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Showing posts with label happy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label happy. Show all posts

3.3.13

Day 16: My 5 Greatest Accomplishments

Thus far...Hahahaha. I hope I go further with my education and get a better degree at some point in my life...

1. Getting my CNA. This was the first step in believing that I could accomplish great things in school. I loved my program, and the people in my program. I learned so much from them. And getting a job as a CNA taught me even more. I've learned far more about empathy and compassion than I thought was actually possible. I've learned a lot about patience and balancing job duties as well.

2. Staying true to who Alex is. This is constantly a work in progress. Staying true to oneself is really hard sometimes. But I feel like in the last 6 months, I've really accepted more of who I am, and less of what I think is wrong with me, and giving myself excuses. I have done some really wonderful things in this last year, and I am just feeling happier and happier.

3. Developing closer relationships with the people I love. I've always been close to my family, but I've really worked on being a friend. It's one thing to be a sister or a daughter. It's another things to be a sister and a best friend. I know this is the closest I've ever felt to Sara. And it means so much to me. We call each other regularly, and she always makes me feel happier. And she's feeling happier. And we're both finally just happy. And I love talking with PJ. Especially when I see how excited he is to marry his sweetheart, I love hearing him talk about his life, and his passions. And Sophie. Darling Sophie. And boys that are falling in love with her. And her goofy laugh. And darling smile. And perfect soul. And my parents. My momma.  And our budding best friendship. And my daddy. And our budding friendship. And trusting my husband's family enough to finally be myself around them, and get to know them on a real level, and not feel embarrassed.

4. Staying strong and knowing there's something better, even when it sucks. Everyone has hard things going on in their lives all the time. I'm no exception. I'm a sensitive person. Sometimes too sensitive. When I was younger, I let the world eat me alive. I was all raw emotion, and crying all the time. I've learned how to get a grip, and enjoy the ride. Sometimes life kicks my ass. But then I get back up, smile at it, and say "Guess what life? I'm happy. And you can't take that away from me."

5. Marrying David Shuey. Marriage is hard work. And easy work. It's hard when money is tighter than you want it to be, dishes have sat in the sink for a week, or your spouse is sick, and you can't do anything about it. But marriage is easy when you're snuggling as you fall asleep at night, when you laugh for hours about old memories, and when you can take a second to reflect on how lucky you are to have met and fallen in love with your spouse. Marrying Dave has been one of the best decisions of my entire life. He makes my heart so happy. And he takes such good care of me. He loves me for 100% of who I am. Even the cluttery, I-hate-cleaning-so-much bits. I know someday he will be a good daddy, and in the meantime, he will be a great travel partner. I've been married to him for 2 months now. They've flown by, but I'm so happy.


6. I'm so happy. I don't know if I've ever been so happy in my entire life. My life is mine, and I finally have the courage to say that. Part of me is fearful of being so happy. But I know that this is true happiness. The kind that you can cling to when things are tough. But I'm going to enjoy the ride while things are smooth, and going great.



Have a happy sunday!!!

2.3.13

Day 12: A Typical Day of Alex Shuey

1.Wake up late.
2. Get ready.
3. Tickle fight...I always lose.
4. Make bed.
5. Get shit together.
6. Go somewhere.
7. Get stuff done.
8. Hang out with husband.
9. Get more stuff done.
10. Watch husband play Assassin's Creed.
11. Eat Samoas.
12. Blog.
13. Go to bed too late.

Wait...that's just today.....bummer.

28.2.13

Day 9: The 10 People That Have Influenced You the Most

1. My husband.
I know I'm only 18, and I know some of the thoughts I had on love and marriage were and are because I am a young teenager. BUT... I was convinced I would never find the love of my life, and that I would settle with anyone that might love me. Dave really changed all of that for me. He was my best friend. He took everything about me with such stride and loved all of it. In that same regard, I love him. I love Dave so much.  I love him for everything he is, even the bits that frustrate me a little. There is nothing he could ever do to make me not love him, and I don't think I could ever make him not love me either. I know, I'm a newlywed, so this probably has the meaning of a grain of salt. But for me, that will always be enough.

2. Suzanna.
I met this special girl when we were 4. We have been inseparable since then. We don't live in the same state anymore. In fact, she lives across the country from me, in North Carolina, but we talk everyday, and I think we've been closer since she's been away. She's always been there for me. And I'll always be there for her.

3. My mother.
My mommy and I are best friends. Aside of the fact that she let me be a parasitical organism for 9 months, and went through painful labor to get me here, she's always been my hero. We were close even when I was a baby. She cuddled me, and made me feel so safe, and she's always done that. Maybe not in a physical sense, but she's always listened to me, advised me, and comforted me whenever I needed. She gives the best hugs, and makes me laugh until I can't breathe. And even then I'm still laughing. She's cool and hip, and wears cool pajama pants. She's an awesome lady, and I'm damn lucky to call her my mom.

4. My father.
My daddy and I go way back. Hahahaha. He used to work at home building mantels, so while my mom was staying late at school, I hung out with my dad. I used to make little mini mantels out of the wood scraps that he had from all of his real mantels. And he would give me 10$ when I decided to sweep all the sawdust out of the garage. When you're 8, 10$ is a lot of money. More than that, he's never missed a dance recitial, gymnastic competition, talent show, piano festival, orchestra concert, or play in my entire life. It was always so important for my dad to go to those things, and looking back, it means so much to me that he made it such a priority. He's always picked me up when I've fallen down, hugged me, and made sure I was alright. My daddy is wise, and has a great laugh. I love my dad so much.

5. My brother PJ.
We used to kill each other. Hahahaha. We seriously would beat each other up as kids. He was always bigger, and tickled me until I screamed and cried. But I think he preferred me over the other sisters (shhhh) because I was a bit more of a tomboy. He's helped me through a lot of problems in my life. I remember in ninth grade, I was really lost, and he really helped me through that. He would talk to me as he did his homework, but he always listened. And that meant so much to me. He's smart, and is about to go to law school. And now he's marrying the love of his life. And I couldn't be happier for him. I'll always be close to my brother. And I hope he always feels close to me.

6. My big sister Sara.
Holy cow. If you guys only understood how amazing this girl was. Even if you sort of understood. Sara is the kind of person that walks into a room, and instantly the mood changes. She carries such a grace (that's even her middle name) and beauty about her. But she's so silly and goofy. She laughs at everything. And we laugh so hard together. Sara has been one of my biggest supporters in all areas of my life. We didn't always get along, but we have both worked on our relationship a lot. Especially since I've been married. She has given me some really good advice. She is always up for a phone call, or a coffee date. She's been such an example of success. She decided she wanted to go into law, rocked the LSAT, and has been accepted into several law schools all over. She's passionate about life, and she is one of the most beautiful people I know. I love Sara. And I hope that we'll be close forever.

7. My baby sister Sophie.
Sophie has been my best friend for my entire life. I was a bit of an introvert my whole life. Don't get me wrong, I'm confident, but I've never had many friends. But I've always had Sophie. I know she's my sister, but she always played the games I wanted to play, and listened to me when I thought no one was listening. When I got my license, she was my copilot whenever I went anywhere. She has the best laugh out of anyone I've ever met. It's not light and musical and phony. It's real, and makes the whole atmosphere change. I haven't been very nice to her recently. And I'm not really sure why. I think it's because I know I can take my frustrations out on her, and she'll still love me. But that's not fair. I'm sorry Sophie. Forgive me? That's one of the greatest things about Sophie. Is her ability to forgive. Her heart is the size of the world. But she's generally so happy. My little sister is amazing. I love her forever.

8. My mother-in-law Cindy.
I always hoped I would be close to my mother-in-law, and I'm really lucky. Cindy is one of my closest friends. She always willing to help Dave and I in any way that she can, and is one of the most generous people I have ever known. Her love for her family amazes me. And I feel that love, as her daughter-in-law. Every Sunday, we have Sunday dinner. She always makes a delicious meal, and helps everyone forget the stress or frustrations they've felt in that week. Cindy is truly an amazing person. I've always felt close with her, and I think I always will. We laugh together, and I feel perfectly comfortable coming over just to talk to her. She is an AMAZING grandma. Holy cow. Olivia and Kade are so lucky. She is always willing to babysit them, and they have so much fun with her. I love her enthusiasm, and her passion for her family. I love her, and I'm so happy to be part of her family.

9. A Special Resident
(Due to HIPAA violations I can not disclose her name). This special resident will always have a place in my heart. Whenever I wake her up, she is happy and radiant. She has a love for everyone at Trinity Mission. Everyone. She has a happy laugh, and makes everyone around her feel better about themselves. She has taught me more about finding happiness wherever you seek it, than I could have ever imagined. She could very easily be discouraged. Especially living in a resting home. But she takes it in such stride, and makes sure everyone feels happy around her. I love her, and only wish happy things for her in her whole life.

10. Mr. Clinton.
He was my 10th grade high school health teacher. He was my high school principal. He was one of my oclosest friends and biggest supporters. He has a passion for teaching that not many teacher possess. He is loud and doesn't always say things right, but he is wise. There were many times when we would have talks for hours after school. And he listened to me. And gave me some of the best advice I could ever ask for. I was feeling unhappy in high school. And he told me his expectation for my graduation. He wanted to give me a hug when I graduated. So I had to graduate, and couldn't get too overwhelmed with my life. And he did give me a hug when I graduated. And told me he was so proud of me. I had my parents support all through high school, but it meant so much to me to have a teacher, and a principal believe in me all through high school. Mr. Clinton, thank you. Thank you so much.

15.2.13

Day 7: My Dream Job.

I have several. They are over a period of time, so I will list them as they are most relevant to me.

1. I'm getting ready to complete my training to be a Volunteer in the Mentor-a-Child program at the Children's Justice Center. After I complete 40 training hours, I will be assigned a child, which I spend an hour or so with a week. We can go to the park, the library, go get an ice cream cone, really just have fun together. The entire point of this program is to be a support system for these kids. Be ready to listen to them, but mostly just be their friends. Be someone that they know they can count on.

2. Volunteer at The Center For Women and Children in Crisis by becoming a volunteer of the rape crisis team. Basically, I would be on the other end of the phone when someone calls, and I would give them resources to help themselves heal emotionally, get medical assistance, or how to report it to the police. I'm hoping I can do this over the summer, or at the end of spring.

3. Become a social worker. This is a step in my dream job. After I finish my general education, I hope to apply to Utah Valley University's Bachelor's of Social Work program. It's a 4 year program with 45 hours of required internship hours. Which would help me get to my...

4. Master's of Social Work to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). I want to become a counselor, and work primarily with adolescence. In order for me to complete my education, I hope to attend University of Utah's Master's of Social Work program. It's a 2-3 year program with 4000 required internship hours. That's my dream job. Truthfully. I want to help people more than I can explain. I think I would be a good therapist. I have what I would like to think of as a chameleon soul. I have always had friends from different backgrounds, because I'm good at adapting and understanding people on a personal level. With any luck, I would be done by the time I'm 26, but I don't know what the future will present, so until then, I will keep my fire burning, and try my hardest to accomplish my dreams.

22.8.12

So Happy I Could Poop.

Which actually means a lot coming from me.
But enough about my bathroom tribulations.



I had one of those so-happy-everything-is-absolutely-marvelous-and-the-stars-have-aligned kind of days.

It was another day that I fell deeper in love with David.

It was another day that I got to be alive and experience the essence of life.

It was another day spent with good food and friends.

It was finding the perfect solution to the stress of the moment.



You know that moment, when you've been so stressed out about something, and then all of a sudden, the exact perfect ideal situation happens. It doesn't just happen. It's given to you on a golden platter that says "free. Take me. I'll make your life happier and better." Yup. It was that awesome.


Unfortunately, I can not give details about my perfect moment for a while. It's kind of complicated, and truly, I don't know if  I could explain it if I tried.














But I'm so obnoxiously in love.



And I'm the LUCKIEST girl in the entire world.

8.8.12

Blog Challenge: Day 21

A picture(s) of something that makes me happy.

1. Bubbles.
This is me (:
Photo Credit: Nina Carpenter

Little Animals:
 Mollie
Salamander 
 Mouse
 Jackstopher
Porky (One of Dave and my frog)


I also enjoy cupcakes, baths, and rain.

19.4.12

Cupcakes.

Happy Birthday to me.
Happy birthday to me.
Happy birthday to meeee,
Happy birthday to me!

Wisdom From A New Adult.

  • Starbucks makes everything better.
  • Feel like crap? Take a shower. You probably smell bad.
  • Kisses from the boyfriend make everything happy. Especially when his face is all soft and freshly shaved.
  • Daddy hugs are the best hugs.
  • Sometimes your mom is infinitely more attractive than you ever thought possible. Good news. If you got a decent end of the gene pool, you're probably in luck too.
  • Boys are still dumb. They don't get smarter until they are about 21.
  • Reading a good book is always enjoyable.
  • Wear rings. Lots of them.
  • You know that fuzzy feeling in your guts? It's not fuzzy. It's gas. (Hahahaha.)
  • You know that fluttery feeling in your heart? It's love...probably.
  • Caffeine induced heart rates and energy do come down eventually. Then comes a caffeine induced coma.
  • I really know nothing.








  • Guess what? .........Chicken butt. That's still funny.

18.4.12

Arrivederci 17...

Dear 17-year-old Alex,
It is your last day as a minor. I hope you did something mildly troublesome. But we both know you didn't. We're going to start this with all the cool shit you accomplished first, then transition into life lessons, and what to avoid for adulthood. Mmkeh? Okay.
Alex, you are one awesome kid. But, with you being about an hour and a half away from adulthood, I figure I should recognize you for each major accomplishment you achieved in your life so far.

Birth-You survived. Congratulations. You were delivered in a hospital to loving parents.
1-You've managed to walk and say you're first word....doggie.
2-You showed mom. "My kids don't have the terrible two's?" HA! Lipstick and swirlies were a major accomplishment.
3-You haven't killed your younger sister yet. Good job.
4-You can dress yourself, and take care of animals. Kudos!
5-You started kindergarten. And maintained a little boyfriend.
6-Your little fingers can reach a full octave on the piano, that's awesome.
7-You can win any jumprope competition in the world. Or playground. But it's the same thing.
8-You've started gymnastics. And you're progressing. Fast.
9-Now you're in dance, gymnastics, and piano. Good job kid.
10-Double digits. BAM!
11-You got braces. Not much of an accomplishment, but worth the smile.
12-You've started junior high, and joined orchestra. (: Best decision ever.
13-You're hair is gorgeously curly. Word of advice: Love it. It gets fried later.
14-You're teaching your aerobics class. Kick ass.
15-The cutest little sophomore ever! Honors art is awesome!
16-Can you say license? AP ART.....
17-You fell in love! Good job!
18- ?


As you can see, you were a successful young person. Now, let's talk about what we've learned.

Alex, let's get something straight. You know nothing. At all. But you do know somethings. I realize this doesn't make sense. Let me explain.
You do not know all. You do not know what it's like to go to college, be married, be poor, balance a real job and school, or even know what it's like to have a debit card. DO NOT PRETEND LIKE YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THESE THINGS. DON'T BE A DUMBASS.
You do know what it's like to really be happy, what it really means to hurt, how to drive a car, how paying for medicare sucks, and that being in love is awesome. You also know how to be a good sister, and sometimes a good friend. You may not have lots of them, but you have enough.
What have we learned this year, Alex? Hm? You had to learn how to be by yourself and be okay. All your friends graduated, and you learned that sometimes being alone isn't a bad thing. You had time to learn more about yourself, and accept yourself for who you are.
You learned what it really means to hurt. No explanation needed.
You learned how to look fear in the eye, and tell it you won't back down.
You learned what it really means to be a member of your family. What it means to be a good sister and daughter, and that loyalty is always important, no matter what the situation is.
You learned to be a better listener. Listen with your ears, and not your head.
You learned that it's okay to fall in love, and look, you met Dave.
You learned how to be Alex.
WHAT TO AVOID FOR 18:
Credit cards are not free money. Use cash or a debit card.
Your metabolism does not last forever. So eat healthy, fatty (:
It will seem tempting, but don't sell plasma. It's worse than donating blood, and we know how you react to that.
Unnecessary stress. So don't force yourself to make gigantic decisions.
Depression. It's okay to feel sad sometimes, but be happy.

You are a beautiful and incredible person. I am honored to have been able to share in your journey this past year. I know you will become a successful adult, have a good career, marry a good person, be a good mom, and live a good life.

Never ever ever ever ever ever ever give up. Because even if the world gives up on you, don't you dare give up on yourself.

Now, go eat a cupcake, or go to bed, or smile goofy, or something.

Oh and one more thing.

Alex....

Happy birthday.


I love you.
Alexandria Katherine Judd
Dreamer, Writer, Artist, Musician, Hippie, Goofie. Alex.

3.4.12

White Blank Page.

The fact of the matter is, I can't wait to get married. I realize it's a bit of a distance away, but I'm not like everyone else, thinking about flowers, dresses, and centerpieces. I am excited for BEING married. Snuggling as I fall asleep, waking up groggy only to look over at a groggy husband, watching movies on a Tuesday night, buying groceries, arguing about silly things and making up shortly after. Having someone to hold my hand when I start pinching myself (weird habit of mine...) Someone to kiss my forehead when I bump in on the cabinets, being poor with someone, having to pay bills, everything. I want the experience of have a spouse. Not just the wedding. Because I hope I would marry someone (David) that would love me just as I am with a huge dress and make up, as a T-shirt and greasy hair. (Doesn't happen that often). I hope I would marry someone that would bring home Phish Food ice cream on a shit day, and someone that understands that no matter how hard I try, I will NEVER be a morning individual. I want to be able to burst into tears, because I can't cook things without something going wrong, and someone to cuddle with me as my uterus is torn apart with period pains. My sinuses hurt. My heart hurts. My head hurts. And I need a nap. Or just Dave.