my friend alyssa emailed me a few weeks ago with an idea...ever being an encourager, she had the sweet idea to honor a mutual friend on her birthday- with our blogs. i thought this was a great idea...but i hadn't been on my blog in so long, i wasn't sure it still existed- so, before replying to her email, i typed in my blog address- and up popped me teaching atlee grammer 15 months ago...i emailed alyssa back to tell her: "i'm in!"
it is fitting, i suppose, that my friend tj would have the power to bring a blog back from a coma- because she is such a life-giver. tj radiates encouragement- if you are around her for more than 15 minutes you can be assurred that you'll hear something that will build you up- it will be directly related to something she has observed about you personally- or it will be a retelling of a story that she recently encountered. though she no longer wears her high school cheerleading outfit (though she could- i saw her wear it for halloween a few years ago!)- she is ever a cheer leader at heart- for corbin, bran, hud, joy, essie, her brothers, her parents and her friends and even strangers.
my friend tj is also a teachable teacher. i go to tj with most any of my questions- i vividly remember, early in our friendship, admiring the way she managed her home...i went to her one day to ask advice. "how do you organize your weekly schedule? what does your daily routine look like? how do you keep on top of your laundry? dishes??" she listened, gave insight and forever changed the way i structure my week at home. as much wisdom as tj has, she is also beautifully teachable- always asking questions- always wanting to grow...and i am so glad i get to grow up with her.
happy, happy birthday friend. i am so grateful for you- so proud of you- and inspired by you.
