Thankful

I can't believe it is already Thanksgiving.  This time last year I was in NYC watching the balloons being inflated and we were planning our attack for the next morning.  I feel like I just rang in the new year but I'm so thankful that I didn't.  I've had the week off this week which has allowed me time to reflect on thanksgiving and what I am thankful for.  Last year I took time each day during the month of November to blog about something I was thankful for many of which are the same this year....I have so much to be thankful for.  I wanted to take some time to blog about my thankfulness this year.

First and foremost, which I have blogged about before, year after year I feel like, I am thankful for a loving God!  I am thankful for His mercy and grace and thankful that He is always there.  I'm thankful for my relationship with Him.  I'm thankful for those times that I didn't think I would make it through the day this past year but I did because of the Lord's comfort and the strength He gave me.  The Lord has always been so faithful.

Another thing I am thankful for is my family.  When I say family I mean all of them....mom, dad, brother, sister-in-law, niece, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandmother.  They all love me for who I am and accept everything about me.  My parents have given me more than I ever could have asked for in life and I am forever grateful for the experiences they have given me and the love they have shown me.  They have put me before themselves and worked so hard to give me a life better than they had growing up and I am blessed by their sacrifices.  My brother and sister in law have given me the cutest little niece :)  Of course I am also thankful for their friendship and memories we have as well as the niece!

How could I not write about how thankful I am that I get to spend my days with sweet children.  Ok, I won't lie, not all days are fine and dandy.  It's a tough job but I am honestly so blessed by the children that the Lord handpicked to be in my class.  No two days are alike in my life and I get to instill in my students a love of learning which I think is pretty cool and I'm pretty sure their parents like that too :)

I'm also thankful for my friends.  I've have several different groups of friends but all of them are very important to me and I love the stories about how God brought each one of them into my life.  Some of them I've known for 10+ years and some I've only known for a short time but they have each helped shape me and helped me become the woman I am today and I love the time I get to spend with all of them even if it's just a short time.  The memories I have of each one of them are pretty special!

Another thing that I am so thankful for is the opportunity to travel.  I have had the chance to see some pretty neat places and I feel fortunate that I have been able to experience the beauty of God's creation.  It is just so perfect and I'm blessed that I have been given the opportunity to explore all that I have been able to explore.

Lastly, I am thankful for my wonderful boyfriend.  I could go on and on about the MANY things I am thankful for about him and maybe one day I will, but for now, just know that I am thankful that the Lord brought him into my life and I appreciate him so much.

I have been greatly blessed and I have so much to be thankful for this year!