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5 Things I'm Extra Thankful for in 2019

I was going to start this blog by saying ‘If you know me you know I love Christmas’ but I’m pretty sure I’ve already started at least two other posts like that, so let’s just say it’s my favorite time of the year. However... hold yer’ horses, boys and girls because we still have the most delicious day of the year in store: Thanksgiving!


In my family (specifically my mom’s large and more ‘exciting’ side of the family), Thanksgiving is pretty much like a mini-Christmas with no gifts. Every year on ole’ Turkey Day we head over to Grandma and Grandpa’s house to watch the parade on T.V. while we all cook and catch up, demolish enough food to feed a small army, watch football, and play cards and board games until our turkey dinner catches up with us and we are ready to go home. As a member of a long lineage of Shelby County Catholics, my mom and her FOUR sisters (and their husbands and children and the children’s significant others and their pets and so on) fill the house up pretty dang fast, so family is definitely at the forefront of our holiday. Mix that in with some heated games of 10-point pitch upstairs, a game of “welts” (a game invented by my older cousins where you literally just hit each other with ping pong balls as hard as you can- there are even dents in the drywall from some intense matches in years past) in the basement and Grandpa napping in his recliner, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for one big, happy family get-together.


Okay, so it’s obvious that most, if not all, of us are thankful for family. The second most popular answer? Friends! Judging by my Friendsgiving where we squished 13 people into a one bedroom apartment, I’d say I have that department covered, too. So what else is there to be thankful for?

I have given this quite a bit of thought over the past few days. What are we really to be thankful for in this season of the year? Or, better yet, in this season of life? As we look forward to the Christmas season of wanting to give and get, I think that the Thanksgiving season is perfect for reflecting on all we already have first. Sometimes, it can be hard to remember all of the small, obscure things we are thankful for. Today I want to inspire you to find what you’re thankful for this season by sharing 5 things that I am thankful for!


I’m thankful to live somewhere safe and clean. I will be the first to admit that I take my apartment (and my childhood home when I’m there) for granted. But as I sit in my lovely, clean apartment in a secured access building in the nice part of town writing this, I can’t help but remember there are people who don’t get to enjoy their place of residence. I’m incredibly thankful to call a safe, healthy, and productive place home because it is good for my mental, physical, and emotional health.


I’m thankful for my health. Not just your stereotypical “oh nothing’s wrong with me blah blah blah” health. I am specifically thankful to have avoided fall allergies and flu season not one but TWO years in a row! Now, getting my flu shot each year and plenty of sleep has almost definitely contributed to this, but not being sick at college is a major accomplishment. (Although after writing this I’m almost sure to get sick because.. karma).


I’m thankful to have the best mentors in my life this (and every) year. Can we just talk for a second about how important other people are to your own success? Whether it’s professional or personal growth, the people you surround yourself with can make or break your path. I’ve learned a lot about who I am, what makes me happy, and the kinds of people and things I want to surround myself with. You can never underestimate the power of a meaningful mentor and I have had some great ones in my life this year, especially my school year boss Bob, my summer boss Chad, and the professionals I’ve interacted with in those roles.


I’m thankful for coffee dates, movie nights, and all the other precious memories I’ve shared with my favorite people. As I move through my senior year of college, the thought that at this time next year I won’t have all my closest pals within 15 minutes at any given moment is starting to set in. Rather than be sad because the friend group is growing up, I’m taking this season to reflect on the memories I’ve made with the people I love most. I’m thankful for a ‘wild’ weekend in Duluth with Katie and our adventures in the north country. I’m thankful for the girls nights that ended in laughter and tears at the same time. The countless nights at racetracks, 5 AM coffee sessions, and shopping excursions with my favorites are memories that I will never, ever undervalue.


I’m thankful for contentment that I’ve found this year. 2019 has been good to me for a lot of reasons, but something I’ve learned this year is the importance of taking what life gives you at face value. This year I have been able to find joy in the nooks and crannies of life- sunrises, long showers, and quiet nights in. I have gained a greater understanding that life’s not always perfect (although my mom might disagree when I call her raging once in a while…) and sh*t’s gonna get crazy sometimes. This season has been big for me because I’ve learned how to be content in my life and have realized life is a little bit like an SNL skit. Sure, you can ad-lib and improvise as you choose, but He is ultimately the director. And given His track record, I think I’ll just keep being a content Keenan Thompson in this wild ride of life. *insert the “What’s Up With That” song* #IfYouKnowYouKnow



I have lots to be thankful for this season, and the list could go on and on from here. As I trim my parent’s tree and cover the house in Christmas decor to look like a Balsam Hill commercial, I won’t forget to take inventory of the things that make me smile in this thankful season. Then, I’ll be assuming my post in Grandma and Grandpa’s basement to observe a wild game of welts among the cousins.


We are thankful for our amazing readers and supporters this season! What are you thankful for this year?

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