Being Thankful

Since Thursday is Thanksgiving, I wanted to take some time to look back at this year and realize I have so much for which to be thankful!

I am thankful for my dad.
My dad is my hero. There is not much more I can say about that. When my parents divorced he fought like hell in court to insure he got custody of my brother and me. He is the best father a son could ever ask for in life. My dad has always been supportive of me in whatever I do in life. His only goals in life has been the happiness of his children. I have always said if I could be half the dad mine was to me then my (future) kids will be some lucky children. I only wish my dad would realize how awesome he really is.

I am thankful for my Aunt Sue.
Sue is my one and only paternal aunt. She is a truly amazing woman. She is a force to be reckoned with in this life. (She is definitely a solid mixture of her mother and her father.) Sue has become the matriarch of our family. She looks after my father, my brother, and my uncle. I shudder to think what my family would be like if it were not for the guidance of “the warden.”

I am thankful for two awesome teammates.
Being a teacher is never easy, but having my two teammates make my life much easier. Tammy (TRG as we all call her) is the voice of our team. Heck, she is the voice of all teachers. She is never one to shy away from expressing her opinions. She always has the best interests of our students and her teammates in mind. These past 18 months would have been unbearable without her. She is my rock! Mandy is the calming force on our team. I love how she is so very laid back. Together we are seen as the strongest team in the school…well, we are definitely the strictest team in the building. We get results. I love my teammates. They are a blast!

I am thankful for my best friend…Dr. Jenny
Jenny and I have been friends since we were 11, however we became best friends during our undergraduate years in college. We have seen each other through most of life’s ups and downs. Through it all we have strengthened our friendship. I love this woman more than I could ever tell you. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for her.  

I am thankful for being a teacher.
As much as I may sometimes complain about the hard aspects of my job, I absolutely love being a teacher. I love being part of a profession that changes the lives of countless numbers of people. I love watching as a student FINALLY comes to understand a concept or when he/she realizes just how smart they are. The joys of teaching definitely outweigh all the hardships we encounter.

I am thankful for Mikeal and Mandi.
I have had the honor of their friendship since last year. It has been an interesting ride getting to know them. Everytime I get to see or talk with them it makes me smile. Mikeal is not afraid to be himself, and I have such respect for that. Also, he has the love of three of the most beautiful kids in the world. That lets me know he is a great father. Mandi is fabulous in her own right. She is not afraid to speak her mind. I love her wit, her compassion for others, and her selflessness. Oh, and I LURV her ricotta cookies! Also, I know that she is an incredible mother. The munchkins hang on her every word! Love you guys!

I am thankful for Milo.
Getting to know Miles over the past months has been a blast. He always brings a smile to my face. What a brilliant wit and creativeness in this young guy. (Good grief…he is only 20, but I have learned so much from him.) Watching him grow and discover who he is in this life makes me honored to know him. I cannot wait to see just how far he will go in this life.

I am thankful for Mikey.
Mikey is one of the first friends I made through this blog. Although he lives on the other end of this country, I consider him a great friend. He is someone I can talk to about teaching as he  has prepared to become on himself. I look forward to showing him around east Tennessee and Dollywood. LOL!

I am thankful for Dean.
Dean is someone who is such a loving and caring individual. He has spent so much of the past years helping care for his ailing uncle that I believe he lost who he really is in life. I love talking with him and listening to just how wonderful he is. I just wish he could see it for himself. And, oh the talent…Dean is such a wonderful artist. I hope that he can go far in life as an artist.

I am thankful for David B.
Another young man who continually inspires me. David shares my love of Broadway musicals and politics. Even now, he is living in the Washington DC…one of the places where I want to live. No doubt that he will be setting the world on fire in the future. He’s got my vote! 

I am thankful for Aaron.
Aaron is one of the first bloggers to reach out to me across the blogosphere. I was instantly taken back by the sheer awesomeness of this young man. At only 23 years of age, he has accomplished so much in this world. I feel inspired by him and the work he does. I cannot wait to see just how he will change the world in the future.

I am thankful for Nabil.
Nabil is my friend on the other side of the world…literally. He is someone who has been around since I first began blogging. He has taught me a great deal about how others in the world view Americans. I loved going back and forth with him when he made his first visit to New York City this year. His observations about our country and NYC were awesome. I am thankful to call him “friend” and I look forward to a growing friendship.

I am thankful for Ian.
My Irish connection…Ian is this ball of energy I cannot totally describe. I will say that I have not met anyone who I can compare him to in my life. He is a complete enigma. (Yes, in a good way.) Ian has this fearlessness that I wish I sometimes had.

There are so many more of you for whom I am thankful, but this post could go on forever. Just know I feel very thankful and blessed to have you all in my life. Each friend brings a new piece of adventure and perspective into my life. I could never say thank you enough

As a final thought, below is a random list of things for which I am thankful:

-  The time (28 years) that I had with my grandmother.
-  Music (all kinds)
-  Freedom
-  My students
-  Warm spring days laying in the park
-  The Smoky Mountains in fall and winter…true beauty
-  The diversity of my friends
-  Movies
-  Broadway musicals
-  The ability to travel
-  The youth organization to which I volunteer my time
-  My cute nieces and nephews (all 10 of them)
-  College football (yes, I am still 100% a Tennessee VOLS fan)

While it is not an all-inclusive list, it is what is in my head at the moment.  Thanks to all of you who read this and take the time to respond. I love getting to know so many of you.

Take the time this Thanksgiving holiday to enjoy the love of your friends and family.

Love to you all!