I want to take a moment to celebrate Thanksgiving before we rush into the Christmas season by listing 30 things I am thankful for, in no particular order. Here we go!
1. I am thankful for my husband, T. It hasn't been easy, but somehow we've made it a whole five years since that night he kissed me (and I subsequently and deliriously thought I had polio...) and still going. We've had some real experiences, that is for sure, but neither of us has given up just yet. I thank him for his love, his time, and his efforts in making our apartment a home.
2. I am thankful for my dog! Yes, I know, sounds silly, but when I've felt like the world was crashing down on me and nobody would stand with me against it, Lucy was always right there. It's sometimes annoying how she has to be right there, but she has never let me down. Ever. She is a constant source of entertainment, a loyal friend, and a snuggle buddy. She's the perfect puppy.
3. I am thankful for my home. I could never have imagined an apartment so beautiful (or huge!) as the one I live in now. I am so blessed to have my own washer and dryer, my own bathroom if the hubby is in the other, and a gigantic kitchen. You don't know how much you miss things like dishwashers and disposals until you don't have one for awhile. We also have a balcony, which has been a blessing all by itself. Nothing like having your own little piece of downtown Minneapolis!
4. I am thankful for my job, which allows me to live in my home. I NEVER thought I would ever live or work downtown when I was a little kid, but I would dream of city life and how chic it would be, and now I'm living that dream. It's not perfect, but then again, no job ever is. I have great co-workers who are absolutely hilarious, and a supportive supervisor who always has my back. And even though the money isn't great, I can't complain. The environment is what makes or breaks a job for me.
5. I am thankful for my car. It's a third-generation car (started with my beloved Prism, then the Breeze, now the Sonata) and it's the PERFECT COLOR. We got it for a pretty good price and it has been a good car. It has had issues, but it has gotten us several thousand miles with minor complaining. It's warm, it runs pretty well, it looks nice, and it's blue. And it's good on gas, too. It feels so much snazzier than my first car, and it makes me feel a little bit more like an adult.
6. I am thankful for my bed. We actually got the bed free from a friend I used to work with when we lived in Fargo. It's not a perfect bed, and it could use replacing, but it was free and big enough for the two of us to comfortably sleep in. Not everyone has a proper bed to sleep in (I have seen people arranging laundry to sleep on), so I am very thankful for it.
7. I am thankful for my shower. It's a lovely, bright shower, easy-to-clean tub surround, and the water pressure is exactly right. The water is always warm when I need it to be, and it's my favorite place to do my best thinking. I also like to stand under hot water when I'm trying to relax my shoulders from a long day of work (or moving furniture around!). I have lived in places where I've had to RUSH like crazy to get the last few drops of hot water (living in a house with 9 other people will do that to you!) and I've also lived in places where the shower is TINY. Like, constantly banging my elbow on the corners tiny.
8. I am thankful for my parents. I posted that one on Facebook but I think I'll just reiterate it here. Neither of them are perfect people, but they both have amazing qualities that I hope to obtain someday. For example, my dad can fix anything. He fixes airplanes, cars, and all kinds of stuff. I always felt safe on a flight when I was sure my dad was on the plane, too. He's also really charismatic, so he pretty much instantly friends anyone he meets. I'm often too shy to just walk up to people and start a conversation, but not my dad. People love my dad, and it's not hard to see why. He also has the BEST sense of humor. I had to burst out laughing when he had me read one of his papers for a job he was working and he had ended it with the phrase, "Cool beans." I about died of laughter. My mom is one of the most perseverant people I know. She's been hit with so much crap in her lifetime that I've suggested more than once she apply for a reality show to make some kind of money off of it. She's had more than her share of heartaches, disappointments, failures, and broken dreams, but she's always smiling, and she never gives up. She really is an incredible person. She also makes the best damn pumpkin pie (and even apple pie, and I don't even really like apple pie), and she has always had a knack for making those quiet moments in life completely memorable.
9. I am thankful for my siblings. I could cheat and use them one at a time here, but I won't. :) Each of us is so unique, and I have amazing and hilarious memories with each of them. We all have amazing eyes, too. My mom's eyes are dark blue and my dad's eyes are amber, and apparently that makes for some fun colors! Jen's eyes are practically teal, Jess has the dark blue eyes of my mom, Chris has green/blue eyes, I have mostly green eyes (with some blue and splotch of amber in my right), John has baby blue eyes, Tim has hazel eyes, and Dorothy has a totally different shade of blue/green that, oddly, changes colors depending on her mood! And no, it's not contacts. :) We're totally different people too, but we all have the basics in common. And holidays...don't get me started on holidays! I think T was a little shocked the first time he met everyone. We're loud, annoying, and hilarious, and we always have too much fun. And I love them.
10. I am thankful for food! There have been times in my life where I've been so poor I've had to eat food I bummed off people (that was mostly in college). I know a tiny, tiny bit of how it feels to not be able to afford proper food, and to be able to go get some groceries (even if we have to shop exclusively at Aldi because we can't afford regular store prices), I am still so thankful to be able to buy food and then go eat it.
11. I am thankful for T's new job! He was unemployed for about a year while he was trying to figure out what to do with his life, and it was VERY stressful for me. Then he worked a couple door-to-door jobs and they were just awful and didn't generate any actual income for us. He just started his new job as a phone banker for Wells Fargo and it pulls in just enough money for us to be able to pay most of our bills now! That will be a HUGE relief.
12. I am thankful for my friends. Again, could totally cheat here and just list everyone, but I think I'll try to get everyone at once. I have some amazing friends. These are people who have been my friends through so many different events in my life. Breaking up with boyfriends, dating, the crushing of many of my dreams, learning how cook, learning what makes a good friend, learning so much. I didn't start off as a good person, especially when I started college. I sorta thought I was awesome (especially at singing) and I was totally flipped on my head to meet people better than me at everything I do. Talk about a reality check! I don't have a lot of close friends (many of my old friends were lost either because we just grew apart or because I did stupid stuff like making promises and not keeping them), but those I have, you are so, so loved. I just...I could never repay any of you for your kindness, your time, your efforts, your love.
13. I am thankful for teachers who believed in me. I had a few teachers throughout my entire schooling that really believed I could go places, become something. And even though I haven't yet, I still think back to those times and I am so grateful to get from there to here. Those are the people I will never forget. My parents, God bless them, didn't know what to do with me! I was the "smart" one (or so I've been told?) and I rarely got in trouble. I felt like I could do anything with people behind me to support me.
14. I am thankful for music. Where would I be without music? Life is such a terrible place without it. There is a part of my soul that only opens to music, and I can't really explain it beyond that, but it's an ethereal experience. I have tried to imagine what the music in heaven will be like, but I can't. I just kinda can't wait to find out!
15. I am thankful for weather. Weather has become a passion of mine, ever since those several times I've encountered severe weather, specifically tornadoes. Whether I'm in my dad's old Jeep racing one down the road, or in my own car racing one myself (several years later), I get this inexplicable rush of excitement every time the doppler radar turns a little red. I don't wish for people to get hurt, so don't take it that way. I just admire the majesty of nature, and the beautiful and yet terrifying things a few clouds and some wind can do. It's hard to explain. But I love it.
16. I am thankful for God. I do believe in God, and I have as long as I can remember. I love witnessing the crazy things He does, and watching Him teach those I love through faith and experience. Sometimes, though, I wish He wasn't such an effective teacher!! Ask me about what God is teaching me in my life sometime.
17. I am thankful for Stephen King. His creative mindset and the stories he tells have sparked a fuse buried deep in my brain to tell my own stories. I haven't gotten very far, but I have found ways (such as this blog) to refine my skills and focus on my own tone and wording.
18. I am thankful for medicine. From basic ibuprofen to insulin shots, medicine has helped me feel and get better, and I couldn't be more thankful for it. Yes, it sucks taking a bunch of pills and other such medical stuff, but I already feel better, and I know I'll last longer if I take care of myself.
19. I am thankful for contacts! Seriously you guys, wearing contacts was a dream for me ever since 8th grade when they told me I needed to wear glasses. I've always hated not being able to wear sunglasses and still see, I've always hated having to choose between sunglasses and my regular glasses while driving, I am constantly losing my glasses, and I HATE having stuff on my face all the time. So, no matter where I look, I can see for MILES! And the stars, and the moon, oh my gosh. So amazing.
20. I am thankful for road trips. I have had the most amazing experiences while on road trips with different people. I have learned so much, discussed so much, admitted so much, and found so much beauty on road trips. From the smelly pig fields of Iowa in the spring to the beautiful roads of Illinois, I have always loved being on the road and going somewhere. The palm trees of Florida and the mountains of Utah are things I never thought I'd ever see when I was a kid.
21. I am thankful for light. I was TERRIFIED of the dark when I was a kid, and sometimes still wake up in a panic. My trusty nightlight would always keep the creeps away, and a candle somehow fought harder. Light is so beautiful, like the golden rays of the sunrise peering over a suburb or the bright red kiss of a sunset before bed.
22. I am thankful for the dark. The dark is where the scary stuff is, realistically and figuratively speaking. The dark is where the monsters hide, but it's also what makes the light so bright. If you shine a flashlight during the day, you struggle to see the beam. Shine it in a dark room and it's brighter than the sun. The dark is the place we learn to appreciate the light. The dark is the place we learn to LOVE the light.
23. I am thankful I can see. I get to see these sunrises and sunsets, the weather and the scenery. I get to experience the bright blue sky of a sunny afternoon in July and the pale blue icy sky of a sunny afternoon in January. I get to see rainbows (I saw a triple rainbow once!) spread across a black cloud and I've watched as the diamond clear aquamarine water of the Waikiki beach change to deep blue colors as the day grew old. Not everyone gets to experience this beauty.
24. I am thankful I can hear. I've heard the first cry of a newborn, the final sigh of an old soul. I've heard tinkling bells and bellowing train horns. I've heard laughter, sobbing, angry voices, comforting murmurs, and the incredible experience of 60 voices singing in perfect unison. This is what allows me to open that part of my soul to music. This is what allows me to enjoy a babbling brook or the bustling sounds of the city. Again, not everyone gets to experience this beauty.
25. I am thankful for the internet. The internet is a place where I can ask perfect strangers the questions I'm afraid to ask my friends. It's a place where you can be made fun of until you cry and where a random stranger can pay your rent simply because they feel like it. It's terrifying and amazing. It's how truth gets out and rumors get started. It keep us all updated on what's going on in the world and allows us to access things we wouldn't never have been able to access, such as videos of cats being funny when you don't have any cats, or videos of babies laughing when there isn't a single baby around. You can feel happier in an instant. It's crazy!
(okay this has gotten hard!)
(that's what she said!)
26. I am thankful for modern plumbing. I have a VERY sensitive digestive system. So I think that's enough said, right??
27. I am thankful for science! There is nothing more amazing to me than looking at those Hubble telescope pictures of galaxies and stuff. There is so much stuff out there that makes me feel so small, and suddenly the love of God is so much more significant. I also notice that my issues seem to get a lot smaller when I look at those images. *le sigh*
28. I am thankful for taste. I love to eat, and I find myself wanting "just a taste" of this and that. Like Sour Patch Kids. And Skittles. And steak. And caesar salads. And bananas. And such. And it doesn't stop there; I can KEEP tasting it! Over and over and over again. I love being able to taste things. It's so cool.
29. I am thankful for touch. I can feel the ridges of a pine cone and the smooth surface of river-worn rock. I can feel when my tea is too hot and when it's too cold. I can experience so many things through touch. I love the sensation of immersing myself in a pool. I love the prickles of warmth from the sun on my skin. I love the fuzzy softness of my Lucy snuggled up against me.
30. I am thankful to be able to smell. I have a VERY strong sense of smell, which makes it awesome to light a scented candle or bake cookies. I can also smell rotten garbage from what feels like MILES away. Smell is the strongest way to bring back memories for me. If I smell a certain cologne, I clearly remember a moment in my life like it happened just moments ago. If I catch a whiff of lemon, I get the sensation that everything is cleaner. If I get a lungful of the smoked meat smell coming from a barbeque, I am transported to every BBQ I have ever been too simultaneously. If I want to remember something or someone, all I have to do is smell something and POOF! It's happening right now.
So there you have it! 30 things I'm thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
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