One Word at a Time

Our days are often made up of many different slices. Recently, I read Michelle's post titled " Today, I ", where she wrote about small slices from across her day, each of which could turn into a larger slice. I was inspired to write a post like that, but wasn't sure when the day would come. Well, today's the day! Fourteen Slices from my Day Actually woke up to my alarm without hitting snooze, which I haven't done allllll week long - this felt very refreshing, and I hope it's the start of a routine. Walked into the kitchen this morning to find a portion of the floor covered in small black ants - EW! EEK! I texted my husband to let him know. Heard the noise signaling a text on my phone, and hoped my mom would wait a few minutes - but she was saying she was running late and I had a few more minutes to get ready Tried to stop at the bank, but we stopped at not one, not two, but THREE bank locations that Google Maps told us were open but were, indeed, c...

Friends . . .  . . . make you laugh across the room at meetings. . . . listen while you talk about your crazy upcoming weekends, no matter how many times you talk about them. . . . sometimes are wearing the same clothes as you, because you bought them together. . . . come over on a weeknight and help you decorate over a hundred cookies. . . . shoot you a text to tell you things that they know will make you smile. . . . like the same kind of pizza that you do. . . . remember conversations and bring them up in new conversations. . . . make you try new drinks. . . . are totally okay when all you want to order is appetizers. . . . sometimes let silence say everything.

My fingers nervously folded and unfolded the flyer.  The words at the top - "Welcome to Admitted Student Visit Day" - were quickly becoming worn by the anxious folding.  My mom, seated to my right, skimmed the brochure. "It seems to funny to be here. I can remember you talking about being a teacher, ever since you were little and started teaching your brother. And now we're here!  Time flies," she said. "Moo-ooom," I groaned, "don't say stuff like that."  The teenager inside of me was fighting against the young adult I was about to become.  I was in a room, listening to what college might be like for me if I went here, but back home, I was still in high school, still in teenager mode.  It was a combative combination of feelings. After attending the initial meeting to welcome us to campus earlier that morning, they broke us into our "colleges" - and there, we sat waiting for the presentation about the College of Education a...

Children have a Tooth Fairy. Students have a Desk Fairy. I have a magical Beer Fairy. The Tooth Fairy leaves money under a pillow. The Desk Fairy leaves stickers and notes inside a desk. The Beer Fairy leaves delicious beer on my front step. Whoopee!  The Beer Fairy has been here! My friend and her husband are beer connoisseurs. He knows more than I ever will about beer, especially about craft beers.  They've traveled extensively and taste and sample everywhere they go.  They built a pub in their basement, where friends and family come to relax, catch a game, and always drink some delicious beer. As we became friends, she and I began planning trips to breweries, pubs, and restaurants that carried specialty craft beers.  Our friendship grew over those many pints and all that live music.  She began to learn what tastes my husband enjoys (stouts, coffee-flavored anything, nothing hoppy) and what tastes I love (IPA, Double IPA, the hoppier t...