We were given: two hands to hold, two legs to walk, two eyes to see, two ears to listen...but why only one heart? Because the other was given to someone else...for us to find.

"Faith is not contrary to the usual ideas, something that turns out to be right or wrong, like a gambler's bet. It's an act, an intention, a project, something that makes you, in leaping into the future, go so far, far, far ahead that you shoot clean out of time and right into eternity."

Viva Las Vegas!

It's our annual trip to Las Vegas! It's always the weekend of my birthday, and although it frustrates me that I don't get to see my mom much for my birthday, I had tons of fun in Vegas this year.

We got to see "Phantom of the Opera"!!! I have been waiting my whole life to finally see it. It was SO fantastic. 

The day before my birthday, my friends and I went to the Union for a birthday dinner. Here's the birthday cake, with the "candle". I have the best friends ever.

And my darling brother bought me ROSES. He's so wonderful.

I had a fantastic birthday. It went by way too fast, and it kind of freaked me out. I spent the night of my birthday in tears, for some weird reason. I just realized it's never going to be the same. Everything's changing now. And while it's a good thing, it's still kind of sad. I miss the way everything used to be. And I'm excited to be on my own--I have a great future ahead of me and I have my own life, and soon I can have my own family and create traditions with them. But it's a huge adjustment. I just want to have real food for dinner every night, watch Glenn Beck with my grandma every afternoon, cuddle with my dog, and see my mom when she gets home from work.

It's my belief we all, at one time or another,
secretly ask ourselves the question,
"Am I crazy?"
In my case, the answer came back: A resounding
YES!


You're thinkin': How does a person know if they're crazy or not? Well sometimes you don't know. Sometimes you can go through life suspecting you are but never really knowing for sure. Sometimes you know for sure 'cause you got so many people tellin' you you're crazy that it's your word against everyone else's...


After all, what is reality anyway? Nothin' but a collective hunch.




Jane Wagner, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe

"You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you." Frederick Buechner

Winter Wonderland...

So here's what I realized about snow:

1. It's beautiful. I could sit and watch it for hours. 
2. It's fun to fall in! Even if it's taller than me, and I only have jeans on. 
3. Sledding is kind of terrifying, but more fun than just about anything else. 
4. It tastes good. It's a cliche, but it's fun to catch it on your tongue. 
5. Everyone looks cute with their hair covered in snow, in a big coat and a hat. 

            peace.

it does not mean to be in a place
where there is no noise, trouble
or hard work. it means to be in
the midst of those things and still
be calm in your heart.