Some Things I Love-- Volume 2012, Ed. 1

A few things I really like/love today:

* A mix tape my old friend Hunter made me for my 26th birthday. Today I'm particularly grateful I still have a tape deck in my car and on my stereo at home, because this thing is a treasure. H, with the help of several other friends (you know who you are!) threw me an amazing surprise birthday party that year, and the capstone gift was a tape where he'd interviewed many of my friends about our friendship. It still makes me feel warm and fuzzy.

*Memories of other true kindnesses paid to me over the years-- like the time Kathy and her family took care of us after my grandmother died, and how her husband Mike gave us all money to use at the gift shop at the Rio Grande Zoo (can there be a better gift to a child?!?!!). Or Skye bringing me flowers and leaving them on my car after the world's most terrible night. I think of Dr. Whipple and my friend Nathan giving me a blessing when I was sick, and a group of nuns praying the rosary for me. And then there was the time my friend Stephen took me to BYU Homecoming just because he knew (thanks to another friend, Hilary) that I'd never been asked. I think of my friend Justin coming to all my birthday parties over the years, and the way he and Brecken invited me over for Thanksgiving the year I had no where to go. I'm grateful for the three times I received Valentine flowers-- Tommy, Scott, and the Erics, you are wonderful!

* I love times with my friends-- those random adventures that bring a smile to my face-- like supporting my friend Scotty in the Park City Marathon. I'll never forget my long day with Shawn, Mike and Chad and the horrible Italian food we had after Scott's race. This year is going to be filled with adventures.

There's a little gratitude for today. Seems like a good way to start off the year.