The Things from Today

First, my facebook status:

It's teacher appreciation week and my birthday is on Sunday. When I started teaching today, one student asked me what she could do to show me appreciation/help me have a happy birthday, and I said, "Give me cards that tell me how awesome I am, haha!" Another student said, "Ding! Wish granted!" and held up a birthday card they had all made for me. AaaaWWW!

Also, Pandora to the rescue once again. This time it's Jack Johnson radio. Apparently I like Mumford and Sons, despite never having heard more than a few radio singles before this. And now I know for certain that I have a split opinion about John Mayer. (Isn't that the general consensus, though? Ha ha!) Also, "Satellite" by Dave Matthews Band! I can't believe I forgot about this fantastic song!! Last, acoustic anything is apparently right up my alley. (Not that I didn't know that, but it's always great to find more good music.) :)

I've been facebook chatting with my cousin Emily for a little while tonight, and man, I gotta say that I love that girl. Shout-out! :) She's seriously been a true friend; very generous and giving. Honestly, I think she's been a better friend to me than I've been to her. We've just been chatting about life, love, and the whole big thing, whatever that is, and I must say, it is so blessedly refreshing and comforting to talk with someone who can listen. 

Does that make any sense? It's not that I'm saying anything particularly **heavy.** (I put that in bold to make it look weighty, like the words we sometimes say.) It's just that I know I could if I wanted to. I love that we can be open with each other. I value that in friendship more than a lot of other things. The people I can truly share my thoughts with, who will share their true thoughts with me, are so valuable to me. There is a safety and a peace I find in them that comes from nowhere else.

I started working as a photographer's assistant recently, for one of my older brother's friends from high school. She posted on facebook that she was looking for someone, and I'd been thinking about what I want to do with my jobless summer (teacher, remember.) I felt like I should message her, so I did, and BOOM! Job. I've been working for about a month, and got paid for the first time from that today. Whoohoo! And much needed. Now I can buy some groceries, ha ha.

It feels good to take care of myself. And it feels good to be taken care of, too. I definitely feel that I was given this job right as I needed it, before I was actually aware I needed it. Sort of like I notice with good teachers at my school, stepping in to help struggling students, before the student even realizes they're struggling, most of the time. So thanks, Father in Heaven. I see how You did that. ;)

And thanks for a better day, too.