Happy Valentine's Day...

Here's a quote for the day, to sum up how I feel about the people in my life:

"Some people strengthen others just be being the kind of people they are" (John Gardner)

That's how I feel about the people who I can say I love, no mental filtering or addendum's. I know I just wrote about it the other day, but I have been blessed with a variety of great, amazing, challenging people in my life. Some challenged me to be better by being so darn inspiring themselves. Some challenged me by NOT wanting to act like they did (a little more difficult inspiration, but effective nonetheless). Some challenged me directly, by saying things to the effect of "do you really want to act like that?"

Then there are the people who have made me laugh: a giggle, guffaw, tears rolling down our faces laughter. The traditional laugh (like a complete crack up at dinner when the girls are in). Then there is the laugh on command that still makes us laugh, 16 years later, after a bad joke: "Now laugh".

Tears, to me, are such an integral way of expressing my feelings...choked up, choked back tears in response to a story (or cotton/hallmark commercial), tears streaming down at an amazing teaching offered on Wed night (or great worship songs..feeling the presence of God), sobs of loss (the dream of what I thought my marriage was, Cassie leaving, dad), and those tears that just fill my eyes at the thought of people: Melissa and Meesh walking through security, Frank's mother's passing, Michelle holding her new baby. Take my tears or my hands, and I just don't know if I can properly express things!!

But mostly, it's just a great thing to experience life to its fullest...to suck the marrow from it whenever possible, to not be living a life of desperation but of depth. And it's the little things for me, the friend calling up "want to meet me for breakfast?" or laughing with my scrapping friends in a chatroom, reading an amazing book, finding the perfect phone for Cassie, making cards, just the whole package.

It all begins...with love...because God loved me enough to create me, my parent's loved each other enough to "do the deed" making creation happen (EWWWWW!!!!), my grandma loving me through my early years with her "copper pennies" and "fairies" and books and waiting for her after school. Her friend, Mrs. Kniffen, loving me unconditionally. Joe loving me fiercely. I have been blessed...by love in all shapes and sizes!!

Here's a final thought!! Isn't spell check great!?!?!??!

Tonight, it's chinese food (yep, crab rangoon!!), and maybe Dreamgirls...Paul's getting off work early and taking me to a reserved table at Shanghai Bistro, and a movie. I hope my headache goes away!!