enJOY it by Elise Blaha Cripe

ready, set, go.

Ta-DA. My To Do list for the year.

Twenty-two was Golden. Twenty-three will be Grand.

Thank you, thank you for the birthday wishes. It was a good day. A little lonesome for the friends and the good old fashioned college celebration at times, but still a very good day.

And Happy 23rd to Miss Katy, who celebrates her Golden Birthday today.

today.

twenty-two : in sum.

Tomorrow, I will turn 23 so today I celebrate 22.

It was a big year.

I embraced my final semester of school. I really did. I am glad that for the rest of my life I will be able to look back at my senior year of college and say "YES. That was the greatest time. I was in love with my friends and content with myself."

I graduated college. I put on a black robe and hat and I cried in surprise because it meant I was a grown up.

I went to Europe. I spent time with my two best friends. I navigated four countries and took photos and laughed and said "Hey, Stella." I did the thing that you are supposed to do when you graduate college. I saw something different and new and full of adventure.

I finally completed "Operation: Fix My Mouth". I reserved the summer for surgeries and appointments and came out of it all looking normal. I am so grateful that I am entering 23 without any teeth drama. I am so glad after six years the whole accident is over for good.

I moved to Maryland. I packed up everything and came out on the faith that what I had with Paul was real. That we would succeed together as a couple. I knew when I moved that I loved him. And I knew when I moved that if things did not work out, we would both be okay.

I got a job on the East Coast that I was determined to get. I go to work everyday with a positive attitude not because it is the right thing to do, but because otherwise I would look for a new job. I have been able to thrive at work. Because I enjoy it. Because I work hard at it. Because paper + selling make sense to me.

This past year, I have fallen so deeply in love. With Paul. With Art. With Books. With the Everyday. And it is good.

++++

And also, Happy 23rd Birthday to my loveliest friend: Vern. I miss you dear. Here is us, a year ago today, headed to...the 901.

week old tulips.

Inspired these days by:

• Nicole
• strandgut
• Nectar & Light
• a girl and her polaroid
• port2port
• Orangette
• UPPERCASE

new photo project.

I decided to make my own photo album to hold my favorite photos. My very random collection of favorite photos. I took pure white A7 folded cards from Paper Source and cut them in half (to make two 5x7 white cards). Punched two holes and added some Kolo black photo corners. Cut a Hambly overlay into a cover and wrote in some details with an acid free pen. Normally I am all about the Sharpie, but decided to give it and all its acidity a rest for this project.

If all goes as planned, I will keep adding to this puppy until it is six feet high. And someday my kids will say, "Mom, I know you so well." And then I will say, "I know, right?"