Just noise on a cup

Tonight I met up with a good friend, Ashley. Talking to her will mean more to me than she'll probably ever know! I noticed something tonight. I love the way my rings sound when they make a **cling** noise on glass cups. It's just noise on a cup...no, it's more than that. That noise reminds me of the covenant I made with my husband to the Lord. This got me thinking about other things I love....

-I love coming home to my apartment smelling like the scentsy: Baked Apple Pie

-I love talking to my family even though I know when I talk to any of them it's going to be a loooong conversation

-I love the flat, so sue me. But I love how flat West Texas is

-I love that when I go home to visit my family in Amarillo my house will always smell and feel the same.

-I love that I have more Texas Tech blankets, clothes and pillows than most people I know

-I love that I have a beautiful, healthy niece and nephew and that they have wonderful parents

-I love that our window facing the street is completely decked out in Halloween window clings

-I love that my mom calls me just to chat

-I love that when I feel like my life is falling apart Russell pieces it back together

It's odd that people being out of your life can make a world of difference. Just as people being IN your life can do the same. The past couple of months have been a little difficult; adjusting to my new role as a wife. Friends who I had previously had daily conversations with don't even cross my mind. My life is different now, but my oldest friends remain the same; people who knew me before I was Rachel Reed...before I was really even Rachel are still my friends. They call me, look out for me, love me. I'm blessed to have people like that in my life.

My life has felt kind of like a whirl wind lately...it's almost out of control for me. I go through the motions of living but sometimes I just don't want to. School is stressful...beyond stressful. I'm taking 19 hours... who's fault is that? MY OWN, though I assure you that does NOT make it any less stressful or easy to deal with. I walked out of my Research methods class confused as could be..."I don't have any idea what she's talking about, this doesn't make sense to me. I take notes I listen, I ask questions...why can't I understand!?" Negative, suppressive thoughts about my ability to perform in the class are rushing and swirling in my head....I try to click on the calendar app on my phone, my thumb misses, I hit the notes app. ****Pause****

"YOU ARE LOVED" is the first note that reads.

Russell got onto my phone, presumably that morning and wrote it. I'm walking through an ocean of students but I feel alone. I read the note over and over and over until tears come to my eyes. I gulp a deep breath of air in. I smile inside and out and walk on.

I am so blessed.