10,000 Reasons (it's the little things).

For all Your goodness,I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find :)

First off, where I got the title of this post from... this song has been stuck.in.my.head all week. But it's a good song, can't really complain:)

Secondly, I've been reading Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist this week...the only thing I can say is: Can I be her when I grow up? Please?  Cold Tangerines is just stories...stories celebrating everyday life and living. Seriously, as simple as that. Just stories she's recorded and written down along the way. There's nothing wildly crazy or spectacular about them, yet I'm hooked. She just enjoys life, and writes in a way that makes me wanna enjoy life too. Her words just hit me like a ton of bricks.  Again I say, can I be her when I grow up?

 Speaking of enjoying life, somehow among finals week I've actually found life worth celebrating. Who'd have thought? This week I have been flooded with little moments. Happy moments. Thankful moments. Albeit being one of the busiest and most exhausting weeks of my life, (can you say two all-nighters? That's two more than I've ever had in my life!), it honestly was one of the best I've had in awhile. While I won't list 10,000 reasons, I can definitely list a few of the 'little moments' I had that made my week!

1. NO.MORE.PAPERS. I sit here at my friend's house babysitting eternally grateful that the only thing I have to write right now is this blog. I worked on/wrote 2 history papers (one 12 pg, one 5pg final), a portfolio for Comp (with 3 papers), and my Ministry final (4 papers wrapped into one!) I have had a constant migraine since MONDAY due to amount of typing and research I've done. I only have two finals left (both tests-not papers) then I'm home free! Did I mention those tests don't start til Wednesday? So happy.

2. Visits and funtimes. Thursday I got two visits from peoples. one was from my Mommy;  she was supposed to come last week but had to work. So since she was off and I was off, it made sense for her to visit! She brought me snacks (including my easter basket!) and whatnot to help me make it through finals, and boxes to help me pack my room. I could've easily left everything as is in my dorm and left right then! I seriously cannot wait to be home for good! (6 days!)
The other visit was from some of my favorite people on the planet! My choir friends! I miss being a choir kid. And then again, I don't (in some ways) but I miss the people. Especially the lovely people like Mary Lue, Erin, and my precious Tina  (and the wonderful chaperone Nathaniel!) I was simply giddy with them here. Oh how I've missed my friends! I had a wonderful day laughing and reminiscing with them and watching all the choirs perform (ALL earning superiors. Once the best, always the best!) I really enjoyed sitting and listening, choir vowels and breathing and choir posture floating back into my head like I was back in Mrs. Ell's classroom once again. It was so different just sitting and listening. I really really liked it. And of course they were all phenomenal, no surprise there. =) Friday I had lunch with April, one of my favorite people on the entire planet. I am so thankful for her sweet presence in my life! It was nice getting a break in the day just to talk and laugh, I really needed it! :P

Despite being beyond stressed and sleep deprived, I decided to enjoy this week. If you couldn't tell,  that idea worked out wonderfully. :)

3. Babysitting. One of the things I've missed most about being away at school. Chloe and Brady are two of my favorite kids on the planet-I always have so much fun when I'm with them! Today was no exception. While their awesome parents ran the half marathon, Chloe and I had a baking adventure! Times two. Chlo entered into a cupcake decorating competition in her neighborhood. While writing my final essay, she started making adorable "s'mores cupcakes"-chocolate cupcakes, marshmallow fluff frosting (yuummmmm), and a mini s'more on top. After I finished my essay (and happy danced around the room), we went upstairs to play video games. Well about 30 mins later Brady comes up and running, screaming that Billy, their dog, had knocked the cupcakes into the floor and was eating them! Chlo rushed downstairs to assess the damage, and they were practically unsalvageable. So she then decided she'd have to just start over. While she called her Mom and asked if she could go to the store, I was ogling cupcakes on Pinterest. I found the most adorable cupcake-a Squirt the sea turtle (finding Nemo, anyone?) cupcake that I fell in love with. I showed it to Chloe and the rest was baking history!

Jen, if you read this, Chloe's not allowed to grow anymore. The kid's almost as tall as I am! She's grown up so much!

Our finished masterpiece. Pretty darn cute if you ask me!

I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend the day! I just needed to do something fun, and I had a blast! Chloe's sarcasm and sense of humor has expanded greatly over the years, and it showed-I haven't laughed so much all week! I love that kid, I swear. :) 

So, to conclude-it's the little things, today, that matter. No "big moments" in the process for now, and I'm learning that's okay. That's more than okay, actually. That's what I need right now. I need gab fests with girlfriends, days where I eat a continuous stream of sugary icing and marshmallow fluff, days where I laugh more than I think about tomorrow and what it's going to bring. The little things are what I need to focus on, and God is showing me that more and more. Because it's those "little things" that become the big, best memories etched in my brain on a bad day, the thoughts that pick me up when I need it. The little things are the big things strung together to make a life. I'm starting to not only believe that...but to live like that. :D

And now I'm gonna go cry at my beautiful best friend's spectacularly beautiful Prom pictures for awhile, and deny the fact that she is dancing the night away at her senior prom and is graduating in a month. Ahhhh!