Yes, Taylor, I, too, am feeling 22.

So uh, yeah, it's my birthday today.  How about that?

Truth be told, I think once you get past 18 and 21, birthdays sort of lose their excitement.  I mean, it's cool and all, but there isn't some special feeling about today.  Today doesn't feel much different than yesterday, aside from the numerous people leaving comments on my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and texting me about my birthday and the cards I got from my grandma and uncle.

Anyway, yeah, it's my birthday.  It's been kind of a dud, but that's okay.  I've had some pretty awesome birthdays, and I'm sure I'll have some more.

Today has, surprise surprise, largely been spent taking care of Mom, but I'm thankful that her boyfriend came over for a few hours and gave me a reprieve because the pain has been very bad.  Mom gave me a Percocet not long after he got here and ordered me to go to bed.

I got to talk to Matt, too, which was great because I'm pretty sure this is the first birthday of mine that we haven't spent together since we met.  So that's weird, but it's life.

I did get this in the mail today.  Yes, I know the mail doesn't run on Sundays.  This is just the first time I remembered to check the mail in several days.

The Vespers' new CD!  I bought three copies (via their Kickstarter fundraiser); let's see who I decide to give the others to.

I also decided to treat myself to this.

If I can't have an exciting birthday, at least I can have chocolate wine.

Lastly, today is a special day for a totally different reason.

I pulled out a photo album and found a photo of my dad and me that isn't the same one I've posted here multiple times before...See that grin on my face?  (I was a cute kid, huh?)  I was also happiest in my daddy's arms from the very beginning.  The years that my birthday and Father's Day coincide are weird for me because I'm not quite sure how I'm supposed to react.  It's hard to have this ache for someone I never really got the chance to know.  But he was still my dad, and there are things I know. I know that he was my everything.  I know that people called me "Keithina" because I was his mini-me.  I know that Carter-Finley Stadium was his favorite place in the world because he so loved the Wolfpack.  And I know he adored his girls more than anything.  So for that, I celebrate.

I pray I can keep clinging to God in the next year, because I'm definitely going to need it.

Here's to 22.