From the road, it is simply a building. 

Nothing but an enormous amount of cement, bricks, and sidewalks.

But I know better.

Step closer,

climb up the stairs,

move softly into its doorway, 

and you will begin to know too.

Close your eyes and breathe in the scents of

Security and Warmth and Love bigger than any ocean;

as never ending as ones tides.

Surely you cannot help tingling all over,

touched by such warm rays the sun could never even know of.

All your fingers to escape you-

let them caress hundreds of lifetimes locked into every inch of this place.

You are standing in a history tied to thousands of other histories.

Close your eyes, but open your ears and listen.

Listen to sounds and words that can touch you, perhaps soften you,

and make you think of beautiful things;

things you would never dream of in your storm-tossed world.

Now open your eyes.

Open them and see! 

See the source of it all.

Then you will know what I know.

You will know why this place is different from all other places on Earth.

The lips on your face will smile without thick regard for your awkward imperfections.

I cannot help myself. 

I fall happily, softly

into the embrace of the One who makes all worthwhile

and who whispers,

"You can be anything and everything."

10 things I learned this weekend.

1: I always claim Mexican food to be my favorite, but I don't have a favorite Mexican sit-down restaurant. (Cafe Rio doesn't count.) Tell me your favorites so I can go try them all!

2: I can't wait for the sun. It's time for it to come out again. and I don't want any of this "Spring" stuff. I want SUMMER.

3: It's impossible to read a guy's mind when you haven't been friends for 3 years. Not everyone blurts out their feelings every minute of the day like I do. haha.

4: Time solves most things.

5: I'm craving a day with the ocean. Road trip anyone?? Anyone??

6: The best dreams happen when you're awake.

7: Laughing is most definitely my favorite thing in the whole world.

8: Just get up and get out.

9: There are people in my life that make me better just by being around them.

10: Sometimes it's just nice to go home early.

Happy little life.

    

There is a lot going on in my little life right now. There are a lot of possible direction changes that I am not completely sure I have any control over. Usually this lack of control causes me to be a little anxious, however I have tried to remain pretty cool and content through it all. There are times that my mind goes to a weird place when I get too worried about decisions I might have to make, but in the deepest part of me there is a confidence calming me and letting me know it will all be okay. I just know something great is in store for me at this fork in the road, and I am just drinking in all of the opportunity. I know still that I have amazing people in my life that will not let me down. There are people like all of you that are always smiling at me! (Thank you!!) Not everything going on is worth smiling about, but we smile because we can! I feel so inspired by it. I'm constantly laughing, and I just can't stop. And more importantly, I feel that for the first time in a long time, I know I have my own back. I am more determined than ever to make it. And for all of this, I am immensely grateful.

Maybe deep down my anxiety is frantically flirting will all my worry, but I wouldn't know, because up here I cannot get my head out of the happy clouds or wipe the smile off my face.

Yesterday I saw a sunflower sticking up out of the snow. Doesn't that itself just make you so happy?