thanks full.

In traditional fashion, for the second year in a row, I'm going to sit down on Thanksgiving night, after all the turkey has been eaten and the crazy relatives have come and gone, and write a list of every single thing that I can possibly think of that I am thankful for in my life.

Christmas music 24/7 on Z95 that started YESTERDAY! A warm bed to sleep in every night, and a place to come home to each and every day. A family that loves me. A college education (in 6 months...) The two best friends a girl could ask for. Teammates who love me unconditionally and support me in all that I do. Enough money that I can get by with a reasonably decent quality of life. Money to go to the John Mayer concert in March!!! A wonderful swim coach who is an amazing role model, both for coaching and for living, and who pushes me to do more than I've ever done in the pool (and out) A wonderful coaching mentor in Kyle--I miss you so much. A job with a wonderful, loving, open-minded church congregation who cares about other people and about service. A great group of youth to work with. I'm extremely grateful for all the learning experiences that come my way each and every day. I'm thankful I listened to my intuition and went into the OPS and cancelled my student teaching in 2008 so I could stay and become a music major. It's changed my life in the best possible ways...it gave me my best friends, a new sense of accomplishment and calling in my life, a chance to work on my swimming, and a chance to grow into this new person that I'm becoming day by day. I am so much more positive, loving, confident, and just...relaxed, or as much as I can be! I'm thankful for people in my life who hate on me and who hurt me...because they just cause me to grow. :) I'm thankful that I've learned to be confident in myself and my own thoughts and feelings. I'm thankful that I am important simply because I am a human being, and that gives me intrinsic value. I'm thankful that I have found my own faith. I'm thankful that I'm about to graduateeeee. I'm thankful for having multiple jobs in this tough economy. I'm thankful for all the love in my life, even when I'm unable to have the eyes to see it. I'm thankful for music and the joy it brings to my life! I'm thankful that I get to share that gift with others. :) I'm thankful for smiles, for skipped heart beats, and for not knowing what's going on, even when I start to freak out for not being in control of my life. I'm extremely thankful I'm not in control of my life because I would make a GIANT mess of a lot of it...I'm happy to learn to work with what I'm able and let the rest slide by.

There's more, but I'm exhausted. I'm thankful for sleep. :)

Love you all--happy thanksgiving. The best part of Thanksgiving is that it's a reminder, not an exclusive holiday. Tomorrow, people will go out and run over each other to get cheaper material goods...how ironic and awful. I'd challenge all of us to make sure we keep the spirit of Thanksgiving with us in the coming months.