Its a Wonderful Life being a Curtis!: Things that have made me happy as of late

-The fact that fall is here! Fall means soups and pies and cobblers and pumpkin everything and lovely weather and gorgeous leaves. The world is covered in the colors I love and it is awesome! It also means Halloween and Thanksgiving and my brother coming home from his mission in 6 weeks :)

-Music. My parents took me and Mike to hear the Utah Symphony perform Prokofiev's first violin concerto and Pictures at an Exhibition as an early birthday present. Music like that makes my soul soar and feel as if I am a part of something much larger than myself. I can't even describe how music like that really makes me feel, but at the end of Pictures, my eyes had welled with tears and I was completely filled with joy and peace. I definitely hope that is the music that is playing on the way to heaven should I make it there. If you've never heard it, it definitely doesn't have near the same effect as hearing it live, but here's a link for the finale: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d_Qj9iHaus

(and if that got you in the classical music listening mode, check out the first movement of the violin concerto we heard in the same concert. It is one of my favorites for many reasons, one being that it evokes such an eerily beautiful mood: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt1O1rpOfA8)

-Good conversations with friends and family and the feeling of new horizons just around the bend. I know we can change at any time, but I feel that human nature responds very well to 'new beginnings' like new years resolutions. Anyway, with a new month starting tomorrow and general conference arriving I'm feeling renewed and ready to make new goals and plans for achieving them.

-Finally, I realized that it was just about a decade ago when I met (the then 13 year old) Mr. Curtis. From our first date (pictured below) until now (also pictured below) has been one wonderful adventure of friendship. My 13 yr old self might have been surprised to know that 10 years later I would be Mrs. Curtis, but it has been the best thing that has happened to me so far and I'm looking forward to the years ahead of learning and growing and loving. Hope you're finding things to keep you happy too! :)