all the species you've seen is like creating a collection. People collect coins, stamps, classic cars, all kinds of things. I collect bird species sightings.
I've seen over 500 different species of wild birds and created many memories in the process of doing so.
You live in Arizona. So you are near a birding Mecca in the US. Birders from all over the country travel to SE Arizona to find species that can't be found anywhere else in the US.