Blessed.......

I know I have been terrible, terrible, terrible about writing on this thing. I am vowing to do better (Jenny, I solemnly swear to write ATLEAST one blog a week, ok?). So today my car broke down, in the middle of the road, at a red light. Yeah, what else could go wrong? Because of the way my car was acting before it died, I am pretty sure that it was the transmission. Therefore, it is probably going to cost more to fix it than the car is work, and no matter what it is, I am sure it will cost more to fix it than we have, seeing as how we only have $25 in the bank. I am thankful for this though. "Why?" you ask. Because, God seems to keep throwing these things in my way to show me that He is in control. Of the big and the small. He knows where I am going and He knows where I have been. He is there healing my past, He is waiting for me in my future, and He is walking me through the in between. If this had happened a year ago, I would have had a completely different reaction. I would have cried, probably. I would not have been able to sleep tonight, thinking "What am I going to do?". But not now, now I have complete faith that "this too shall pass." I will be glad when it does, but still I will be thankful for this trial. I will be thankful that God cares enough about me to teach me, to show me, to slow me down.

I also want to take a minute to brag on my parents. During this "crisis" today, my dad got straight on the phone in the middle of his busy day at work and got a tow truck to come get my car. My mom, without question, headed my way so that I wouldn't be alone. I know these things may not seem like a huge deal, but it just got me thinking how blessed I am to have the parents I do. Let me tell you why......

A few years ago I found out that my dad was deathly afraid of heights. Why did I never know this? Because he didn't want me to know. Why? You see, I'm an only child, and we used to go to Disney World a lot. Because I was a child, I needed someone to ride the rides with me. Unfortunately for my dad, my mom gets motion sickness and I was and am a roller coaster junkie. The bigger, taller, faster the better. My dad didn't want me to miss out on a thing, even if it meant he had to ride the biggest, tallest, fastest rides. He even rode the Tower of Terror with me, which is a person who is scared of height's worst nightmare. I mean, I can't believe he did that for me, and never once let on that it bothered him. This may seem like a silly example to some of you (if anyone is reading) but this was a big deal for me, and obviously for him. I know that he would do anything within his power, and would try most anything that is not within his power, for me (I try very hard not to take advantage of that). How many people can say they have a dad like that? Dad, I love you more than words can say, and I hope that I can love my children even half as much as you love me. Thank you for always being willing. Thank you for listening. Thanks for always giving the best advice. For always being excited for me, or sad with me, or worried about me. Thanks for sharing in all of my joys, fears, and tears. Thank you for loving me in a way that almost seems impossible here on earth.

Wait, I'm not done. My mom, oh, my mom. My best friend. My support. My encouragement. My biggest fan. I don't think there has ever been a time that I have been with my mom, that she has told me how beautiful I am or how proud she is of me. And somehow I know she really means it, that she isn't just saying it because she's my mom, but that she truly believes it. How many people get to hear that on a daily basis? What she doesn't know is, that I think she is more beautiful than I will ever be. People, especially lately, always tell us how much we look a like, and I know she thinks this is a compliment to her, but it is the biggest compliment to me. I only hope I look have as good as she does when I am her age. I haven't always been the best daughter to her, I've given her a hard time and hurt her feelings. But I have grown to appreciate her in ways I never thought I could. She is still the one I want when I am sad, or excited, or mad, or worried. I know she is my biggest fan, but I am also hers. Thank you, Mom, for being to me what no one else could ever be. Thank you for listening when I ramble. Thank you for encouraging me when you know I'm ready to give up. Thank you for being understanding when I do give up. For picking me up when I fall. For always knowing just what I need to feel better. Some of my best times have been just sitting and talking to you or hanging out with you. Like that time we watched the shooting stars, or the time we sat on the balcony and watched Alex Andrews party get split up by the cops, croutched down so no one could see us. I love you more than you may ever know.

Sorry, if I completely bored you, but I needed to get that out. Ok, so like I said, I am going to make a commitment to write once a week atleast. Hopefully they won't all be this long, deep, or sappy ;)

So I guess there is only one thing left to say.......goodnight, and big balls.