This sums things up nicely:

I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.
--Mother Theresa--

There is nothing wrong with dreary...

It's overcast, dripping rain, windy, and forty degrees outside. I absolutely love it.

This is perfect beach weather: rocky shore; stormy skies; wind cutting in off of the breakers, past your layers, past your flesh, into your very core...

National Poetry Month

Yep, April is National Poetry Month. In light of that, I hope to get some poetry up here periodically. I wanted to start with some Elizabeth Bishop but, as all my favorites of hers go for pages and I'm having the hardest time choosing an excerpt, she'll have to wait.

Since I need something we'll go with an excerpt from "Olive" from one of my own favorites:

The only thing he saw when he walked in,
was Olive.
She had her back to him,
standing at the sink,
washing the dishes.
The shelves around her were empty,
except for the pots.

And everything was color,
except for Olive.
A brown skirt.
Brown,
bland,
and Olive.

The dishes clinked,
stacked one at a time.
They would have to be dried,
by those hands.
Arthritic now
but then, past, so vary able.
Now they washed dishes,
slowly.

A Merry Un-Birthday to me.

I thought I had great friends before...
I need to revise that to say I have the greatest friends in the world.

Tonight, after bible study, I got another surprise party (this one included swing dancing and scrumptious cake).

{Pause, reflect, beam.}

So I had planned on coming back and writing an actual post (on something out of Hebrews) and then get to studying for the test I have bright and early tomorrow this morning. After the slight detour of the evening, I'm going to have to jump right into studying (as I haven't even started) for this test that is quite literally for the birds (feather structure, bones, etc.).

You know, since Wildlife is my major, I think I should get credit for some of my extracurriculars, especially if I can offer sufficient proof of wildness.

Going to get bird-brained now...

I have this fortune (from the last time I was off campus for Chinese) that says:
The secret to good friends is no secret to you.

I don't know if there is a secret to having good friends, it's not like there is some interview process or special formula. I do find that I have the most amazing friends.

Today was a perfect example. I didn't really tell many people about my birthday (Ok, I did put it in my away message). I didn't have big plans: dinner with Laura and a call from home. The day was just one surprise after another.

It was supposed to be drizzly today, but not a drop of rain all day. It was absolutely beautiful.

I came home from class to find cards, birthday messages and a balloon (I love balloons). I thought this was awesome. No, make that aweXome. (Yeah, I don't think I'll ever be using that again, it just doesn't feel right.)

Anyway, so I headed off to study for Calculus absolutely elated.

When I got back to my room, my roommate had decorated the room (more balloons!!).
Dinner was wonderful, Laura and I had some quality girl time.

I headed back to my room to find some more review problems for Calc., got a Happy Birthday call from my parents. I felt like I would burst.

And then I got shanghaied. Instead of the study session I thought was coming, my friends showed up and hauled me off to Joe's for milkshakes.

I feel so blessed. Never before have I had friends that would do that sort of thing for me. Today has been one of the greatest birthdays.

{Enter Stork}

Happy Birthday to me! That's right, twenty years ago this very day, your's truly came into this world.
I'm officially out of the 'teens now, something I've been looking forward to.

What? I told you March was full of cool birthdays.

Springtime and the livin' is lazy.

A sunny Sunday, cool spring breeze coming through a window that looks out over a gloriously green quad, roommate has classic country quietly playing, here and there the scratch of pen on paper and the clicks of the keyboard...

And I'm actually being productive.

So far, today is a very good day.