22.

If being one year older means getting flowers and cupcakes, spilling chocolate fondue in your hair (because it was too good to notice), singing Billy Joel (loudly) in the car with your parents, and roadtripping to CA the next day, then it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, 22.

I plan on you stretching me like taffy. But I'm counting on the sweet results to make it all worth it.

I'm counting on small bits of hope (the thing with feathers) to keep me going.

And I'm taking full advantage of those people I call family (with some friends thrown in) to help me be not just better, but best.

I'm looking up and far ahead.
So cheers to you, 22.

bikes.

I've been staring at these pictures for quite a while.

I kind of can't get enough of them.

I also can't quite put my finger on why.

and that's all I really want to say right now.

let's.

[always]
tell each other secrets all the time. even when we feel like we know everything. (especially then).
whisper. and be still. enjoy each other.
dance. even though you hate it.
forgive.
change, be different every day. if different means better.


laugh.

above all, let's laugh.

I know that my redeemer lives.

He lives to grant me rich supply, He lives to guide me with His eye, He lives to comfort me when faint, He lives to hear my soul’s complaint. He lives to silence all my fears, He lives to wipe away my tears, He lives to calm my troubled heart, He lives, all blessings to impart.

I never shared anything on Easter. But I really wanted to share this specific verse from this song. The congregation sang it on Sunday and I couldn't help but feel strength in it. And the words made me so happy I wanted to shout it from the rooftops. As close as I could get to the rooftops though, was this small (yet lovely) space on the Internet.

Just so you know, I hold this knowledge dear to my heart.