I've been alive TWO WHOLE DECADES.... that's nothing.

Today is my birthday. As I was sitting in bed pondering that thought (the clock just hit 12:00) I remembered how different my life has become in the past 12 months. So much has changed for me. As an inventory of my progress, I figured I should record it.
So last year at this time, here is what was happening.
My family + Jessica Brackett were at the beach for a missions conference, along with the Lewis family, the Petersons, and Ashby. My brother was recovering from a suicide attempt on the 27th of June, and I think it's pretty safe to say my family was still in shock from it.
I was at home because I was doing night school. I was taking my first term of art history and completely loving it. My friends were back from their first year of college. My five best friends and I dressed up and went to a fancy dessert at Papa Haydn. This included Kristin, Brianna, Becky, Sarah and Jade.
It was a lovely birthday celebration, but a little bittersweet because I was finishing the downward spiral of what can only be considered the most painful and worthless relationship of my life. The friend I valued most at the time (who, ironically, couldn't care less about me) was headed off to Nebraska soon and I was pretty much devastated by that.
Life was, to be brutally honest, pretty horrible, and horribly overwhelming.
Flash forward to now... my brother, after some pretty crazy shenanigans, is (probably) solidly on his way to recovery. Jessica, our family friend, is about to get married. The Lewises have had a rough year but four of the six are about to be reunited, and that is something to be thankful about. I have been taking a break from school, but have been working for the past 8 months and getting close (I hope) to a promotion. My best friend is back from 6 months abroad and engaged, and I am going to be her maid of honor. I had coffee today with four of my favorite people-- my mom, sister, Kristin, and Caitlin (my cousin) to celebrate my birthday.
But, of course, the best part is that I am in love. And compared to all the other relationships I have ever been in, this one is the best. To the point where I didn't even know someone so good was waiting for me.

So, even though there are a lot of things that weren't so great about this year, it is still the pinnacle of my short life. Because nothing that I know of can top finding your soulmate and falling in love.

Anyway, I'm off to bed.