My Thankfuls

So in light of the upcoming holiday most commonly known as "Thanksgiving," I decided to make a list of "thankfuls."  I've only done this a handful of times, and today I decided it would be a good way to spend some time (that, and a good way to pass some time in class).

This is just the start of my list.  I could obviously go on for pages, taking each thing mentioned above and dissecting it for all it's worth.  I might do just that because I still have 22 days until Thanksgiving!  I love to thank God for things in my life because it forces me to shift my attitude from all the things that are going wrong.  I can instead reflect on all the things that are going right.  It never fails to put my attitude in its rightful place.

Today I am especially thankful for such a thing as family.  My mom, my dad, and my brothers are so awesome, and after I left for college, I realized again just how much they mean to me.

I'm thankful for my dad.  He jumps at any opportunity to spend time with me.  I LOVE to go biking with him, or go to Dunn Brothers with him, or just spend time talking with him (as long as he isn't being too crazy.)  He's such a good example for us all in my family both in being such a hard worker and in the way he lives his life.  He's also wise.  Whenever I have a problem, he'll listen.  He always has a Bible verse up his sleeve to help me through a situation.  I'm blessed to have him as a dad.

I'm thankful for my mom.  She's a lot like me.  She understands my need to be organized and my need to be on top of life.  She goes to so many measures to make sure I'm ok especially here at college.  She messages me at least once a day, she makes sure I have food, she makes sure I'm doing the right thing throughout situations I come across in my days, and she has me covered in prayer.  I always know my mom is praying for me every step of my life.  She prayed me through the hard times last year, and I know she'll pray me through the hard times this year.  I'm really thankful for my mom.

I'm thankful for my brothers.  While Ben and I may never have the same taste in music, I know he loves me anyway!  When there's something going on that I just can't talk to my parents about, I know I can talk to Ben.  He's sort of like my dad in that respect.  He's got a listening ear, and a wise heart.  Sometimes I think he should actually be the older brother rather than the younger one (enough people think he is already anyway).  I've seen him grow so much from those awkward homeschool years that nobody wants to remember, to today.  Having Ben around is like having a best friend that knows everything about you, yet loves you anyway.  I'm thankful for Ben.

I'm thankful for Daniel.  True, he has tried me like none other.  There are days, I go out of my way to avoid him (therefore avoiding being stared at in my room, asked countless times what I'm doing, or having the sink and toilet inspected for me after I use them).  Some days I know I'm a horrible sister, and I'm just plain mean to him, but he never loves me any less for it.  And in the end, I know his following me and his questions just mean that he cares about me.  Daniel is them most joyful person in the whole family.  After being away from him for two months now, I realize just how much I miss his happiness and goofiness every night at the dinner table.  

I hope my family gets to read this, and they know just how much I love and miss them each day.  They see how excited I am to go back to school after coming home for the weekend, and I hope that doesn't make them feel bad.  What they don't see however, is how I'm practically bouncing off my seat with anticipation during band on those fridays that I'm headed home.  I'm thankful for my family :) (PS, if you all are reading this, does this get me out of all birthday cards and mothers and fathers day cards??)