good morning

I love mornings. I love getting up with the sun and starting the day early. I love having time to enjoy my cup of coffee. I love taking my time and starting the day off relaxed.

There's a peacefulness about mornings; when no one is awake yet, there's a crisp chill in the air, the world is calm. There's no rushing or noise, just a calm breeze and a steady silence. It's beautiful.

thoughts on the first day of senior year

"I'm a senior in college...what?! When did that happen?"

"How many days until football season? 13. Okay, that makes school much more bearable."

"Stress and I are going to become way too close this year."

"I have to start looking for real life jobs. What does that even mean??"

"No classes on Friday. Best decision ever."

"Which dining hall will I eat at first...too many delicious options!"

"My only class today is at 9:30am. I am not going to be happy if I go all the way to campus for a 15 minute introduction class."

"Now that I have a smart phone, how much of my attention will I give in class? This could be bad..."

"How long can I go without thinking about graduating and leaving this wonderful, beautiful place?"

my inner peace

I love yoga. After a long day, the best place for me to be is on my mat. There, I am me. I'm not bogged down by what happened that day or what's bothering or upsetting me. My mind is clear and quiet. While I move through the poses, I am only thinking in the moment. There is nothing to worry or stress about. It is just pure calmness. And it's beautiful.

Find that place where you can find peace. Even if you can only experience it for a tiny bit of the day, having that moment of peace makes everything so much easier. Everyone needs time for calm.

take note

"With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts."

- Eleanor Roosevelt

here's to you t swift

My ears are ringing.

Excitement is still running through my body.

Songs are stuck in my head, and I don't mind one bit.

My hands are smudged with Sharpie; a "13" still visible.

Scenes from the night reply in my mind - each one more captivating than the last.

Even though tomorrow will come too soon, and it's back to reality, tonight will still be playing in the back of my mind - the night where I could escape for a minute and be taken on a journey to somewhere unbelievable. Where I could forget about my worries and just be in the moment. Where I could just be me, a me that I've forgotten was there.

Thank you, Taylor Swift, for giving me that tonight - I will never forget it.

rough day...

But cookies, beer and my kitty fix anything.

thankful

Today was a such a good day. It made me realize that I have a lot of things to be thankful for. Here's a few:

1. Warm weather. I know it's been about a million degrees lately, but I love it. I like being able to throw on a bathing suit or shorts and a tank top and hang around outside. I adore the summer.

2. My boyfriend. I know I blog a lot about how amazing he is, but I really am so thankful that we are together and happy. I'm thankful for his patience with me and the way he makes me feel when I'm around him (good days and bad). He's truly been there for me in every step of this crazy journey I'm on and I'm so thankful he still loves me.

3. Having a job I love. I enjoy going to work. I feel accomplished at the end of the day (well...most days). The people I work with are great and we've become friends, not just co-workers. I have become really attached to the company and the people, and I'm so, so thankful for that.

4. Friends. The kind where you can just hang around and do nothing but still have a good time. The kind where you always have something to talk about, whether I've seen them the day before or a month before.

5. Virginia Tech. As much as I don't want to leave my job, I am really excited that I have one more year at Tech. I miss the people, the places and the classes. I'm thankful that I get to go back to school in a month and avoid the real world just a little bit longer.