October 6, 2011.

I got one of the most delightful birthday emails from my best friend who lives in Spain. Let me share a bit from it...

"I hope you can remember all of the things you have learned in the past year. I hope you're excited to learn more than ever this year. I hope you can remember all of the people that love you, especially today, and the way that you touch so many lives, especially mine. I hope you can remember all of the ways you are growing as a person, a runner, a dreamer, a doer, a daughter, a sister" Thanks KG.

This is where I started crying. Some people are not into birthdays. But, I am. There is so much to celebrate. First, I feel like I just had my 21st birthday. I remember fall in Harrisonburg. I remember Julia & York bringing mimosa over in the morning for me. And I remember hanging out with Josh that night... who knew we'd be dating for 9 months way back then. But birthdays are a reason to celebrate and thank the Lord for the past year. It has been a good one. Had one of the best years at JMU, graduated from college, starting dating my fabulous boyfriend, made the move to Northern VA, and started my first job on YL staff. Maybe on the of the biggest years of my life. I grew so much. I cried, laughed more than ever, shared some of life's deepest moments with my best friends. It was a great year.

I hope for even more growing this year. With friends, my dad, Alina, girls at Freedom High School. I think the Lord wants to teach me even bigger things this year. Thankful for this birthday and pray for many more to come. I had a moment a few days ago where death felt very real to me. And it was a moment where I said, this is real. Things end, change happens. So I will focus on TODAY. And what today has to offer. That is my challenge to myself this year.

22 is a great age. Cheers to 22!