this rocks

i have never been so genuinely and whole-heartedly happy :)

ptl ptl ptl

butterflies

well, i'm not usually the girl who gets all sentimental in the arrivals terminal
buuuuuttttt, tonight was an exception

i got butterflies in my stomach watching an older couple reunite
and hover in the space between the driver's open door and the driver's seat itself
and they hugged
then looked at each other
then kissed
hugged, looked, kissed
hugged, hugged, hugged

and it was wonderful :)

--------

also, i'm seeing spiritual parallels in everything. more to come.

update

listening to:
beck--girl
chairlift--bruises
charlie hall--mystery
coldplay--till kingdom come
damian marley--all night
eisley--marsh king's daughter
mewithoutyou--a stick, a carrot & string
owl city--fireflies

reading:
1 corinthians

learning:
holy awe
tbat the Lord loves justice

still counting down until:
wedding (friday)
move back to san diego (sunday)
birthday (tuesday)

enjoying:
sleep
camping
fresh flowers in my bedroom

happy that:
i can set up a tent

i have a dream

that one day, i will live in the urban-country
with rolling hills
and mountains in the near distance

i'll live in a cozy little house
with a loft
and a bookshelf
and a view of some body of water
(lake, river, ocean, pond...it's not that important)

i'll go on bike rides
and read books on a blanket under the clouds
and have people over for dinner
friends, family, neighbors, people who want/need food and/or company

we'll form our own little community
and share our possessions
and encourage/challenge/support one another

then we'll leave our little country home
we'll ride our bikes into the real world
and say and say again,
"Your Kingdom come, Your will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven."

predictions come true

i went back and reread what i wrote on new year's eve
i remember laying on my bedroom floor, writing that little diddy
writing with my characteristic vagueness about
changing relationships
changing locations
change...
i stated a lot of facts
i made a lot of predictions
i had a lot of hope

that was seven months ago
(wow. time goes too fast...)
and i don't want to toot my own horn
because really, i can't take much of the credit...
but i was right.

wedding: next week
old school that feels new: best decision of my life
significant birthdays: dad turns 50, gram turns 75, gerald turns 80, i turn 21
summer adventure: jamaica=life change
finally decide my major: sociology major with history/theology minor
meet my husband: eh, who knows
(simultaneously throw up because it's scary): there have been a lot of "it's scary/i feel nauseous" moments, and i wouldn't have it any other way
fall crazily in love: it looked 8,000% different than i expected it to, but yes, i fell in Love
God surprises me with Himself: constant
community: check
growth: triple check
laughter: a billion checks
wonder: yes, yes, yes
social justice: my heart has been torn up
dinner parties: yes, complete with homemade vegetarian dishes :)
provision and restoration and intimacy with Jesus: i'll say yes, yes, yes with an eternal gratefulness
"special occasion perfume:" wore it today, while running errands
creativity and energy, beauty and inspiration: yes and yes, yes and yes
experiences and circumstances that push me even farther into God: it goes without saying, yes.

i wish that i could just open up my journal for you to read about all of these things that came true
all of these things that God brought into existence in my life
not without difficulty and some measure of pain
but these things are here, nonetheless
things that changed
and will continue to change
but i'm far too private for that, so you'll just have to trust me

it's july 22, 2009, and the Lord has been faithful :)

tonight

or, i guess, last night...

...we played freeze tag and had a sing-a-long in the park...
...then we almost got arrested...
...then i had a panic attack...
...then we snuggled on the couch and watched videos on youtube...

it was a wonderful evening, if i do say so myself :)

seriously...

just listen to feist...

this must be the soundtrack for falling in love...

currently buzzing around inside of my brain

listening to:
andrew bird--fiery crash

architecture in helsinki--do the whirlwind
belle and sebastian--step into my office, baby
brooke waggoner--my legionnaire
feist--gatekeeper

feist--inside + out

feist--tout doucement

she & him--why do you let me stay here?

reading:
dave eggers--a heartbreaking work of staggering genius

learning:
what it is to be loved/affirmed/enjoyed
that the Lord loves justice

counting down until:
my best friend's wedding (july 31)
i move back to san diego (august 2)
my 21st birthday (august 4)
(...the fullest five days in the history of man...)

enjoying:
bike rides
vegetarian recipes
being read to
puzzles

happy that i've:
almost completely paid my dad back
been blessed with amazing friends
been smiling a lot these days :)