full of hope

This week has honestly been such a happy and hopeful week, one that has reassured me that in the end, everything really is going to be okay. 

My week started with my last shift at Rally House, a store that I have worked at for two years. When I walked into Rally House for the first time during the beginning weeks of my senior year, I never imagined I would come to be part of such a special family. Like with most jobs, I had a lot of ups and downs, but in the end I was sad to be working my last hours with a company that I have learned to love. The incredible people that I was blessed to work with have taught me so much, and while I was sad to be ending this part of my life, I am so excited for what is to come. I couldn't have asked for a better last shift either. I worked with the manager that I worked my very first shift with and many of my favorite RH employees (whether still employed or not) came into the store so I got to say goodbye. It was a bittersweet day, but I am so hopeful for my new job which I get to start in three weeks and I know the people I left behind at Rally House will always be a part of my life.

The rest of the week I was blessed to spend time with my family! My parents were out of town this weekend, which meant I was mom for the two days. While I do not envy my mother's job at all and finally realized how difficult it must have been to raise six girls, I loved getting to spend so much time with little sisters, especially the baby. I know I have mentioned before how fast she grew up, but it was so fun to hear her talk about boys, make up, and the start of her 8th grade year. She has always been my baby sister, but this weekend I got to see that she wasn't such a baby anymore. On top of quality time with the girls, today my grandparents and uncle's family came to visit! I got to spend all morning listening to my grandpa tell stories about life on the farm and all night watching the little cousins play in the pool. I am such a sucker for family time, and I am loving every almost every minute of having everyone together!

On top of just an overall really good week, I have been surrounded by so many glimpses of hope. This morning on my way to a doctor's appointment, I stopped at Starbucks because I was running pretty early. While I was there, the barista asked me if I was going to meet anyone else because they had made an extra drink. When I explained that I was going to an office, the manager told me to call and get their drink orders, and then proceeded to give me the four drinks for free. Random acts of kindness always put a smile on my face, and I know it made the morning of the four woman in the office :) 

This week I also started reading The Letter by Marie Tillman, the wife of Corporal Pat Tillman who was killed in action in Afghanistan. What I thought would be an overall depressing book was actually one full of hope, peace, and happiness. Her account of her journey was so beautifully written that I was in tears throughout most of it, but I finished the last page feeling so hopeful. I HIGHLY recommend the book for anyone dealing with any sort of hardship, or anyone at all. Marie Tillman is the epitome of a glimpse of hope, the way that she overcome the tragedy that she was faced with so early in life is absolutely incredible.

My time in Dallas is winding down, so I am trying to get as much out of my final weeks as possible. It is still so weird for me to think that this is pretty much the last time that I will be living in Dallas. Of course I will still come home for holidays this year, but with my family continuing their adventure elsewhere and my life being primarily in Wisconsin now, my time in Texas is coming to an end. This has been a wonderful place for me, but I am so hopeful for my future. This week has left me incredibly happy and ready to take on this next stage in my life continuing to gather all my glimpses of hope :)