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oh twenty-nine


it's my birthday today, and i find myself all alone in the world, or at home. i got slammed with the sickness yesterday, so i guess i'm not the most enjoyable person to be around. in reality, that's partially true, but there were important things to be done by the people in my life. my grandma dunn is turning 80 this coming week, and there is a party for her tonight in logan. only her kids were invited. i'm not one of those. i figure 80 trumps 29, so my mom and dad went there, and hanna and brady tagged along to play with the packers. ty is at targhee today enjoying the fresh powder, evan is at work, and nick worked last night and needed to sleep today.

as i sit on the couch, in my maroon robe that can wrap around me three times, constantly blowing my nose to the point where it is now raw , i realize that this is what life is folks - completely ordinary. i'm okay with it too. i think we live in a world that expects unrealistic standards all the time, or maybe even the impractical. i've been reading the book of mormon, and realized that when the characters were happy and prospering, they were being grateful. that is what i would like to do today. not focus on what i don't have today, but on what i do have. i have a job, i have a warm home to live in, i have a car that runs, i have tissues that are decently soft, i have a day off, i have a family who loves me, i have the ability to read and write, i have a testimony of the plan of happiness, i have covenants, i have glasses that help me see, i have a better complexion than i did last week, i was able to take a warm shower, i have have a toothbrush and toothpaste, i have scriptures, i have good friends, i have the ability to hear, i have a mostly healthy body, i have a kind man in my life, i have food to eat, i have a little bit of money to take care of my needs, i have the ability to choose right and wrong, i have a comfortable bed, i have warm clothes, i don't have to keep up with any of the world's expectations or the kardashians, i have talents, i have a free country to live in, i have virtue, and i have everything i need. i think we worry about the things that we want, rather than be grateful for the things that we do have. i am grateful for that insight. i probably won't be famous or wealthy in life, but i'm just grateful for the chance to have joy in my everyday journey.

so, here's to 29...i think it's going to be a great adventure. so, come what may, because I'm ready to love it.



memories from 28 - fourth year teaching, nick, rodeo, hillary, dana, moving three times, reading book of mormon two times, teaching summer school, the temple, boating, broken ankle (nick), mom's shoulder, cowgirl boots, moving on, snow machining, friends moving away, holland was born, sunday school teacher, the guernsey literary and potato peel pie society, no snow


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