Happy Things

A long time ago I wrote about the Happy Board.* This was a tradition that my college roommates and I maintained for a number of years, and this week, for the first time in a long time, I pulled out the two Happy Boards that I actually kept. They are the last two Happy Boards that were ever created, both during my first year as a grad student at BYU, and it was fun to look at them 6 or 7 years later. There are a lot of stories buried in the colorful writing and spanning the huge sheets of butcher paper - roommate engagements (two of them), visits from family, graduate-level mathematics classes, mission calls, new friendships, and lots and lots of memories.

Some entries made me really wish I could remember the story, particularly those that were obviously in my handwriting:

But most just brought back fond memories...

 

...or awkward ones...

 

...and even memories that bleed into the present.

Joanne is now my visiting teacher in my current ward, and when I moved in she recognized me almost immediately as the student who crossed the student-ward/family-ward boundaries and made an effort to get to know her. It actually meant a lot to me that she remembered, particularly because when I decided that I lived in a neighborhood and should therefore get to know my neighbors, I didn't realize that it would have an impact on my own life years in the future. In fact, I should learn from my 6-years-ago self. (Oh, and this was unintentional, but the "No more hearts" that made it into that same snapshot, while not my writing, actually refers to the awkward Amy-heart incident in the snapshot above it. You can fill in the story as you wish if you don't already know it.)

Anyway, in the spirit of the Happy Board I thought I'd just write down a few of the things that made me happy this week, mostly in pictures. Like the flags that mysteriously appear in front of every house in my neighborhood on any remotely patriotic holiday (like Martin Luther King, Jr. Day).

And the difference between how my driveway looked on Monday morning and how my driveway looked on Tuesday afternoon.

And the really yummy salsa I made for family dinner on Monday.

And the car in the BYU parking lot that got tired of the best parking space being inaccessible (that snow bank is even steeper than my phone camera makes it look).

 
And being able to run outdoors in the morning, lots of recommendations for what to do with my Cap'n Crunch, lentils on polenta, phone calls from friends, a new DVR box, dog-sitting Scout (especially now that he's asleep on the kitchen floor), substituting in Primary again, snowshoeing, a very supportive department chair, Sufjan Stevens, visits from the little red-head neighbor boy, sunshine (sunshine, sunshine), and my own dog (always).

Happy Friday :).

* I really liked that post. I wish I could post it again as my present self, but I'll have to content myself with linking you over there.