this is it... this is life...

sometimes i forget that this is real life... i know that sounds silly, but every now and then i think that i'm going to either 1) wake up and it's all a dream or 2) someone will yell "cut" and we'll have to re-shoot the scene...

and this is the way i often look at things in my mind...

i had meaningful conversations yesterday... but sometimes i see them as "just" talks with friends...

i took a test yesterday that i didn't study for, but it's "just" school...

amy is coming on a plane today, but it's "just" a visit...

i start my new career tomorrow, but it's "just" a job...

and i hate that i see my life as "just" life... why don't i seize every second - every moment of the day... me sitting here writing and erasing - it's part of my existence... part of my life... i have chosen certain things that take up my seconds, minutes, hours, days... and those things make up my life... am i choosing wisely? because i'm pretty sure i'm not about to wake up or hear someone scream "cut" unless i'm having the most real dream ever or someone comes in with a pair of scissors wanting something trimmed...

so i want to see today as part of my life... the sometimes very exciting crazy world of my life and sometimes the "normal" everyday stuff that i generally take for granted... i hope i don't forget to treasure that time spent with a friend going out to dinner when we really don't have the time or money for it... i hope i don't forget to treasure every second of a visit with one of the dearest friends i've ever had... i hope i don't forget to treasure the time that i'm in school... and i hope i don't forget to treasure this job that my Daddy has entrusted me with... can i remain faithful to treasure and praise God for the gifts He's given me, whether they seem big or small, significant or insignificant, short-term or long-term... because i guess i've realized they do really count... and i need to be aware of them... and thankful for them... so i don't look back in 10 years and say... "where did it go? i was just having dinner with her between classes and now she lives on the other side of the world and i haven't talked to her in 6 months..."

so my friend cynthia used to say... "embrace it." and i like this better than my use of the word treasure in the last paragraph... if i forget to embrace this life - everyday - the "normal" stuff... i guess i'd rather try and embrace it - and not see everything as a memory... but the excitement of making the memories...

which makes me think of a movie quote... (hurry, amy's on the plane, so the rest of you have a chance... :)...) what's the going rate for quotes these days??? oh... 500 points...

a: what are you doing?
b: i'm making a memory.
a: making a memory?
b: years from now when i'm quite grown up, i want to remember my grandfather and how he always smelled of... tobacco and peppermint.
a: well, i'll tell you what. i use the peppermint for my indigestion and the tobacco to make your grandmother mad.

i just have a couple of hours left at my job at the library - and sunday was my last day at michael's... i have 7 hours of classes later today and amy gets here at 11:00 tonight and i start my new job at 8:30 tomorrow morning... so i want to make the most of today... i have a lot to do!!! so i better get on with it!!!