reasons i'm grateful today

i have no plans until 6pm tonight! (in contrast with most of the days in recent past and days to come in the near future)

there is a beach and beautiful lake just a short four blocks away

the number of amazing people who i've been able to meet with in the past week, be encouraged by, share stories (and often food!) with, reconnect with

the fact that i don't have to commute everyday to work (because my typical 'commute' includes a 5-10 minute walk :)

having friends who lent me a vehicle for a week .. no questions asked, no worried phone calls .. just keys and 'see you in a week'

experiencing chicago traffic (plus construction plus rush-hour) .. and being oh so grateful that when i go somewhere and expect it to take an hour, it usually does .. not the three hours that such a 'one-hour' drive took yesterday

my God really does provide all that i need.

stories stories stories!

that the friends i'm staying with let me do their dishes. (really. it took a bit of convincing .. but somehow i relate being able to do dishes with whether or not i'm a 'guest' or can really feel at home.)

having friends who let me hug them and who hug me back

a new journal with pages and pages of white waiting to be filled and written on and drawn on in any and every direction in a variety of colors (and perhaps a couple of languages?!)

a breakfast of yogurt and granola and blueberries and two mugs of coffee

did i say friends yet? :)