A Beautiful Life

How many times do you stop in the middle of the day just to breathe in the sights and sounds of life around you? I'm staring outside the windows of the library right now, appreciating the beautiful sunny day, and counting my blessings. Last weekend I visited my dad in Pennsylvania for Father's Day and spent all day Friday and Saturday exploring the Amish countryside on a bike, attending festivals, and dancing to folk music. On the drive back down to Anderson on Sunday, I got to spend a lot of time in the car by myself, thinking about how much my life has changed in the past couple of years. When I walked into my house late Sunday night, the sweet smell of home caught me offguard, and I spent the next few seconds soaking in the wonderful feeling of finally having a place to call my own. Every home has a special scent, and you don't realize it until you come back after being away for a while. It's hard to describe the smell of my home. Certain words come to my mind like vanilla scented candles, hardwood floors, laundry detergent, flowers, spices from the kitchen... but no one word can do it justice. I love my home. The housewarming party was a huge success, by the way, and I was somewhat overwhelmed by how many friends dropped by. It was a good feeling, and now my home is filled with all kinds of gifts that remind me of the people in my life. I look in my kitchen and see the kitchen towels from Marie hanging on the side of the oven, the flowers from Taru on the windowsill, the cutting board from Mary on the countertop, the ivy from Samantha hanging right outside the kitchen door... There used to be a time in my life when I hated receiving gifts, but now I realize how foolish that is. Gifts remind me of my friends, the wonderful people that God has placed in my life. Every time I see a gift from a person, I smile and remember how beautiful life is.

Where do I begin?

Where do I begin? It's been forever and a day since I've had time to write something in my blog. I'm beginning to feel somewhat deprived. I love journaling, writing, reading... I can't believe my classes for library science start in less than two months. I can't wait. Just imagine it. Me. A professional librarian. :-D

I'm having a housewarming party on Sunday, and I can't wait! It's going to be so much fun, even if not very many people can show up. At least I know that my good friends will be there... Marie and Rob, Amanda, Crystal, Kylie, Heidi and Nick, Morgan, Mindy, Leigh Ann, Kim and Eric, Jennifer and Mark, Cori, and of course my wonderful housemates Kristy and Rebecca. It would be awesome if some of my other friends could drop by too, but it's okay if they don't. I know they still love me. :-) The party menu will include: meatballs, potato soup, vegetable tray, fruit tray, crackers & cheese, cake, cookies, and crepes. I know the potato soup isn't exactly a party food, but Kristy thought it would be a good choice for people who show up right after church who are pretty hungry. That way, they could have a nice wholesome lunch that is filling, tastes good (I make a killer potato soup ;-)), and is relatively cheap. So, anyway, tomorrow is going to be extremely busy getting stuff ready for the party, cleaning the house, and oh! i almost forgot... I have to take the Praxis tomorrow afternoon in Clemson. Whew. I'm already ready for a nap.