weekly gratitude

thank you yellow shoes that make me smile

There is no better time than my 25th birthday to keep a written account of all the things I have to be thankful for. For a quarter century now I have been shown immense love, incredible grace and oftentimes more to be thankful for than I know what to do with. This past year has been at once the keeper of some of the highest highs (among other things, meeting my sweet nephew Jack) and some of the lower lows I've ever experienced (you all know what happened there... And if you don't, just play along, smile and nod and know that it wasn't the best of times... It was in fact one of the worst of times).

Still, when you've been through hell, you tend to appreciate heaven (totally scamming that off a Chrysler ad I saw in Real Simple, but the sentiment remains true). And so, without further ado as I try to nod off into the next year of my life, I will count my blessings instead of sheep...

1. Thank you for 25 years of life. Enough said.

2. Thank you for friends who love me and take care of me and protect me and make me smile and make me laugh (and make me laugh until I cry) and hug me when I'm sad and pick me up when I fall and remind me who I am and make me a better person and take me seriously (and don't take me seriously) and have my back and watch out for me... And buy me beers to celebrate another year.

3. Thank you for parents who love me absolutely unconditionally, without question, never failing, unending and perfectly... And who send me emails like this (sorry Dad, had to share it):

So...25 years ago, right about now, I was talking to your mom on the phone

...Cause I found a note she left on my pillow, and she was all tucked in at Kaiser P. Walnut Creek...and I had MawMaw, and PawPaw...and Grammy all settled in, and I was about to TRY to sleep...till about 5am...and then, my world was about to start the big change...my world was about to actually start...at 8:28am, Thursday, September 4, 1986!

What a ride!!!

GOD has shown HIS grace...and I am thankful!

Love,

Dad-n

Oh... I am one grateful little girl.