "party of knowledge" for FOCUS 101. I am bursting with pride for them! My beh-behs are awesome.
• This upcoming week is my last week of classes. Then it's finals, and the new chapter begins. :) My last summer as a college undergrad shall begin!  I am planning some lovely summer plans, and cannot wait. :)
• Today was my lil bro's birthday. We went to Chuckie-Cheese's, got some ice-cream cake, and went home to celebrate.  The grandparents and my uncle came over. I love the occasional family time on Sundays.  Don't get me wrong, Sundays with my community is awesome, but blood family time sure is lovely.

Now time to go back to comparing healthcare systems.

~Esa Cita

Cocaleca

I wish I could capture in a picture/hug/cupcake the experience of enjoying music for the first time in weeks.

There isn't much quite like it unfortunately.  Nothing like those good ole' sounds.

I am currently researching for epidemiology while enjoying the Cuban music station on Pandora. Oh, so heavenly.

~Esa Cita

Rush

If I look at my clock right now, I can see that today is now EASTER!!!

However, my family has always observed the rule stating that waiting until midnight for festivities to begin or end  is "cheating" or "not how we do it" and that one should not live life in that manner.  The counting-down attitude of trying to get the most bang for your buck just never appealed to us when it came to matters like this. 

Total love demands total love,  not rules, trade and quarters like a soda machine relationship.

So therefore, I will not celebrate until I wake up in the morning to celebrate Mass.


For a few more hours, I will wait in silence. I will use the moments I still have to practice waiting, as impatient as I am.  Perfect opportunity to grow.

In the past few years I have learned the beauty of silence, and I have seen that increasingly I've been able to handle it.  Silence no longer is lonely, but everyday grants me more and more assurance that I'm never alone.  This silence carries over to the daily dealings with noise that often keep us from having a clear and rational thought process.

Today in my seemingly never ending race against time, I found myself running to God with my rushing. "Restless until I rest in you" totally crossed my mind while I was crossing state borders, buying last minute things, scribbling last minute research, and filling up my Saturday with mindless activities that I wish I could blow off for another weekend.  Any weekend but this.  But such is the life of a student whose final grade opportunities are here, now, to be posted forever.

How does one stay sane in these times? Oh finals.

Off to have some silence, prayer time, and sleep.

~Esa Cita

51-100, Here We Go!

#55.

I have yet to complete my Challenge. Well, with 54 minutes left until Sunday, I will take a few minutes to complete my list before Easter.


Things I am Thankful for:
51. Good conversation with my cousin tonight.
52. Family time.
53. God's reminder today to live unselfishly.
54. Josie's Yogurt Shop
55. A moment on the top of a certain Cathedral.  This was one of my favorite moments in one of my favorite cities.  God was truly romancing me right there. My boo's more than a sweetie ;)
56. Good Friday.
57. Easter
58. Photography
59. Photos
60. Swing-sets
61. Good conversation with my brother
61. Hang-out time with my brother the other day.
62. My quiet thinking time in Panera this afternoon
63. My writing time in Panera the other afternoon
64. My Panera rewards card with free pastries.
65. Poetry
66. Pretty scarves
67. Pretty missionaries
68. Supportive, loving, smart, and sincere missionaries
69. St. Thomas Aquinas
70. St. Josemaria Escriva
71. Nail polish
72. My high school ring
73. My last 5 months of high school
74. My recent trip to Boston College
75. My recent trip to Miami and abroad
76. Literacy
77. Kindles
78. Father Peter
79. Dave
80. Other peoples' talents
81. This past lent and it's sacrifices
82. International friendships
83. The books that I am reading
84. Free Will
85. Networking
86. Connections
87. Opposable thumbs
88. Sharing my trip in Georgetown with Julia-Anne :)
89. Sunlight
90. Dark rooms
91. Silence
92. My brother's street cred story
93. The substitute professor in my statistics class
94. The community my family is a part of
95. Lessons learned from injuries
96. Stories gained from injuries
97. CCM pens that never run out of ink
98. Yoani Sanchez
99. Manela Diez
100. My Salvation

~Esa Cita

Death Dies Because of Love

It is finished. The Final Covenant is sealed with Precious Blood.

From the Cross, in the final moments when Mercy, Love and Compassion Itself is on the threshold of completing the greatest act the universe will ever know, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity experiences his greatest thirst. And, at last, "It is finished" (Jn 19:30).

His greatest thirst is for me; He gives me living water, His Body and Blood, and because of that I receive Eternal Salvation.  This is the greatest love story I'll ever know.

The "sacred Triduum is the 'mystery of love without limit,' ´having loved his own who were in the world . . . loved them to the end´" (Jn 13:1). -JPII

A criminal's death to complete a covenant; this covenant is beyond human capacity, it is a radical thirst of love that I only wish I were capable to give.

"The Eucharist is an eloquent sign of this total, free and gratuitous love, and offers each person the joy of the presence of the One who enables us too to love ´to the end´ in imitation of him. The love that Jesus proposes to his disciples is demanding"—Pope John Paul II

A few more words about Good Friday:

The Cross challenges us, it troubles our consciences, it reveals in the light of reality our failings and sin. It demands change and repentance; it demands a new life of unity with Christ and his people. It demands love. Yet the Cross, too, brings us to a new beginning; one where, in sublime wonder, we see that God offers us salvation through his Son that we may forever live with the Holy Trinity. In view of our Lord´s selfless act on the Cross, we might boldly claim that our own death has been put to death by Love.

What a love. What a Good Friday.

Psalm 62

Giggles

That psalm was on my heart tonight.

I feel like that reminder is so important for me, so important no matter what day of the century it is.

Restless until peace is found, running until the race has been done, searching until the race is over. Ahh.

No more words, only thoughts from me.

Therefore, my post is short and my thoughts long.

El Fin.


~Esa Cita

Friends

Fun Movie!

Sometimes, I can be a pretty lame friend.

I have 6 emails that are over a few weeks old which need some replying.  These are to a few very special people in my life whom I think about and pray for all the time with much love in my heart.

Yet, somehow, the laziness of my brain just won't let me write them.  Lame excuses like schoolwork, classes, blahblahblahimlame, and commitments are reasons flying around in my head right now as I think about how and why I have not lately followed through with what I should be doing.

But, the phrase "pray, listen, act, REPEAT" is circling my head like as if I'm trying to internalize or something.  It's time to act, so that I can repeat.

Tonight, I am taking it open myself to email the people I've been needing to email for a while now.  I love them so much, so that's what I'm going to do.

I absolutely love getting emails and letters from people.  I feel that updates and random thoughts from their heads give me an "in" on their lives, hearts, and souls.  Pretty creepy sounding I admit, but I'm just that much of a fan of understanding others.

So tonight, on this Holy Monday, I will continue to work on my long-distance relationships with friends.  Until I see them in person by miracle or until I see them in heaven one day, this email will be the connection in which we share to grow in each other.

God Bless emails.

~Esa Cita

I don't like beards.

April 16, 2011

Dear Diary:

Today, I celebrate 50 years of failure.  I will cook picadillo for dinner and read José Martí out loud. And pray.  I will pray like no other.  I will pray for my family, my friends, my homes, my lands, and my peoples.  Most of all, I will pray for the future, the present, and the past.  I love praying to God, who transcends time and is the true hope that I can honestly turn to.

I don't like the beard, I'm not a fan.


~Esa Cita

Pick up pace, win the race

Reunited in the US!

It's the week before Palm Sunday!

I've taken the Lenten experience this year to be one like a 5K race.  Once you get to the 2/3 mark, you start to pick up the pace.  You know it's going to end, and you wanna end hard.

Nobody can tell the pain that you are in, because you are so full of joy with the thought that your sufferings will soon be matched by the glory.

I can only hope to be a champion, a winner, a saint.

Just like Lent, the semester is beginning to show signs of a time coming to a close.  Finals are only four weeks away, the final sprint is coming soon.  It is in this time that the critical challenges will arrive, and I will be faced with the impending doom and work.  I can already see it in my upcoming exams, presentations, and special assignments.  Oh, how time flies when you're having fun.

Tomorrow I present in my Interventions for Populations At-Risk course on how I plan on saving the world.  As a Global Affairs student, I live for these kind of things.  As a college student, I wish that there was more time and sleep in my day.  Thankfully I was given an 8-hour train ride from Boston to Washington, so I had a bit of time to formulate things.  Now the question is in the presentation.

Well, it's time to get more focused.  At-Risk populations call out to me.
Good-night dear blog!

~Esa Cita

My Brest Friend

Twin Day

Today, on this fabulous Wednesday, Ana and I decided to wear the same F.I.U. homecoming shirt and our "Friends in Christ" necklaces...just because we're cool like that.

The only difference is that I don't go to F.I.U. and she has never even been close to Washington, DC.  And also the fact that I was wearing a jacket while she wore flip flops to class.

I just love this friendship.

Sometimes, it's really awesome to know that despite distance, despite differences, and despite completely different lives, we're bonded together by the silly t-shirts we make each other, necklaces, inside jokes about the Gospel of Matthew, and the secrets that no one can ever know about ourselves.

Distance doesn't always phase things, although it definitely changes it.

Well, time to packkk...good-night!

~Esa Cita

I Think I'll Go To Boston

An awesome bible verse

So friends, I'm going to Boston next Friday!

To say that I'm excited is an understatement.  I have been reminding my mother almost every other half hour that her daughter is going to Boston.

Not that Boston is that particular city that makes me weak at the knees or anything, but I'm excited to be going on a trip.  Trips, retreats, travels, and conferences have become a dear friend.  My past few weeks back at home have made me antsy to leave.

Next weekend, I'll be at a conference with Raices.  Friday afternoon I will be listening to a panel talk that's going to excite me like no other: The Cuban Catholic Church in the 21st Century. AHH. Cardinal O'Malley is going to be there.  The guy is so amazing, my family loves him.

Tomorrow, I'm gonna run a 5K.  I haven't been feeling the greatest these past few days and I definitely haven't run 3.1 miles in over a month.  This should be pretty funny.  I kinda don't want to know what my time will be.  However, it's for a good cause, and I'll get my running in.  Yahhoo.

Well, I've been procrastinating...I told myself to get a bit of writing done tonight, so perhaps I'll do some before I go to bed.  Good-night!

~Esa Cita

Lent Challenge

I was recently challenged by Sarah to participate in this Lenten Challenge: to post 100 things that I am thankful for.  Here's 50!

I am Thankful for::
1. God
2. My Family
3. My Friends
4. My Homeschooled Education
5. My Angelus Academy Education
6. My Archbishop Carroll HS Education
7. My Althoff Catholic HS Education
8. My George Mason University Education
9. Gymnastics
10. Running
11. The existence of Love
12. The existence of my FOCUS discipler, Ruthie
13. The existence of my FOCUS candidates, Andrea and Lindsay
14. The existence of my FOCUS family
15. My comfy shoes and shirt I'm currently wearing; oh, and my new jeans
16. My friendship bracelet
17. My house
18. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
19. My Cuban heritage
20. My brothers' cruel and sarcastic sense of humor
21. The existence of music
22. Really awesome men in my community
23. Becoming a sister of my sorority
24. My new laptop
25. My project I'm currently working on
26. My grades
27. The existence of Coca-Cola
28. The existence of Cuban coffee
29. Breakfast food
30. My adorable siblings
31. The existence of Rachelle de la Cruz
32. The existence of St. Therese, St. Josemaria Escriva, Matthew Kelly, and C.S. Lewis
33. My economics professor
34. My Bible Study
35. Sassy jokes
36. The invention of the telephone; more specifically, the cell phone
37. My teddy bear I received when I was born
38. The beach
39. My height
40. The existence of Matthew Gunns
41. The joys of arts and crafts
42. Other people's talents
43. Access to clean water
44. My sunflowers that I am currently growing
45. My innocent childhood
46. The existence of books
47. My father's lessons on physical fitness and how to defend myself
48. My Godfather
49. My Godmother
50. My Godson