Grateful Friday - Birthday Edition

That today I am 23 years old.

That I awoke to a blanket of snow.

That it was soft, inviting, and not the least bit icy.

That being a morning person means that I got to be the first one to make footprints in it.

Making footprints.



That school wasn't cancelled, because quite frankly, I wanted to be with my kids (even if there were only six of them).

That I think of them as MY kids.

Pajama parties.

Watching two year olds devour cupcakes.



Sugar highs.

Simon L. Rogers.

That his name appears exactly that way in my email inbox.

The beauty and kindness of those emails.

The beauty and kindness behind all of his words, his actions, his being.

That he fills the world with music.

That he fills my life with joy.

A beautiful bouquet of flowers and delicious cake from the parents of my students.



Feeling appreciated and loved.

Feeling like I have created my own kind of family.

My mom.

That voicemail.

The text I received from my little brother.

That he remembered.

That, despite everything, my father sent me a birthday card.

Endless cards - beautiful, funny, creative cards - that made me laugh and cry and burst with joy.

Bursts of joy.

Facebook comments.

Emails.

Phone calls.

Texts.

That we have so many ways to communicate love to one another, for one another.

Melissa McBride.

Our inside jokes.

The journey we are on together.

That even the two days I had to spend away from her this week were excruciating.

That it reminded me how much her presence, her friendship, means.

Friendship in general.

Love in general.

People in general.

Andrew Sharp, in particular.

Because of that message he left me.

Because he is my friend despite everything he knows about me.

Because he was the first person to ever make me feel deserving of something.

Because at least a hundred times a day I feel compelled to tell him how much he means to me.

And because he lets me.

Coffee.

Making new friends.

Reconnecting with old friends.

That I've returned to this space.

That I've written more posts this month than in all of 2007.

How good it feels to sit down here and write, and read, and connect, and feel inspired.

Inspiration.

Laughter.

Comfort.

Two year olds.

Their daily reminders of goodness and hope and love.

That their lives revolve around believing in magic.

That at twenty three, mine does too.