happiness.

i've been having a little bit of a rough week. i've been stressed (about moving out, finals, assignments), i haven't been feeling well (my tummy, as always), i've been grumpy (pms, other factors), and i've just plain been unhappy. sometimes i get like that. sometimes everybody gets like that.

the good thing, though, is that it always ends. growing up, everybody liked me because i was (generally speaking) the cheerful, happy one. (when i say everybody, i mean my family, mostly. because in elementary school, the other kids don't usually care if you're cheerful and happy, cause you're just a kid. plus i was a chunk.) then my teenage years happened, and i became a little bit difficult, and even though i'm not difficult anymore (at least i like to think i'm not), being happy doesn't come quite so easily.

i'm a happy person. i like being happy. but more and more, i find myself feeling frustrated at the other drivers on the road and pissed off when i wake up to loud music at seven in the morning and mad when people aren't doing exactly what i expected them to do and irritated when i'm put on hold.

to counteract that, to remember how to be happy, this week i've tried to slow down. when i walk outside, i stop and feel the sun on my face. i went up to rock canyon on tuesday just to think and calm down and thank my heavenly father for the blessings he has given me. i've tried to put a smile on my face, even when i'm not feeling it. and i've tried to focus on the things i love--journaling, crafts, painting, reading and marking up philosophy books, organizing.

so i'm happy again. last night aubrey and i went to color me mine. we're making cereal bowls, but we didn't quite finish so we get to go back tomorrow. it was perfect. after we went home, we made muddy buddies (which gave us tummy aches.. hooray) and watched 500 days of summer (for the second time in two weeks).

life in our new townhouse is going to be wonderful, eating out of our cereal bowls, next to our blue walls and painting-covered walls. with aubrey. i can't think of anything better.