As Thanksgiving has come and went, we have to remember to always be thankful for what we have in life. As I sit at home, comfortable on the recliner, I sit in the same room as what I am thankful for. Family and friends are almost always what people say they are thankful for, but I really am glad to have them in my life. I love to hide away and be alone, but not forever. I need both to be alone and be surrounded by people. What I will always be thankful for is family and friends.

My sister is in eighth grade and my little brother a sophomore in high school. Yes, they are going through those wonderful changes in life with height increasing, tempers decreasing, and slamming doors every so often. Here, in this time that I am writing, the difficulties of life are at an end. Arguments are ended with the question "Want to play a board game?" As a person who has about 20 different board games, I'm always prepared to throw one down and create a moment of peace in the family (unless it's monopoly... no mercy is shown there).

I have an older half brother (who I just call my older brother because I love him and have no need to separate us with the truth of only sharing a mother and not a father) who is in another state and is trying to get along with life. About two months ago his house caught on fire while he was at work and he lost everything, including his cats (which makes me even sadder since I am a cat person). My mother started a go fund me for him to get him back on his feet but it is okay that no one has offered to help. I know he is thankful that his boss offered his home. Its hard to say if he is doing fine on his own since I don't hear much of him, but I know he is okay. I can feel it in my heart and in his voice with the few calls I receive.

I am also thankful for my friends that I have made in college. My few best friends are lifesavers. I see all three of them for more hours of the day then I spend in class. When they don't go home on the weekend, I see them seven days a week (which is saying something because one is a commuter and the another lives off campus). I have even surprised myself that one of my best friends is male. I usually get so distracted with how attractive men are that I just say incredibly stupid things that makes them not want to be my friend anymore... but I do have male friends and one is a best friend! Without them, I would not be laughing, smiling, eating (I don't like to eat in the cafeteria by myself), or have perfect lips (shout out to Amanda Ritz for the chap stick).

There are others to be thankful for, people and pets alike (expect for my cat Jingles who was an outdoor cat and ran away... I miss him severely but thankful for the memories). Lastly, is being thankful for myself. I am learning to love someone I hate. Hopefully down the road there will be a man to help me journey forward down that road of loving ones self. For now, I have my friends. Although we drive each other crazy (mostly me driving them crazy), we still love one another and knowing I'm loved is enough to keep me going each day.