In All Things, Give Thanks

Well as of this last Saturday I am officially 24! I remember when I was younger and my sisters being 24... it sounded so old and far away then (no offense sistas haha)! That's terrible isn't it? But I guess anything about 20 sounds old when you're oh, 12 years old or so.

Anyway, Nathan and I braved the elements and made a trip down to Nebraska to visit Beth and our friends Matt & Annie. It was great just to get out of town for a weekend; to meet new people, have some drinks, do some shopping, and eat some delicious food!

As usual I found myself feeling especially thankful on my birthday. Ever since I was a child I've always loved birthdays and it really hasn't changed much! I always end up feeling so overwhelmed with how much I am blessed with and how fortunate I am to experience this gift of life. Of course, there are many, many times when I get irritated with our current circumstances. The typical frustrations with work, endless student loans, and lack of money have caused countless sleepless nights and tears (on my part). But in the midst of these dark days God's grace always manages to find me somehow. When I say God's grace I guess I'm thinking of how in spite of a horrible day I always end up having this moment of happiness and clarity despite it all. Those days, when I just want to get as far away as I can from these stresses, God reminds me somehow, in some little way, just how much I have to be thankful for. So much of the time these moments seem to come to me through Nathan. I can't help but feel completely grateful for him and his ability to make me laugh hysterically at least once a day. What a gift I've been given. I must not forget to count my blessings and thank God for everything.