a lovely birthday, indeed...

Well, I got the weekend at home that I wanted! 

I loved getting to spend time with my family! We celebrated my birthday together with some yummy food (chicken w/plum chipotle sauce, asparagus, sweet potato fries, & broccoli salad-- a fav meal of mine), fun game time (Pass the Pigs anyone?), a couple movies, an amazing cookout at Mamaw's (complete with an egg hunt & volleyball), and an incredible Easter Sunday afternoon picnic and walk in the park. Seriously, it doesn't get much better than that!

And today was such a lovely day.

Sometimes I take these new friendships I have for granted. I spend some much time longing for what I once had, that I forget to cherish the gifts that God's put right in front of me. Well over and over again today, I was reminded of those dear gifts... I am blessed with so much. I work with people that genuinely care about me. I live with a friend who I appreciate and love more and more each day. I have some incredible teenagers in my life that I love, and they love me, and together we are striving for His Kingdom, and I get to show them things that have helped me, and I get to watch them discover His power and love for them... And my family really isn't that far away. I've even got some family in town now, and I love getting to see my best friend cousin more often and play with her sweet baby girls.

So today, I say thank you.

And I smile knowing that He hears me.

pictured above: Dad, Mom, Kayla (baby sis), me, Karissa (middle sis), & Kyle (middle sis's bf.. not quite family, but we'll let him in our picture... :)

(I love my crazy family!!)