Week Whatever Of Life Being Weird

I decided it was time for me to blog about what I've been up while I'm not going to work because of Corona virus. During this time when we are all supposed to be staying home I find myself being sporadically productive for long amounts of time and then dip into laziness for equally long amounts of time. I go back and forth between feeling content with life at home and focussing on the small things, and then being so upset that I can't go back to Utah for Easter and that we had to cancel our Hawaii trip (although I still have some hope and we haven't cancelled our flight). When I am unable to work it feels like a crime that I'm not using this time outside on a backpacking trip or traveling. But of course the reason I'm not at work is because I'm supposed to be at home. 

So here are the positives right now. I am going to add to this list as the weeks progress.

-Ashton is safely home from Brazil.(Now in the Atlanta, Georgia North Mission)

-All of my family are healthy. 

-The weather outside is amazing and we keep our backdoor open all day long to let in the breeze. 

-The grass we planted in our yard is growing and I love watering it everyday. 

-I have had many virtual family game nights and Ryan has played Fortnite with his brothers almost every night. 

-I finally finished reading Pride and Prejudice! It took me 3 months because sometimes I wouldn't open it for a week or 2 at a time. But I LOVED it and am so fulfilled in having read it. 

-Ryan and I have gone on many runs together, which we didn't really do together before this. 

-I did endless hours of scrap booking which got me caught up on mine and Ryan's together story scrap book as well as Ryan's childhood scrap book.

-We have eaten food that we made at home and haven't been eating out much at all. I know that's not great for restaurants but it's good for me because it means I've been making my own food way more than I used to and am developing that skillset and trying new recipes.

-I finally started doing a daily yoga practice. I've only been doing 10 minutes a day but that is so much better than 0 minutes a day.
-More that ever I have learned to appreciate social interaction. I can be a very anxious person and I overthink being with people, but after this I am just going to want to have friends over as much as possible and I'll say yes to all the social things I swear.

-We have gone on hikes and bike rides and seen plenty of sunshine.
-I started growing plants in an egg carton and it is actually working.
-We had a Hatch family Easter Sunday service through Zoom, and it was definitely the first time ever that the whole Hatch family was together for Easter.
-We started doing Young Women's through Zoom and it is really fun to still have that connection every week.

-I will still have a job to go back to (Even though EDD Unemployment has been the worst possible nightmare of this entire experience and I get a stomach ache when I think about it.)
-I got to go running in SF and also took a nap for over an hour on the lawn at the Palace of Fine Arts.
-We have made homemade bread and fresh strawberry ice cream.
-Ryan and I are watching the entire Star Wars series and it has been fun and insightful for me.
-I have still been able to see friends and have that time to catch up and socialize.
-We do Hatch family Zoom every Sunday now. Last week I was in charge of sharing a message and it was pretty fun.

My Love

As we've been at home this week on "lockdown" because of the Corona Virus I've been doing a lot of scrap booking... like a lot. And as I've been going through different stages of life through photos and memories I've been realizing how much Ryan and I have changed over the last 10 years. In some ways Ryan is a very different human than he used to be and so am I. What's amazing is how we have grown together. 

Of course in many ways we are still similar to how we used to be and we know each other all too well. It is interesting and exciting to watch how we are evolving together.

My hope is that we can continue to grow to become better versions of ourselves and that we never stop learning and progressing. I want to always be creating memories and having adventures together.

Some Gratitude Journaling

A few of the little things that make my life better at 26: 


1. Podcasts about mental health and how to live a prosperous life (Brooke Castillo, Jody Moore, Rachel Hollis, Jordan Peterson, Gretchen Rubin)

2. My end of day routine: Changing into pajamas, washing my face and brushing my teeth, turning on an old Disney movie in my room, praying with Ryan, and falling asleep.

3. Marco Pollo chats with my family and friends. And Google Hangout chats with my missionary brother on Mondays.

4. My Thursday night virtual class that I take with the same 8 people that I've gotten to know over the last several months. 

5. Boba drinks that Ryan and I get on our date nights before going to the movies.

6. Saturday morning runs with new California friends.

7. My church calling serving with the Young Women.I am blessed to be a part of a team of women helping each other to be followers of Christ.

8. The big windows at my work that allow me to see all the blossoms on the trees and make patients happy when they sit down and look outside.

9. My new bike and the fact that Ryan put it together for me.

10. Reading my book during my lunch break and getting to re-energize my mind during that time. 

11. The rolling green hills and palm trees that I pass on my daily commute.

12. The feeling I get after I have cleaned my space, opened the windows, and lit a candle.

13. When a new song comes out that gives me all the feels. It seems rarer these days that I am deeply affected by a song so when it happens I am so happy.

14. Waking up to Ryan in the morning. So cheesy but it is literally the greatest thing to see him sleeping next to me.

15. When my grandma sends me a text or a letter in the mail.

16. Seeing my house plants come back to life after they seemed dead for a few days.

17. Being familiar with my cashiers at the grocery stores I shop at.

18. Getting a glimpse into the lives of my patients and learning something from them even though my knowing them is brief.

19. Small moments of personal accomplishment - like when I don't impulsively buy an outfit that I don't need or when I choose to love myself anyway after I eat 3 marshmallows for no reason.

20. Being around funny people. Really my life is only complete when I am laughing often.

Beautiful, Beautiful February

The sun has been shining and the hills are green. Now is the time to be outside in Northern California. 

My Favorite Pics From The Last Few Months

An update of sorts.

The House That Was Always There

Lately I have been going insane with trying to make sure I am keeping tangible records of where I came from. I have got a fire burning inside me to keep the memories of my grandparents and ancestors alive. I think I feel life speeding up so much right now that I need to know the past is being honored and not forgotten. That way I can feel ready to move forward.

I was still really young when my great grandparents all moved out of their homes and into retirement communities. I had nothing to do with the process of moving furniture and important valuables after they passed away or making sure photos were taken of their homes and precious things. I am sure that was all sorted out properly because they have responsible children, but I sit here now wondering where all their heirlooms went and wishing I at least had a copy of pictures to hold onto instead of just the memories in my brain.

But instead of feeling stressed about the things I have no control over, I decided to move forward with what I can control. 

I am going to write about the house that was always there.

My grandma and grandpa moved out of their home in Glendale and into a new one in Riverton last year. It was sad for me. My parents moved around a lot and my grandparents house was one of the only constants I had in my life. I took dozens of pictures on my phone while my mom and grandma were packing up the last of the items left in the house. Luckily I know there are a lot of photos of the different rooms over the years so I didn't have to worry too much about that, but I wanted to photograph the details. I want to make sure I remember, and that my future children can at least know it existed.

I want to remember the way the light hit the front yard at sunset. I want to remember counting the ants on the cracked cement in the back yard. I want to remember the summer days I spent picking plums and cherries in the backyard, and then cooling off with the hose and literally sitting in a plastic bucket filled with water. I want to remember picking mint leaves and eating them or making mint tea. I want to remember all the summer parties with sticky watermelon and kids playing in the sandbox.

I want to remember sitting inside during snowy nights with the family squished between the couch seats. I want to remember the smell of pine that came from the Christmas tree and the warmth of the wood burning stove. I want to remember making gingerbread cookies with my grandma in the kitchen and her not being bothered by the mess. I want to remember the laughter while the family performed skits for each other. I want to remember watching plays that the grandkids put together on the stage.

Luckily the family is all still here and we get to enjoy many of the same things in their new house. But it is really special when you spend years upon years making memories in the same home. I will really treasure that house in my heart forever.