February People

January has never been my favorite. Sorry to all you lovely January birthday people out there, but I also don't think this is a very crazy take. January is often not fantastic. Also, sometime last year I randomly realized that the year mirrors a day, and it blew my mind. Maybe it seems obvious, or just not that cool to you, but I think it is. January is the early morning, and I am NOT about early mornings. At all.  

Before I continue to recount my January, I need a little more time to explain my day/year thing since, like I said, it's cool. The winter (January, February) is like the early morning. Everyone is a tired, it's cold, and we are all nose to the grindstone, getting stuff done. Then the sun comes up and it's spring. The sunrise is like spring flowers, and soon it's mid-morning, and everything is a little happier. People are feeling a little more alive. More interesting things are starting happen. Then it's afternoon. This is summer! People are eating lunch. Then they're getting off work. Maybe they're going to some fun place to do something real fun. The sun is shining and things feel easy, exciting, or maybe a little lazy. Then it's fall. This is evening. It's a little cooler than it was, even chilly. The sun is setting which is beautiful and colorful like fall leaves. People go home and there's a different vibe in the air. Then it's night, which is like December. It's time to celebrate! The day, or year, is over. People watch shows, eat good food, go out to party, or do whatever they finally have time to do. It's the darkest time of the year, and of the day, but it's also one of the happiest times. Then the day, and the year, are over. 

Were you impressed? Thanks if you were. 

Anyway, I've had a good January considering, but not the best week. I had some not-so-fun trouble and some not-so-fun anxiousness! There are certain things that very socially acceptable to say. It's easy to tell people that you got the flu or that you broke your collarbone or that you sink exploded, for example, but it is not so easy to say that you're in crippling debt, you're fighting with someone you love, you're addicted to drugs, or you have terrible anxiety. (To be clear, some of the aforementioned events have happened to me and others have not.)

Anyway, the not-great week is, happily, over, and the pretty-good-considering January is also over. I'm feeling really good about both of those things, and there are a lot of nice things afoot. February, the month of love, feels like it might turn out pretty lovely. First my parents are crushing it in Ghana. They've been there like forty five minutes and they are already giving piano lessons, teaching seminary, doing heaps of family history, and just generally being amazing. I also have a really cute nephew and a really cute niece. Also, Spain is getting prettier and slightly better weather. There is more than enough rain and clouds to go around, but when the sun shines and everything looks greener, I feel like spring (represented by mid-morning, you're welcome) on the way! 

Logroño is such a beautiful city. My previously-broken foot has hurt substantially less than ever since I hurt it during January, and I've been able to go on a few more walks around the city. I saw an OTTER in the river last night which seemed like a pretty big deal to me. 

I really enjoy my students (most of them) and the great teachers I work with. There are fifteen English teachers, I work closely with all of them, and I like ALL of them. Doesn't that seem like a miracle?

I am a total pro at the bus, and I really love it now. I know it's shocking! I got a little cart thing to lug my groceries, and sometimes laundry, around in, and it is a game changer. BYU basketball is fun to watch, even though I get too invested and sad when they lose. 

We went to the most gorgeous castle with the YSA the other week. It was seriously so magical and we could climb up and down all the towers, as you can see pictured. I also got to drive the car we borrowed from Arturo's Dad since Arturo doesn't drive, and it was an automatic, which isn't very common in Spain but quite necessary for me. I have a friend group and a ward and a family full of people who love me. I am loved up and down and from every side. 

So are you are morning person? Are you a February person? Let's just decide to be February people, ok? Ok. :)))