It Starts Today

So that whole thing about turning my attitude around and being positive about what I can do? Well, I figured there was no time like the present to start the new outlook. I decided to see how I did. I felt a bit guilty last night while talking to my dad, because I knew I had a paper due this morning that I'd half-intentionally put off. I could have kicked myself for procrastinating it, but that wouldn't change anything. (just like Dad said! You know, dads really are smart people. That's why I love mine so much.) So I did the only thing I could do: went straight to bed (with a sidestop in temple-prep-and-scripture-study-land), set my alarm for 5am, said a prayer for help waking up in the morning, and decided to get what sleep I could.

Despite my usual difficulties with waking up before 9, let alone 5, I was awake at the exact same time my alarm went off, and though I had to hit snooze and give my eyelids a chance to catch up with my brain, I was totally ready to write that paper. I've never had a paper come so smoothly and well-organized before, but that's how it rolled out of my fingertips this morning. Honestly, I'm actually legitimately pleased with how this one turned out.

And! Even though, through my earlier neglect, I did not have the book we were supposed cite in the paper, it turns out that Chris did, and he called me just as I was finishing up my paper so that I could go over and add the quotes in.

As simple and mundane as that story might be, to me, it was miraculous. The fact that everything went so smoothly and that I could get everything done, despite the setbacks the my earlier slacking had created just goes to show that the Lord is infinitely merciful, whether or not we deserve it. And I definitely did not deserve it this morning, but He chose to help me anyway. I am extremely grateful.

And since it's Thanksgiving, I'm going to dedicate a portion of every post to things I'm grateful for. Today the list includes:

• My "ventriloquist" pizza rolls, which sounded suspiciously like Aubry, reminding me to cook them and then eat them, each time the oven beeped. 
• Kristopher texting me a scripture reference last night, which was the exact scripture I needed to read again. His timing was perfect, as always.
• My little brother. For everything. I love him more than I love almost anyone else. 
• My coworkers. Especially Greg and his "Santa Stomach" episode last Friday, which still made us laugh this morning when we thought about it.
• Also, the series of "inspirational" emails that got passed back and forth among us in the office, which often contained things like, "Yaaaay..." and "Good job and all that stuff." All phrased in such a way that they were anything but expressive/inspirational.
• Aubry just got abnormally excited about our recent acquisition of rope. 
• The fact that when I walked out into the rainy morning and turned on my mp3 player, it was playing "Rain is a Good Thing." I couldn't agree more.
• Liz Knoche, for giving me a ride to school this morning, even though she didn't have to. 

That's all for today. More to come later on.