these days.

these days i can't decide if i'm coming or going
these days i'm so happy to be busy with notably noted orders
these days i'm excited about the opportunities everyone is discussing with the conocophillips split
these days i'm enjoying a night in with my boys ... a must needed evening in
these days i'm flattered that someone i met a year ago kept me in mind and gave me a call
these days i'm trying to decide if i will go to my ten year {1o year???} reunion tomorrow
these days i'm trying to figure out how to balance everything
these days i've been cooking and cleaning up a storm
these days i'm happier than i was a few weeks ago
these days i'm looking forward to the crisp clean air of fall {and wishing fall lasted longer}
these days i'm beginning to run again {and am enjoying it!}
these days i'm making sure to get to my google reader because it inspires me
these days i'm feeling old
these days i'm grateful for the true friends in my life
these days i'm enjoying men of a certain age and franklin & bash
these days i'm on my way to do a million things ... so goodbye for now

gratitude.

Wait, what?? I haven't posted since February?? As in five months ago?? Are you kidding me? Craziness. There are SO many things that have happened in these past five months -- looks like a LOT of posting is in order. I'm not going to get into all of that tonight, though. Instead I'm going to share a glimpse into the girl I was five to eight years ago. While unpacking a few random boxes tonight, I found a "Gratitude Journal" that Amelia had given to me as a gift a looong time ago. In it, I found the following entry:

When I was a freshman at TU, Aimee Bauerlein Keiffer made a gift for me.
It was a cup that said, "My cup runneth over," around the top. Along with
it she provided small squares of paper -- these were to be used to write
blessings and other things I was thankful for. The idea, of course,
was to place the "blessings" in the cup and watch it "runneth over."
;) I found thme the other day and it was wonderful to look back on those
blessings.

Tonight, I was blessed again as I read through the things I had written as a 22-year old wrapping up her last year of college.

• My great roommate and friend Aimee who encourages me (and who made me this cup) =)


• Thank you God for being my Provider: Gates Scholarship


• I am the daughter -- or princess if you will -- of THE King!


• My brother made it safely through his wisdom teeth removal


• My bank account $till ha$ money in it -- Thank you! =)


• You are the only one I need. I bow all of me at your feet. I worship you alone. You have given me more than I could ever have wanted and I want to give you my heart and my soul. You alone are Father, & you alone are good, & you alone are Savior, & you alone are God. I am alive!


• J


• Sierra


• The little miracles that happen each day -- those small things that seem so insignificant but still matter so much


• "You can't ask for a Godly blessing and live a goldfish life."


• We found out about the golf tournament scheduling error before October


• Blessed is the man whom God corrects so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. Job 5:17


• Being an American citizen is such an amazing blessing


• The gift of creativity


• The ability to read God's word. This is a blessing I need to remember not to take for granted.


• Daily reminders of Your continual presence and guidance!!


• My king died for me -- a mere pauper and sinner


• I got an "A" in Culpepper's!!


• I love my mama!


• You've given me the desire to find a young girl to mentor and spend time with and disciple -- help me find her


• A dad who has worked hard my whole life to provide for his family


• M.O.M.


• Sierra ~ Thank you for how much she loves me and for allowing me to have such a great sister to love!!!


• I serve a God who is the God of another chance, another time. Thank you for your mercy and grace


• The interview I have Monday


• My brother has turned into an amazing young man! It's unbelievable that he's 17!! -- and now as I re-read this in 2011, my brother is 25 and my sister is 17 (soon to be 18)!

These are just a few of the slips of paper that I wrote. I tried to remember to write at least one blessing each day and the cup did get very full. I think I might try that project again. I moved from writing on slips of paper to writing in the journal. I got halfway through the journal and then the entried slowly dwindled away {not unlike our blog lately}.

Every day I want to remember just how blessed I am and how many incredible things I have for which to be thankful. You are one of them, my friend, my family.

Thanks for being a part of my life in each of the small and enormous ways you are.