1. A photograph of me and my grandmother- This photograph is very dear to me. While my grandmother passed when I was 14, she was my best friend and made it known from the second I was born, maybe even before. She called me her "ladybug" and the frame I hold this photo in has a ladybug on it. My grandmother looks happy and young in this photo and it reminds me of better times.
2. My boyfriend- Andrew and I have been together for 3 years now (as of August 26th). He is on this list of favorites because of his endless love for me and how he inspired me. He dropped out of college because it wasn't what he wanted to do, but everyday I wake up and want to quit, he keeps me going back to school, reminding me how much happier I am when I am in school. He knows me better than I know myself sometimes.
3. Opal frog- The opal frog is a symbol of the fact that I LOVE frogs as well as crystals. I have a crystal collection that I started when I was in the third grade and while it's not huge, it takes up some space. I got in trouble once for bringing a rock and gem Smithsonian book to school for reading day instead of a chapter book. My love for crystals was started by my mom and it's our thing. She has some, but not as many as me.
4. Three owls from Epcot- The three owls are from Disney's Epcot in Orlando. They come from a shop in the Japan section and are said to be lucky and the luck is for whatever the color you chose describes. Pink brings you romance, yellow brings you good fortune, and black protects you from illness and death. I had originally picked up the black owl on my first ever trip to Epcot with my parents, in 2010. I was enamored with it and I carried it everywhere and it became my good luck charm.
5. Tinkerbell dress up crown- Another item from Disney. In 2010, my parents and I got the chance to stay for 5 nights in the French Quarter resort at Disney, which was huge. My dad had just gotten some money because of his brain injury (he had to deal with workers comp, etc) and this was essentially our first ever vacation. I was used to my dad working two to three jobs and my mom working as well. They surprised me with Disney and in Downtown Disney (now renamed Disney Springs), I went to this boutique where they dress you up as a princess. None of the princess costumes fit me, so I was Tinkerbell. But, they put me in the front window, teaching me to "princess wave" for all the little kids who walked by, so that they could have as magical a time as I was.
6. Life is like a Musical book- This book was given to me by my best friend in high school when he graduated. He was a year older and left for California right before I started my senior year. We both met during our school's production of Cinderella and became instant best friends. He is truly one of a kind, with this book providing a lot of advice that I could almost hear him saying to me even when he wasn't there.
