thankful

Today was the first Thanksgiving I've been with my family in two years. Fortunately, those two years were spent with the best friends ever so it wasn't too hard being away from my family, but it was very nice to be back home, especially after the year I've had. My family hosted Thanksgiving this year for a total of 17 people which was a little crazy, but also wonderful. The guests were all close friends of the family and their friends/family. Due to certain craziness in my extended family (isn't there always some craziness in extended families?) we don't celebrate Thanksgiving with any of them. So it is nice that we have a kind of adopted Thanksgiving family.
Anyway, tonight we went going around the giant table saying what we are thankful for. For some reason, I ended up being the last person and I was pretty emotional after hearing what everyone else was thankful for and thinking about all the great things that have happened this year. Since I was crying I didn't really get to share fully. So I thought I would take the time to really think about it and blog about it. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because I think it is important to pause and thank God for getting us to where we are.
Here is my list of thanks for the year:

• My Cottey friends who have become like family. I'm so thankful for how they have loved and supported me, especially the ones who were around when my dad was in the hospital and there was all kinds of crazy going on back home with my family.
• Having the greatest roommate experience.
• My dad survived brain surgery 
• Being able to go to Barcelona with some of my best friends. It was the best getaway at the best time and I am so fortunate to have had that opportunity.
• Finishing Cottey. With the way things ended I am so thankful to be done with that place.
• Staying with friends on the drive home from Cottey.
• That day in Yellowstone with my dad where everything was so fresh and bright and everything seemed like it would be okay in the midst of a lot of not okay.
• Spending a lot of time with my dad, even though it wasn't always fun. That roadtrip home was some of the best memories I've ever had with my dad. And after getting home, I've spent more time with my dad than I ever had growing up. I'm so happy he's still alive, even when things are frustrating and hard and overwhelming. Things are okay.
• Going to California with my mom and brother and sister to visit my grandparents. I'm so grateful for all the time I get to spend with them because time is so uncertain.
• Golfing with my grandpa
• Disneyland with my siblings and treating my mom to lunch at the Blue Bayou
• Roadtrip home with my sister and lots of bonding over Lost and Dance Academy
• Starting school and actually feeling like I'm making progress toward my future and getting this far through the class. It certainly hasn't been easy, but I'm still going. And I'm determined to make it through
• Getting my jobs taking care of babies and toddlers has given me so much joy over the past three months and I am grateful for the woman who got me that job
• Being around for my mom and being able to help her out at school when she is overwhelmed
• Making it through this year and starting to figure things out

So, when I look at it like this, things look pretty great. This year has been one of the hardest of my life, but God is so good.

Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 
-Philippians 4:6-7