24.

There are a lot of days when getting stuck in a rut is easy.

Days when you believe that life isn't going in the direction it should, when you feel lonely, and when you're sure that you've missed some sort of mark.

Everybody has them.

I have them a lot, and I'm sure I will have them for the rest of my life.

But today, on my 24th birthday, I want to look back at gifts the Lord has given me over the last year.

I want to remember how He has provided. 

Why?

It's one of the ways He keeps my head from getting too big or too small.

To be cheesy, I'll make a list of 24 things and give it a title:

Before 24: Blessings during Laura's 23rd year of life

1) Le'monjuice. The cutest car in the world.

2) An office job. The day after my 23rd birthday, I started scanning charts at dad's office, which gave me a lot of time to reflect on...everything. And, yes, there were some days where I took extra bathroom breaks just so I would have two minutes of peace from the WWWHHHHRRVVVV of the scanner, but the ladies at the office more than made up for that in life and laughter.

3) Fall Program. I hung out with these people a lot during the Fall while they lived at Discipleship Focus, and they were the community that helped me adjust post-China. Also, they're awesome.

(Minus the girl in purple. We didn't know her.)

4) Frozen. Four times in the theater, because I have a problem.

5) Christmas with family. Not just immediate family, but a whole bunch of Loves.

6) Seeing a lot of my brother and sister.

7) Subbing. My two-days-a-week job that was nerve-wracking and awkward half the time, and an awesome learning experience the other half of the time. There are few things more rewarding than all the kids in school knowing who you are and being called "The China Lady".

8) A year's worth of blue sky and nature. Go to Asia, you Tennesseans. Come back and feel blessed.

9) Baking. Thanks, America, for chocolate chips.

10) Randomly being sent to Mongolia. Just when I was feeling most stuck-in-a-rut, I was suddenly hopping a plane to go to Mongolia, of all places. WHO GOES TO MONGOLIA?? Which leads to...

11) Teaching eighth graders. Who I came to love--not as much as the teachers who were with them all year--but a LOT for only having them for two months.

12) Having an awesome team in Mongolia. I was selfish and didn't love them very well, but they loved me well, and I don't think they know how thankful I am that they did.

13) Returning to China. I don't know if I can ever be blessed as much as I was that week.

14) Going to Spain. The people, the places. SO. MUCH. AWESOME. 

15) Reconnecting with myself. There's a stateside Laura and an overseas Laura. Personally I think the overseas one is more interesting. 

16) Roadtrips. Taking my baby car to see people I miss.

17) Singleness. Some days you forget that it's a gift.

18) International students. From my Kazakh friend visiting in June to getting to hang out at the International Student Ministry every once in a while over the last month. 

Being with those kids is a blast.

19) Downton Abbey and Sherlock Holmes. I've got a Benedict Cumbercrush.

20) Becoming an Aunt. My best friend since 2nd grade birthed the cutest little boy, and yes, he's calling me Aunt Laura. In his mind. Because he can't talk yet.

21) Solid long-distance friends. While friends at home are sweet and near, my friends at far are caring and dear.

I should go into cross-stitch.

22) Getting to observe true Tennessee culture. Out of all the places I've been, home may be the most entertaining. 

23) Sleeping in a soft, clean bed. NEVER TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.

24) Being uncomfortable and feeling out of place. Being the youngest at the office, being THE SUB, being in Fall Program without living at Discipleship Focus, being the new short-term foreign teacher in Mongolia, being the teamless first-timer at camp in Spain, being the only American 20-something-year-old with the international students, being that-girl-who-went-to-China-which-makes-her-not-really-from-around-here everywhere in Sevier County...

I'm almost more comfortable not fitting in than I am with being one of the group.

It's been a year of waiting and insecurity, but it's also been a year of unexpected adventures and growth.