Thank goodness for girls' nights

The other night I was with some of my friends for a semi-impromtu girls' night - nothing fancy, just a few treats and some catching up. It was good to see them, and even more good to plan for our next get-together. But I had a moment of clarity during the evening that I wish I fully put into words. This moment happened as I was listening to one of my girlfriends talk about the challenges she's facing right now and it allowed me to see all of us a little more clearly. I saw how we're all struggling with different things and how we're all in different places in our lives, but that it's a time of growth for all of us.

It was not a happy realization, or a sad one; it didn't make me grateful or pleased or discouraged. It was just...clarity. It wasn't a "Everyone struggles, even if you don't see it" epiphany and it wasn't quite a "We're all in this together" realization either. I just could see how our friendships had changed and grown as our lives have taken us on different courses, but how we're still friends and how girls' night is a safe place to share the things we're struggling with. We really are in every stage of life - married with two kids, married and expecting a second kid, married with no kids, single and working, single and looking for a job. We've completed different levels of education, we have different personalities, we have different ways of approaching the things that challenge us, but we're all in the same state of facing our individual challenges.

In my moment of seeing clearly, I guess what I really saw is that even though we're all struggling with very different things, we're all on our way to bigger and better things. This is a transition time for each of us, though what we're transitioning to isn't always clear and it definitely isn't the same thing. And the changes that are taking place are good reason for these girls' nights, no matter how impromptu, thrown together, or short they may be. We all need someplace to unwind and hopefully, if my moment of clarity was any indication, get some perspective. After all, and as we always said in high school, it's the little things in life that make living so grand.

It's the small (and not so small) things in life that make living so grand

Yesterday, as I left work right around sunset at 6:30, I walked out into a wall of cool, crisp, delicious air. The rain had stopped for the moment, and though I was chilly, I was instantly refreshed. The red leaves were vibrant on Cascade Mountain as some sunlight found a secret way through the clouds to illuminate the mountains in stripes and spots. It was a simple moment, but it was a gorgeous reminder that autumn is here.

I told Tim recently that we needed to find something to be excited about. It feels like we're always in survival mode, just "making it through" the week of homework, tests, and work, and we needed something to look forward to. Yesterday's peace-infusing sunset was a sweet reminder that while dream vacations are fun to plan, there are little things everyday to enjoy. And then, as I got thinking about it, there are somewhat big things going on as well. Life, life-changing things.

My sister is getting married in fifteen days (two weeks from Saturday).

My brother is leaving to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in thirty-three days (four weeks from next Wednesday.

My cousin was killed in Afghanistan seven months ago last Monday.

Together, all of us are going to the temple.

My sister and brother are going through the temple for the first time next week, and my aunt and uncle got permission to take my cousin's name through at the same time. My family and extended family and soon-to-be-in-laws (of Rachel's) will make up at least half of the session. Just thinking about the spirit that will be there when we are all together in the Draper Temple gives me chills. And tears. (But those just come whenever they feel like it anyway.) It's going to be a very special experience, and I can't wait for it to come.

Then of course, a wedding, and a mission farewell, and family pictures...Oh yes. There are a lot of things to look forward to.

Some other things I'm looking forward to/am happy about/feel the need to share on this blog:

I am going to see The Scarlet Pimpernel at the Hale Center Theater on Monday. SO. FREAKING. EXCITED.

My mom has been in St. George at the Senior World Olympics this week and has been swimming quite well. Quite well, as in nine gold medals for nine races, and several new records set. I am constantly amazed at how cool my mom is.

And last but definitely not least, my sweet husband got a 92 on his math test!!! It was exactly the kind of victory he (and I) needed where school is concerned. Unless you have ever watched your spouse struggle through semester after semester of defeating assignments and failed tests, you won't know what it means when he (or she) finally gets that elusive good grade and some of the weight of your stress is beautifully lifted. To our dear friend (and practically a relative...we're some kind of in-laws, I think...) and math tutor Alli, we are so so so grateful.

Today, I'm grateful that it's Friday. I'm grateful for a 92 on a math test. I'm grateful for temples. I'm grateful for family. I'm grateful for the rain and the autumn season. And I'm grateful for all the small (and not so small) things that make this life so grand indeed.