Dance Parties, Chopsticks, and Photographs

Yesterday I woke up and did this...

Yes. That is a FULL BLOWN dance party.
Rad.

Today, I ate lunch with 20 other people. We took up six tables.

We went for Chinese food. What we got was laughter. 

And I mean, the kind of laughter that makes your sides hurt and all the other people in the restaurant either very annoyed by you or very envious of your crazy rad group of friends.

I was sitting kind of near the end of the table and so glancing down the length of it at the sea of glasses, chopsticks, fried rice, Mongolian Beef, smiling faces, and brilliant conversations was completely charming.

The laughter ranged from chuckles to guffaws and the conversation spread all the way from “bald by choice?” to “EMT's vs. Paramedics” and from “tofu has no identity!!” to “mugshot driver's license photos.” There may have even been a moment where the gong on the wall got gonged. Just sayin'.

There was never a lull in conversation and every moment felt sweet.

I then came home and Skyped with one of my oldest and dearest friends from childhood. She is coming to stay for a full week with me in February. We made plans, we laughed, we talked life stuff, we got excited about her trip. 

Her precious friendship over the years has meant so much to me.

After that I began to prepare for the class that I teach sign language in. 

I teach kids. 

Amazing kids.

Awesome kids. 

That make me smile and fill my life with joy everyday just by knowing them.  

See???

Now...

I'm sitting here in my living room writing this blog on my laptop.

My very own living room.

My very own laptop.

My walls are covered in photographs of my precious family and my dear friends, my blinds are open and I can still see the little bit of fluffy, white snow that has yet to melt, my iPod is shuffling through my favorite songs, and I am blown away by how great this weekend has been. It's one of those weekends where you realize how full your life really is and how grand it is just to be alive and able to experience the things we are privileged enough to experience.

And it IS a privilege. LIFE is a privilege.

I am beginning to truly cherish the idea of that.

I am beginning to truly rest in the promise of that.

I am beginning to fully understand the gift of that.

LIFE.

MY LIFE.

It really is pretty special.

Is it what I planned for myself? No.

Is it always easy? Heck no.

But, is it great anyway? Absolutely.

"You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever." - Psalm 16:11