The Happy Thirty - Day(s) Thirteen/Fourteen

On Sunday, I was able to sleep in. That made me happy. My bed is so ridiculously comfy. That also made me happy. I lounged around on the couch reading a book ... such a sweet and comforting start to my day. Then I met up with Cait for ice cream - which made me unbelievably happy (because it was so darn good). Finally, a home cooked meal of salmon, kale and quinoa made my day complete.

Today - Monday - I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I was surely a grouch. A call from my grandfather lifted my spirits. He was so upset about this fraud/identity theft and made sure to tell me so. That warmed my heart ... seeing the words "Granddaddy Calling..." on my iPhone screen. If I have written about them once, I have written about them a thousand times. However ... my coworkers made me the happiest today. I feel so blessed and fortunate to work with such an amazing group of women. I do not know how I got so lucky ... but I feel like I am queen of the world with these girls by my side.

We laughed and giggled ... celebrated and cried together today. These girls make my summer job absolutely worth every heartache. I wish I could work with them year round - because that would make coming into work something I look forward to every day. This afternoon, Momma accompanied me to the bank to see if I could get a handle on all of this fraudulent activity. The lady who helped us literally was an Angel. That warmed my heart and made me happy. Mom's company and support made me happy. And to complete my day, she invited me over for another home cooked meal - that was fantastic. Today has been a good day.

When I first started this happy thirty blogging business, I felt like coming up with something that made me happy each day was nearly impossible. I really had to dig through my thoughts <and day> to pinpoint an event, person or moment that brought joy to my soul. It's truly amazing how easy it's become now, as I hit the halfway mark of July. I feel a difference in my step and my aura ... I feel so positive and upbeat, regardless of what life has been throwing my way lately. I feel more like myself ... the self I thought I had lost. It's not to say everything in my life is perfect, because things are soo far from that, but I just feel different.

I feel happier ... I am truly happier. And this is a feeling I could get used to.

The Happy Thirty - Day Twelve

Today I was unfortunately a victim of fraud. Some person, that I do not know, made a $2,000 purchase with my bank card. I literally had a meltdown when I mistakenly discovered this. I am talking tears, hyperventilating, and all that jazz. If I had had it my way, I would have spent that day at home curled up in a ball, boo hooing and revisiting my online bank account page.

Instead, my girl Cait paid for me to get a full tank of gas in my car and we traveled to Alexandria, VA for a girls day with Anne! We went to a salon to get fish pedicures. Such a crazy experience that made us giggle like little girls!

After getting pedicures, we ventured over to downtown Alexandria and walked around the cute little town! We took some snap shots down by the water and eventually ended up at an Irish pub for a beer and appetizers. Finally we headed home after a long, busy day. I am so thankful for both girls and their friendships. I am also grateful that they coerced me into going out, when I would have rather stayed at home crying over my misfortune today. 

Being near the water makes me absolutely happy and I feel so blessed to have felt the breeze in my hair two times this weekend.

The Happy Thirty - Day Eleven

Tonight I went on a date. We met halfway in Napptown and walked through the streets. Then we found a little mom and pop diner and enjoyed the BEST crab cakes I have EVER eaten. After dinner, we walked around Napptown and eventually ended up sitting on the dock watching the sun set and the moon rise. Conversation continued the entire night. The gentleman brought me flowers and paid for dinner. He also paid for an ice cream and a Slurpee. He insisted on walking closest to the road, in efforts to keep me safe from harm. He held open each door. The date was pretty darn great for a first date - one of the best I have ever been on.

I am happy tonight for the beautiful flowers. I am happy because I was able to sit in one of my favorite towns, in one of my favorite spots, doing one of my favorite things - watching the sunset over the horizon. I am happy because I felt the wind in my hair and a cool breeze rise off the bay. I am happy because my faith in humanity is restored. There are some great guys out there. I am happy because the weather was fantastic and the thunderstorms rolled over and I was in my favorite - did I mention favorite - city.

It was a darn good day. And for that, I am grateful.

The Happy Thirty - Day Ten

I like to laugh. Laughing is my favorite. I am not sure I do it enough. Especially during the school year. But this summer, I have been laughing a lot. And I owe a lot of my cheek workouts to my coworkers. I work with an incredible group of women. I love these girls like they were my very best work friends. We all get along. We all understand one another's sense of humor. We all laugh ... all day ... to keep from crying. We have fun. We share stories about our heartbreaks and our successes. These girls have become like a family, as we have worked together summer after summer. Today, they make me happy. The conversations had with them today make me happy. I am so blessed to be apart of their lives, and I hope that they cherish my company as much as I cherish theirs.

So here's to my tenth day of being happy. Of finding something to uplift my soul when the days grow long, and the clouds roll in.

"Even in the darkest night, small graces remind us that sunrise always follows."

The Happy Thirty - Day Nine

Today was THE DAY from hell at work. Love my coworkers ... I've never been more fond of such an incredible group of women. They keep me laughing and smiling when the days are long and behaviors are tough. But these behaviors ... these behaviors these nine boys displayed today are enough to put anyone over the edge. Camp was a nightmare and I was literally counting down the minutes until I could let the door hit where the good lord split these little fellows.

But even in the midst of this crazy storm ... I found something to make me happy. Homemade gluten-free chicken teriyaki for dinner, a glass of Riesling, a modern family marathon on my DVR and sweatpants made the ending to this day perfect. And currently, that is why I am feeling happy.

trust in the process

My heading subtitle currently reads: "Sometimes she doesn't know where she's going until she gets there. She hasn't got it all figured out, far from it in fact. But she loves God and she loves to dance, and she's her own better half." - Mandy Hale.

A quote so raw and true. A quote that I discovered while reading one of Mandy Hale's books  and thought to myself, "This is literally the story of my present day life." A quote that has given me encouragement. A quote that has served as a reminder so many sleepless nights. A quote that resonates with my soul. My twenty-five year old soul. However, as I prepare to enter my twenty-sixth year of my life ... I think it's time for a new blog title and a new subtitle. 

As it would be and should be, Mandy Hale recently took to her blog with a new outlook on her life. And as it would and/or should be, her words resonated with my soul once again. Mandy wrote, "I am no longer where I’ve been. I am not yet where I’m going. I am somewhere in-between; not still the caterpillar but not yet the butterfly. I’m in the becoming…and I’m starting to see that in some ways, the becoming is even better than the being. It’s where the change happens. It’s where the bravery happens. It’s where the magic happens..."

I am certainly no longer where I once stood. I look back on the past year and see how much my life ... my thoughts ... my beliefs ... my friends ... everything has changed. I then think about my dreams and aspirations ... and I am humbled to think I am not yet where I am going. I am not really sure what this in between space is, or for how long I have to remain here. But I am here somewhere in the middle nonetheless. Not quite a caterpillar and not quite a butterfly. But I am changing. I am becoming something that God intends for me to be. I am discovering who this person is ... who this person is supposed to be. And that takes a hell of a lot of faith, trust and bravery. 

So here is my reminder to myself that the magic is about to happen. I have quietly been struggling the past couple of days. Change is hard. Letting go is hard. Moving on is hard. But I am so proud of myself and how far I have come. I am keeping the faith that this test is not the end of me ... but the beginning of something new. The start of a new chapter in my life. It will be something beautiful. I am someone beautiful. I am in the most transformative time of my life ... and I need to trust in the process. 

The Happy Thirty - Day Eight

A hug from the mother of a student made me happy this morning. It felt good to know I made a positive difference in the life of her child. Her words of gratitude and appreciation helped me remember why I do the job that I do.

An email from a coworker, with heartfelt words of affirmation also made me happy. Again, it's always nice to hear positive affirmations from others - especially in the world of teaching where our hard work often goes unnoticed or is under appreciated.

A big hug and an impromptu coffee date with 2.0 made my entire afternoon. It felt so good to actually see her face again and catch up on life. Then working with a client we are now going to share made the afternoon even better. We had SO MUCH FUN working together for two hours - the laughs and jokes were endless, and the quality time spent with the client was unforgettable.

Finally playing at the park with my younger sister tonight helped me end the day feeling happy and overjoyed. It was fun feeling like a kid again ... playing on the playground equipment and watching the sunset fall over the horizon after tonight's ugly thunderstorms.

It seems that finding something to be happy about is getting easier each day ... and I am grateful for the little things ... the little moments with people I love.