Loving right now

I'm sitting at my kitchen counter and just thinking of a few things that I love about my life right now...

1. My uber-musical roommates. Two are currently at the piano playing Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker together and it's pretty amazing.

2. My new neighborhood. I went for two walks today. One short walk to return some tools I borrowed from Tim's basement (thanks again!) and a longer one with my roommate Niki. It's such an amazing neighborhood. We passed four parks and lots of people raking up leaves. The trees are huge! My sweater smells like autumn--you know that brisk fall air and how it seeps into your clothing and hair if you spend any amount of time outdoors? It's pretty great too.

3. Having roommates that like to cook and bake. We had Sunday dinner together--beef stew with potatoes, carrots, butternut squash, and corn. Oh, and fresh bread. There are two kinds of lemon bars in the oven right now. My roommate Leanna is testing them to see which one she wants to make for her boss's birthday (and they are playing the waltz of the flowers now).

4. This one is probably the most significant. In sacrament meeting today I started writing in a new moleskin which seems appropriate as I begin this new chapter of my life. I recently received some pretty straightforward, divine instruction to be better at keeping a journal and today I realized, in part, why it is so important. So many times I get answers to questions as I write about how I'm feeling. Today I was writing about a nervousness I've been feeling about upcoming significant events that have the potential of changing my life forever. As I wrote, that nervousness dissipated and was replaced by excitement, joy and so much love. Even now as I'm typing this, I feel a little overcome. I am so excited for the future.

I guess this post is appropriate as I start this week of Thanksgiving. I have so much to be grateful for. So much that I don't deserve. The closing hymn in our meeting today was For the Beauty of the Earth. I could barely sing the last verse. For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child, friends on earth and friends above, for all gently thoughts and mild, Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.