Today is a day of gratitude!

The Lord loves, blesses, and looks out for His children!
He knows our needs, and He sees that they are met.
Sometimes we have to be patient,
But often, He fulfills those needs so far beyond our expectations.
And always, He uses our journey as an opportunity to teach us a little something else we need to know.
This is my testimony.

A small request

Sometimes, I just want to sit in Mama's lap and cry into her shirt sleeve. Or cuddle with my dog. Or even both at the same time.

Home would be really good right now, but it's not an option at the time.

If you read this, please know that I could really use your prayers!

Way to go, Idaho!

I took a day trip to Idaho with Mary today so she could pick up her new car!

Some of the highlights included:

1: seeing some of the flattest land I've ever seen in my life

2: having the old car break down in front of her Grandma's house

3: being Mary's emotional support when she had to drop a ton of money for all this car business

4: getting cussed at. . . haha Mary!

5: seeing the first Baptist church I've seen since Christmas break in North Carolina

It was a good day, but it was very long and I am exhausted!

And I know now that road trips on the east coast whip western road trips' tails. The scenery is much better.

Summerlife.

I officially declared the Linguistics major today!

I am really excited to finally have some semblance of direction with what I want to do with my life career-wise. I will probably minor in TESOL, which is Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. So I'll continue with my Spanish, maybe pick up another language or two along the way, and go from there! I am so happy to have finally found something that fascinates me AND that I'm pretty good at. Also, it helps that it isn't a competitive program (that's what turned me away from the music major. . . . It was not for me). Anyway, long story short, I may still be jobless, but I no longer have the "I don't even know what I'm going to do with my life" complaint on the list. I am so happy, and excited to see where this takes me.

Also, Jazlyn and I have been running.
I am no runner.
But now, I run.
And it's growing on me.
Mostly because I've seen improvement in myself, just in the few days that we've gone.

So step aside, skinny people!
Make some room; I'll be joining you soon.

For Mama

Mama,

Thank you.

Thank you for, well, everything. For life itself. For everything you've taught me-- how to sing, how to play piano, and especially how to love.

Thank you for all the joys I've been blessed to experience. For the opportunities I've had to go to school. For my talents that you've helped me develop. For driving on all the band trips (GO!!! . . . KATE!!!). For making my prom dress and for sewing sleeves on my drum major uniforms. For teaching me about modesty. For teaching me about the Gospel, that I am a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father. And also that I am the daughter of two loving parents here on earth who cared about me enough to pass on every bit of their social awkwardness so that I would not be married too young and I could stay with them a little longer. But really, thank you. Thank you for making our home the place where I have always wanted to be, because I know that it's the best. Thanks to you, of course.

Thank you for all the hugs, kisses, and "I love you"s. For all the laughing. For all the times I've cried to you (which never happens, you know). For the times you've cried to me and let me comfort you. And for all the times we've laughed so hard we cried, like the time we spoke in horse latin for hours on end, and realized the hilarity of laughing in horse latin. . . . halafa halafa halafa! And for becoming my best friend, especially when I had no others.

Thank you for falling asleep on the phone with me. Multiple times. Especially that time when we both fell asleep and didn't realize it until the next morning. That will always make for a good story :)

Thank you for always being patient. For the chuckles and good-natured eye-rolling whenever "Tratelyn" came over to play. A lot of people would never have been able to cope with such obnoxiosity.

(PS, I spell-checked that, and it's actually a word!!! Nice!)

Thank you for still letting me sit on your lap while you're at the computer, even though we've both been too old for that for a long time. And for the kisses on the cheek before bed, though I suppose no one is ever too old for that.

Thank you for being disappointed with me when I did stupid things; that let me know that you trusted me to do the right thing. Thank you for having faith in me and knocking some good sense into me when I needed it. Thank you for loving me no matter what silly things I've done.

Thank you most of all for teaching me through example about motherhood. I have always wanted to be a mother. Seriously, I do not remember a time that I have not had that desire. I know that this is because of you, because of the patience and faith and grace with which you have nurtured and supported our family. I remember being a kid and watching you eat a bowl of cereal, usually standing up with one leg crossed over the other, and I used to always try to imitate the way you would chop your spoon into your cereal to cover it with milk. I could never get it right! But I wanted so badly to do it just like you did. All I could ever do was stir it around, though. Maybe when I come home later this summer you can teach me?

Thank you for showing me, in a world that often diminishes the importance of families and of mothers, that it is a divine role, and that it is not only a responsibility, but an enormous blessing. Thank you, Mama! I love you so much.

Happy Mothers' Day!