Nostalgic.

As the temperature drops below 110°, cool weather lovers rejoice and bust out their cardigans and scarves. At a cool 75°, this is cold in Louisiana. Laugh if you wish. Today I rode around with my windows down and ate lunch at the table outside of my office.

This weather's got me all kinds of nostalgic.

Nostalgic for the days of drinking hot chocolate in Death Valley, seeing your breath when you cheered. For skipping class for no reason other than to lay on the parade grounds and soak in the beauty of what God had blessed you with that day. For the days of BCM banquets and subsequent shenanigans. For concerts and knowing every word to every Andy Davis song ever written, and singing them loudly in the car with my best friend.

But more than nostalgic, this weather's got me thankful. Thankful for amazing memories in my past. For hard times overcome, for lessons learned, for friends gained and lost, and that I lived every second of those four years I did at LSU. And even more, I'm thankful for the future I have in front of me. Endless possibilities. Friends who love me for exactly who I am that moment. A house that finally feels like home, a first since leaving for college. A man who reminds me of Jesus more every day and makes me feel more like who I want to be every second I'm with him.  

Another thing that usually shoots me back in time to cold weather months in college is music. I have this habit of falling in love with an artist or song and playing their music on repeat for weeks. I'm very lucky to have had a roommate for 3 years who did the same. Here's what's bringing me back:

A super witty woman from my church started a twitter trend among the other Ringers, a practice of starting out a tweet with #Gratitudes, and then following it with the things you are thankful for that day. It's become a really cool way to be reminded how lucky we really are.

#Gratitudes: weather below 100°, good memories, a job, a home, caring roommates, parents who call to check on you, a boyfriend that breaks a sweat helping me decorate, friends who are as excited about me as I am about them, another day, good music, being still