Good Friends

I thought I'd stop in long enough to mention how much I value the people in my life, even the ones I only see once every month or too because of location differences, or schedule differences, or just lack of major effort.

I went to Kari's birthday party last night. I came home feeling bathed in love and restored in spirit. (When was the last time you could say THAT about a birthday party?) It wasn't that anything particular happened, it wasn't that there were stunning moments, it was just that I was with people who I knew were actually interested in my life, and in the conversations we were having. We didn't talk about anything earth-shaking, just the variety of things we hold in common and the things we don't. We even talked for a while about who (up to 5 people living or dead) we'd invite to our ultimate dinner party. Everyone from Bono to someone's mom were mentioned!

I am grateful for these friends, who challenge me to keep pushing for more things in life. I am grateful for hugs - I've discovered a huge affinity in the past year for physical contact, particularly the hug. And these people give them freely. I'm grateful for invitations to other events, for friends who share interests and friends who don't, and thus broaden my own interest.

I came home feeling warm and happy, and this is a rare occurrence for me after a big social gathering.

Thanks, Jesus for good friends.

Red and Blond

This is my new haircut. Not a great picture, you can't see the blond and the red really well, but I thought I'd share it because it made me smile.