The Adoring Aunt

Day 250

The absolute, uncontested highlight of my day:

Talking to my niece on the phone

(If you had amazing and adorable nieces and nephews like mine, you'd come close to understanding. But not quite.)

Relax again

Day 249

Part 2 of Lazy Vacation. Emotionally trying, but physically quite restful.

I'm so glad I got it.

Going back in time

Day 248

I got to watch a Church History DVD, full of many short videos about the Church's history that I watched when I was growing up. I love Church History. Adore it, in fact. And I really like visual, so video representations are quite enjoyable for me.

Watching the Church History videos was a great lift for me, and I really needed it.

A full and happy day

Day 247

Another day of many joys and happinesses:

-Waking up at a good hour on a day off.

-Cleaning my home because I want to, while listening to music that always makes me smile.

-Cinderellering the kitchen floor. Well, almost. I need to buy a brush so I don't have to use an old rag. But at least my feet aren't sticking anymore. Ick.

-A thorough vacuuming of the chapel.

-A sore right arm, reminding me that my bicep is still not as strong as it was over a year ago, but at least the pain from last year is over and leaves me with an arm that works.

-An afternoon nap. Gratitude for those will never end.

-BYU Football!!!! Even if I only have access to the radio and the little cartoon football figure plays and stats updates, it still is one of the happiest parts of my year.

-And to think of some of my family members getting to be together for the game.

-And to hear all of those BYU Hall of Famers and the amazing LaVell Edwards announced at the halftime show. *sniff* Raised in a BYU alum household, with a bunch of brothers, and BYU Football games whenever possible/available--these are names I know as well as my own cousins. (Uh...maybe more...)

-Cupcakes. I love that word. Love it! And the cupcakes themselves are a happy thing, too. In this case, I needed to use up eggs and carrots that my roommie asked I use while she is away. So, I found a carrot cupcake recipe that I adapted with oats and cocoa. And they are delicious. With so many that I can freeze for later.

I really am grateful that there are so many little happy things that--at least, at this time when I really need them--do not seem little to me.

Happiness to be Found...Still

Day 246

A few joys and gratitudes today, and I couldn't pick just one:

Chinese food--always leftovers. For days. Mmmm...

Organization--always soothing and calming for me, especially when it is in the workplace that has been slightly unsettling this past week.

Books made into movies--enjoyable when very close to the book.

Co-workers--wonderful additions to the day when they truly are your friends.

I love happinesses abounding when so much else can be going wrong for you.

Sweet Togetherness

Day 245

Letting your voice and opinion be heard.

Respect.

Sincerity.

Honesty.

Acceptance.

And then compromise.

They are such sweet things all together.

Voice of Friendship

Day 244

I put forth my effort and worked out the stress that was to start. In fact, it wasn't even going to be much of a stress at all.

Good thing I'd worked it out.

'Cause today just kept bombarding me with new stresses I hadn't even thought to expect. No one did. It hit our entire library over the head. I didn't know what to think at first. But as the day wore on, I got more and more upset. I didn't realize just how upset I was until my best friend called. I used to tell them everything. (Well...almost everything.) But circumstances of late and their immense stress and much more have kept me keeping my confidences to myself over the summer. Yet along with the joy once I heard my best friend's voice, I also wanted to simply spill out everything. While crying.

But I didn't. I managed to contain myself and not add more stress and difficulty to them.

I suppose it's an odd gratitude, and not one I know quite how to explain, but one I'm grateful for all the same.