things that bring me joy this morning

first of all, the fact that it's a beautiful 65 degrees and last night i slept under my covers. sweet relief from the most recent heat wave gives me oh so much joy. (shout out to amy c. - remember walking to class in urbana and literally praying that the weather would cool down so that you could wear a hooded sweatshirt, and then it did?? i'm wearing a hooded sweatshirt right now.)

rereading quotes sent to me by good friends, and taking a deep breath and settling once again into this sometimes amazing, sometimes difficult process that is life:

"i beg you...to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. do not search for the answers, which could not be given you now, because you would not be able to live them. and the point is, to live everything. live the questions now. perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer."
-rainer maria rilke

my brothers' safe return back to the united states from uganda and the opportunity to go for a long bike ride with him today.

airline sales that allow me the chance to fly home in 2 weeks to see my oldest brother honored by our high school.

the fact that this trip home is not anxiety-producing for probably the first time in the past two years. it's amazing how something like a divorce can actually help bring healing to a family. our family looks different now, for sure. but somehow i feel hopeful that we are actually growing, despite all of our broken parts. and we love each other. no one can doubt that now.

nursing books that are 2x the size of any biology textbook i had in college. it isn't always the most colorful reading material, but it doesn't cease to excite me.

trusting God to provide for my needs by turning down an opportunity to make lots of money at the cost of my soul (well, not that dramatic but it wouldn't have been good for me). and then within the course of 1 day finding and accepting a job that is more perfect for me than i would have thought to ask for.

the breeze coming in my window, blowing my drapes across my bed. it is starting to look like fall, smell like fall and feel like fall. i'm giddy about the whole thing.

oh friends, life is such a rollercoaster. but i'm thankful to be on this ride. :)