Author: The Wild Gems

I think this vacation is memorable because I can’t believe how stupid I was. Then again, I was young. And when you’re young you aren’t thinking about consequences or repercussions. You are just living and wanting to have fun.

I was 18 years old and it was spring break. The year was 2009. A friend of mine had invited me to go to Mexico, aka Rocky Point. That friend was a wild one. Believe me.

Which is why I called up one of my best friends (my good conscious) and asked if she wanted to go to Mexico for spring break too. Of course she said yes! We were party girls at that time just livin’ it up! But not party girls like we slept around. Not even close. We were more like “good girls”. I just don’t want you, my fellow readers, to develop the wrong impression.

So my friend and I decided to travel by ourselves. I didn’t even tell my parents. I was already living on my own and I didn’t feel any reason to tell them anyway. Plus, I knew they wouldn’t approve.

My friend and I drove by OURSELVES, AT NIGHT, through Mexico! 18 year olds!! I could punch myself. Just thank God. Thank God.

When we got to our destination it was us and about 8 other girls crammed into this little ghetto motel room. We were young, we didn’t care. We would just be sleeping there anyway.

We did have a great time. I’m laughing now just reminiscing lol!

We rode the banana boat, we jet skied, my friend and I did horse back riding on the beach during the sunset, we rode quads, we drank pina colada’s, and we danced all night. We were truly living in the present.

I remember being on the jet ski with my best friend and I was driving and when I turned the jet ski super fast she flew off. We laughed so hard! It was hilarious.

There was another moment when we were on the banana boat and there was a guy (who was my age) who was sitting across from me. When the driver of the banana boat was going super fast he pretended to be falling off, he then grabbed me and we fell off together. He thought I was really pretty. It was a cute innocent little moment. He saw an opportunity to talk to me alone in the water and went for it lol. I give him credit. He was cute too.

Another moment that sticks in my brain is my best friend flashing her boobs haha! It was like an Amish girl coming out in a mini skirt! Shocking, but you were there for it! I just love her. She’s still one of my best friend and whenever we talk about this trip we still can’t believe how naive and ignorant we were.

There’s so many more details to this trip, but as the saying goes….

What happens in Mexico stays in Mexico.

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Lots of love my friends! This was a fun question to answer. Now I’m going to text my friend!

Being romantic is paying attention to the little things of what someone says or does and then acts on it. It’s sweet little gestures like a kiss on the cheek or forehead, or giving a smile or wink across the room. Being romantic is being respectful and gentle. It’s expressing your love in unique ways.

Oh goodness……there is nothing. Nothing I would be confident enough saying out loud that I’m an authority in. I’m a work in process. Still learning.

However I will say my children believe I am an expert in life. Especially my little blondie seven year old. She asks me so many questions. Some redundant and some that are truly thought provoking.

I have to assure her that I don’t know everything in life. And that nobody really does. But that’s the beauty of life and what makes life interesting.

I notice how my children look to me for answers. And right now, “I have them.” But soon enough they will realize that I don’t know as much as they believe.

However I will always encourage them to be an authority on themselves.

You will always be worth getting to know and specializing in.

The quote in the title is by Leonardo de Vinci. And I can testify that learning about myself has been the greatest gift I have ever given myself. And this is a gift I wish to pass to my children.

I’ll tell you when I really started living a life of gratitude.

The thing that first opened the door of gratitude was having my first child. Such a surreal experience to grow life. Absolutely miraculous. So much love. You think you know what love is, and then you have a child. It’s such a different expression of love.

Having my child revealed to me how I was just as miraculous to exist and to be here living in this world. I began to love myself.

Another thing that really provoked me to enter through the door of gratitude and walk through was I began watching space/universe documentaries and such. I mean, you know how small you are in comparison to the world but when I was watching these documentaries I was just thinking, “holy crap, how is any of this possible.” I began to ask so many questions and really began to notice the great creator and his creations.

I look at nature in such a different way, I began to notice how everything is connected and how nothing is really independent. It’s so beautiful.

So I say a lot of silent prayers or thanks you in my head. I smile at nature, I take time to watch the sunsets, I give my children lots of grace and myself, I work on patience, I take my time, I read, I write, I speak often with my children that everyday is a gift, I let myself cry, I let myself scream, I allow myself to feel, I say sorry, I forgive, I forgive myself, I let it go….

Allowing myself these things helps me to be a better human, mother, wife, friend, neighbor, example….

I remind myself often that I am loved and that I am a miracle. That all of THIS is a miracle. And that helps me to live a life of gratitude and express gratitude daily.

Thank for reading, always.

I try not to spend too much time or energy worrying about the future. It takes precious time out of the present and life is short.

Although I try to be mindful how I spend my days and my choices. There’s this yoga YouTube channel that I’ve watched a few times and before many of the yoga exercises start there’s a quote that appears, “your decisions today will define your tomorrow”.

I love that quote. While there is so much uncertainty in the future there is also so much in our control. We are the shapers. I do have concerns, absolutely. But I can only control myself, and in working on myself I know that can and does inspire others to work on themselves.

We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.”

Mahatma dGandhi

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble

Matthew 6:34

Peace and love friends.

That great quote is by Steve Covey.

What I want to say first is that ALL OF US are teachers. In fact, everything can provide a lesson if you’re searching.

Without thinking we teach people what to do and what not to do. All of us are highly influential and teaching others around us in every interaction. Whether we are conscious about it or taking the “lessons” in subconsciously. You are a teacher.

In one sentence though I’ll say what I believe is a great teacher. Not that I don’t want to elaborate on my response, I just don’t have much time in this moment.

A great teacher is one that listens. And a great student is one that listens.

I have had a few surgeries. I don’t like surgeries at all. I don’t know that anyone really enjoys surgery but I’m just making it known that I’m not a fan. However I am extremely grateful that we have people that can perform them and that we can have them!

I’ve had surgeries into relations to my mouth and I’ve had two caesarean sections.

My first surgery was dental. I was somewhere between 11 and 13. My teeth were extremely crooked and I had a small mouth. I had like 6 teeth pulled from my mouth and when I lost my canine teeth the new ones never came through. The Dentist had to drill into my gums and then drill a tiny hole into each of my canine teeth, he then had to hook a small chain to it that came out through my gums and hooked to my top braces. I was super embarrassed. I had only 4 front teeth for a long time. I would go back every few months to have those chains tightened and pulled and eventually my canine teeth came out. Crazy right lol. I love my teeth though! I’m so grateful for braces and those chains! My husband always tells me I have pretty teeth and I’ve been told I have a nice smile. But this smile was very expensive! Ask my mom!

My 2nd surgery was having my wisdom teeth pulled. I was in my early twenties. I was terrified to be put under. Technically I wasn’t fully put under I was put into “the twilight zone” you’re like half awake, half asleep. But still…. I was scared. I almost canceled too. I might of even cried a little haha. I’m an emotional Human. Anyways I went through with it and it wasn’t that bad. I recovered fairly quickly.

My 3rd and 4th surgery was my Caesarian Sections. Giving birth. I don’t ever want to go through those surgeries again. Which also means I’m done having kids. My first one was absolutely horrific. It was an emergency c-section and I really thought I was going to die. You are awake the whole time as a baby is being pulled out of you! You can feel the tugging and it’s just insane. To this day I’ve never watched a c-section on YouTube or anything and I probably never will because I rather not fully know what went down behind that curtain.

My 4th one was planned. Which was a little better but as they were pulling my daughter out they kept pushing on my ribs and I swear I thought they were going to break my ribs.

I am so grateful for children though! And I am thankful that these surgeries are possible. If I was alive during a different time who knows if we would have made it. However sometimes I wonder if I really needed the first c-section. It wasn’t even my doctor that did it. And doctors make a ton of money doing those kinds of births vs a natural one. If we all could have been more patient I wonder…. But knows. My mom had 4 c-sections and I now know what she went through. And I pray my daughters don’t have to go through this if they choose to have kids one day.

I challenge you to google a c-section. They are no joke. Maybe not watch a video but google the procedure. Many people don’t know all that the surgery entails. But it’s a major surgery! They cut though layers of me!

Anyways, thank you doctors for all that you can do! I could never, but I’m so grateful for those who had this calling in life! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!!!!!

P.s. I’m writing in this in the car while we are driving to a friends so there may be a few grammar errors. My husband has had surgeries too. Oral and he recently had lasik eye surgery! He says it’s life changing!

How funny. I’m literally reading a book about habits. It’s called ‘Atomic Habits’ , I highly recommend it! It’s a life changing type of book. Full of insight and encouragement to bettering yourself. Can’t say enough good things about it! Add it to your reading list!

Back to the habit question, well, currently I stay at home with 4 kids. So my daily habits mostly have to consist with kid stuff and home stuff. Picking up toys, changing diapers, brushing teeth, feeding, cooking, washing dishes, wiping counters, crafts, regulating. That stuff is EVERY DAY. And once school starts we’re going to have to really become a little bit more disciplined with our schedule.

But for me personally, as in what I do for myself daily is I drink coffee or tea every morning. While I’m drinking my tea I read something encouraging or inspiring and I write it down. It’s a small moment of me time that I look forward to every morning. I also read every day. 15 mins here and there, whenever I get a little chance. I love reading personal growth books and memoirs.

As well as I try to get some writing in, either writing down a recipe, or writing something to share with others, or answering these fun questions!

I was searching through the writing prompts and this one made me smile. Don’t we all remember our first real crush.

It was in the 6th grade. I was living in Alaska at the time. My ex stepdad for the moment in time was in the Air Force which is why we were living in Alaska to begin with.

Anyways, it was 6th grade and we sat next to each other. His last name began with an L and mine began with an M so it made sense that we were sitting next to each other.

His name was Andrew. He was a tall skinny boy. Wore adidas shoes, jeans most days, and a t-shirt. His hair was parted down the middle, but it didn’t look bad. He had dirty blonde hair and greenish eyes. My 11 year old self thought he was so cute.

I had braces at that time. I was wearing “training bras” because I barely even had anything. My hair was long and I looked very kidish. Unlike some preteens these days.

I liked whatever he liked pretty much. He introduced me alternative music like Green Day, Nine Days, I think Green Day was his favorite though. I wonder if he had known how much I liked him… he had to have known. He made me laugh so much too. He made all the girls laugh. I’m fairly certain I was not the only one who liked this boy.

Although he didn’t like me like that, he had a crush on one of my friends. I could just tell he liked her. It was just obvious. But I don’t think she liked him like that because her friend liked him. And GIRL CODE.

I had an advantage. His brother was friends with my brother. I think one time he even said to me, “how is he your brother he’s so cool!” Basically saying that I was not cool. Whatever.

He also gave me a nickname that everyone began to call me, “Mariabug” . It was cute but also mean in a way. I had really big brown eyes . I had “bug eyes” …aka Maria bug.

But it’s weird, I know it sounds cruel. But some of my friends thought it was actually cute. And no one was ever mean to me. I would say I was actually a “cool kid.”

I feel like I’m 11 again writing this. But yeah…… him and I would flirt but it never went anywhere. At 6th grade graduation though my mom did me a solid and got me a picture with him. It was me, him, and another girl that he knew since he was a baby. But still…..

aren’t moms the best.

Middle school came around and we hung out with different crowds and then I moved to the lower states in the 9th grade and that was that.

My 6th grade little school crush….