Sunflowers

Today I was very excited. I was excited because for the first time in over two weeks I was able to go to work (for a half day), I was able to drive myself, and I was able to eat. It's amazing how much I've taken for granted my whole life. Water tastes incredible, it's sweet! An orange is like candy to my tastebuds. And I went to Walmart and bought Tangled today. :) Yes, I live a charmed life.
After two weeks of being completely bedridden, I have been set free. Being able to move, to breath, to go wherever I want to go! I wish that I could hold onto this feeling. It's like getting to drive by myself for the first time with a license. Like entering my college dorm room for the first time. It's the feeling I get almost every day when I open my eyes and realize it's a new day. I love this feeling. This feeling of newness, of restored life, of hopes and dreams. I live for this. I live for these small moments in time. Moments of pure joy and freedom.
My life is nowhere near perfect. Sometimes its downright hard. But days like these keep me going. They drive me to try new things, to explore, and to Live.
Living, is not simply being in existence. Living is drinking up the moments that make everything we have to go through in life worth it. I Live when I see my baby niece's smile. I Live when I lose my directions and get lost. And today I Lived by seeing my sunflowers all bloom on the same day. It's the small and simple things that make all the difference.
Sunflowers have always been my favorite flower. They are big and bright, and always point so that they can see the sun, and drink up the rays. It's always a reminder to me to always look to God, and take the scriptures to heart. The rain, the hard parts of life, come, and it is hard to see God. But the rain makes me stronger, and then I can be bigger and brighter than ever was possible before.
That is just one of my many thoughts I had growing up among the sunflowers. I may write more about them later. But for now, a random list of some of my favorite things :)

Anna's Most FavoriteThings In The World-
-Giraffes
-Sunflowers
-Music
-Love
-My Friends (Who are practically family)
-My Family (Who are also in the best friends category)
-Chick Flicks
-Chocolate
-Whichever fruit is in season
-Water, drinking it, swimming in it, watching it rain etc.
-My cell phone named Brutus
-Puggle Puppies (and all other puppies) (and I call all dogs puppies regardless of age, no discrimenation!)
-Victoria's Secret "get free underwear!" coupons
-Coupons in general
-NEVER paying full price unless absolutely necessary
-Lipgloss and mints
-Milk
-Eating more food in a meal than most grown men can consume and still remaining a size 2
-Basketball
-Salsa Dancing
and most importantly
-Books!