little #2

Hey Isabella , Wanted to let you know how happy I am that you are my a little. hope your weekend is fun and that you are enjoying that it finally feels like spring, Love, Laura

Little #1

Hey Gigi , just wanted to tell you how happy I am that you are my little. I hope your weekend is going great and that you are enjoying that it finally feels like spring, Love, Laura

A good friend who always has fun parties

Hey Ritika,
I hope you are having fun in NYC for your sister´s b'day. I wanted to tell you that I had lots of fun on Thursday. I love going to your parties.  They are so much fun.  Anyway, I am so happy that you are living in the blackstone, because then we are gonna be close.  I am looking forward to a lot more fun parties next year.  I am very lucky to have a friend like you in my life.  You are awesome, hilarious, and fun.
Love,
Laura <3

Another cousin

Hey Emily! I wanted to tell you again congratulations on your engagement! I am so happy for you. You have always been such a great cousin. Also I have had some much fun spending time with the two of you and am so excited you guys are getting married. Before I go away for the summer, but after I am back from baltimore, I would love to take you guys out to dinner to celebrate! I was thinking maybe one of the awesome indian places by my house. We can def plan specifics later though. Love, Laura

To my cousin

Hey Rachel! I just wanted to thank you for being an awesome cousin I always love how you plan things ahead of time and get me excited for fun stuff! And seriously, if you wanna learn spanish, hit me up!! Lots of love, Laura

SECRET WEEK!

Last week was secret week and everything went off without a hitch.  Over the course of the week a sent various thank yous for all the help and support I was getting! I am so grateful for all the assistance I received.  Thanks guys! You da reall MVPs.

Friends that met in an interesting way

Hey Jacob! 
I hope spain is going great. I hope your birthday went well. I was at the theater for my uncles annual outing and i thought about when we ran into eachother last year. That was so cool. I am so glad we are friends. Also, I will be going to spain this summer maybe before your semester ends so maybe i can see you.  
Lots of love,  
Laura

Una amiga china

Hola Flor ! Quiero que te acuerdes que eres maravillosa. Estoy orgullosa de tenerte como una amiga. Te extraño y nos vemos pronto Un abrazo, Laura

hopkins buddy!

Hey Michelle!! Just wanted to tell you thanks for being an amazing friend and for being so awesome! Love, Laura

To a bro of mine

Hey Cristian !! Just wanted to tell you that you are really cool and I am glad to call you my friend !

Today is just a little thank you note.

Thank you for helping me craft before! it destressed me. you´re awesome. !

Pi Phi Friend

Hi Kineta,
I just wanted to tell you thanks for being my friend.  You are so fun and always have something hilarious to say.  I am so glad we are in Pi Phi together.
Lots of Love,
Laura

Good friend, its her birthday

Hey Ashleigh, I hope your birthday is great, you deserve a good one. Thanks for being such a good freidn to me. Thank you for having me at your house last break. I love that you always share spanish music with me. You are really awesome, and I hope your day is the same.

love, Laura

Friend from school

Hey Jeff! Just wanted to tell you thank you for being my friend and thank you for always being so lively. Love, Laura

To one of my old friends from high school.

Hey Chloe (chlobro haha),
I hope all is doing well with you.  I just wanted to tell you that you are awesome! Thanks for everything you have done for me and thanks for getting through high school with. Thanks for having taught me so much, especially about social issues.   I hope you love all of your classes.  I am in one now and we get to look at fossils all the time. The other day we just did ammonites, which were really freaking awesome.
Anyway, enjoy the rest of your semester.
Love,
Laura

To one of my best friends since middleschool

Hey Jeanette,
I hope you had a good break :)
I just wanted to tell you how awesome you are, and how lucky I am that you are my friend.  Thanks for all the advice and help you have given me.  Thank you for ebing the first one to really teach me Spanish.  Thanks for being silly with me, thanks for walking around merril and the mall countless times with me.  Thank you for being my best friend. <3 Good luck with the rest of the semester.
Love,
Laura

To my friend in geobiology with me

Hi Sari :)
Yesterday was fun, if not a little crazy. hahah. I hope you had fun at JiGL.
You are super chill. Thanks for being my study buddy, and more importantly, my friend. You always have good advice, and I always trust your opinion.
Now let's hope for A's in geobiology.
<3
Laura

To my grandbig

Hey Lauren!
I just wanted to thank you for being an awesome grandbig. I am so glad I can talk to you about girl dating and getting ready for secret week.  I am so proud of how successful you are and know you are gonna do awesome in med school.
Lots of love,
Laura

To my friend from home (sent this last night)

Hey Babe!
Just wanted to tell you that you are awesome and thanks for being part of my life.
Love,
Laura

To my daddy

Hi Daddy,
I just wanted to tell you that you are an awesome father.  I am so grateful for all that you have done for me and continue to do for me.  I am lucky to have a dad who cares so much, and also who is good at helping me with my homework.  I will see you soon.
Love,
Laura

A friend from my major who is 2 years older than me

Hi Ania,
I just wanted to say how much I have appreciated all the guidance you have given me with DoGEE, and also all the books you have lent me.  You are a great friend, and I bet you are gonna find an awesome job for after graduation.
Thanks for being awesome,
Laura

Friend from back home

Hey Christine:)
I just wanted to tell you that I am really happy that I have you as a friend.
Thank you for always being up to have some fun and for never being afraid to be silly with me.
Lots of Love,
Laura

A friend from major, who was my neighbor last year

Hey Nicole,
I am glad we got to go to Gloria Steinem together.
You are an awesome friend.  You make a great DoGEE, and are gonna be one amazing engineer.
Thank you for being so great,
Laura <3

Best friends from Birth (wrote and sent this one yesterday, sending today)

Hey Paige ! I just seen your good news on your job. congrats. I hope I get to see you soon. Anyway, just wanted to tell you that I am lucky to have you as my friend:)

Laura.

She answered:
Awh thanks Laura! That's means so much! I miss ya, I hope to see you soon as well !!!!

One of my best friends at Hopkins

Hi Anjani!
I just wanted to tell you how lucky I am to have you in my life. I can always ask you advice, come to you with problems, and you have a solution.  Thank you for being there, thank you for being such a great hugger. And thank you for all the fun we have together :)
I love you !
Laura

Una amiga que conocí en España (Friend I met in Spain)

Querida Tugba!
Te echo de menos.  Quiero decirte que eres una buena persona.  Te admiro.  Gracias por ser parte de mi vida, por escuchar mis problemas, por ser mi amiga :) Espero que nos veamos pronto.
Cuídate!
Te quiero,
Laura

To my sorrority executive board

Hi Elizabeth :)
I am addressing this letter to you, and to exec as whole.
I see that the date party is postponed, and that it is out of your control.  That reminded me of something I already know.  Exec works so hard for Pi Phi.  Little details that never even cross my mind can make or break something.  Your dedication amazes me. So much planning and coordination goes into pretty much everything we do.  It is clear that all the work you do is done with care, love, and Pi Phi values.  I am so proud of our Pi Phi leaders, and our sisterhood as a whole.  I am truly honored to call you all sisters.  I really appreciate all the effort you guys put into our organization.
Thank you so much!!!

PPL,
Laura <3

To my DoGEE BFF

Hey Meghan,
I am sure you knew that this was only a matter of time. I am so freaking happy that in the past year we have become so close.  Sometimes, I feel almost like we are siblings.  We work so well together.  You really help me a lot, not just academically, but with personal things too.  Thank you for being there for me, thank you for laughing at my corny jokes, thank you for being my study buddy, and most importantly, thank you for being a friend.
I love you,
Laura

To My Cousin in Slovakia

Hi Miška,I just wanted to say that I miss you and I love you.  I am so happy that you are a part of my life.  I love looking back at all the memories we have together.  I always thought, and continue to think, that you are really cool. Lots of Hugs, Laura 

To My Best Friend from the Neighborhood

Hola Nori :)
Te extraño muchísimo. I just wanted to thank you for being a part of my life, for being such a good friend, for having such a wonderful smile that brightens my day and a laugh that warms up a room. I will being seeing you for Spring break, as long as you are around then too !
I love you!
Laura  <3

To My Best Friend

Hey Alexandra!
Thank you for being my friend, for being part of my life.  I am so lucky to have you in my life. When I am around you I can say whatever I want, and really be myself.  You are such a good influence on me and so many others in your life.  I love you!
Laura

To My Big

Hey Claire!

I just wanted to tell you that I miss you and I love you. I am so lucky to have you, as someone to ask advice, as a friend, as someone help me with Spanish, and most importantly, as a sister. It makes me so proud that you are trying something new, getting your minor in D.C. 

I hope I get to see you soon, 

Laura

To My Mom

Hi Mommy,
I just wanted to let you know how lucky I am to have you in my life.  You have made me the person I am today.  I hope you have a great day.
Lots of love,
Laura

Old Tiny Buddha Favorite of Mine

"50 Ways to Show Gratitude for the People in Your Life"

I promise it is worth the read.

Source

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”

Source

Why I started

Today, I was browsing through Facebook.  A friend of mine posted an article, "102 Things You Should Really Give Up for Lent."  Being that I always look to give something up that challenges me in some way, I clicked on it.  Truth be told, it was not actually my cup tea. But I did follow up with the link in article's description, and I am quite glad I did.  As a matter of fate (by the Grace of God if you rather), my eyes skipped to #8.