Hmmm I smell something delicious. You know what it is? It’s Thanksgiving food. That means it’s just around the corner. One of my favorite holidays. Being able to chow down on everything until you can’t stuff anymore food in your belly. It's okay though, because you can sleep it all off for a couple of hours and then start back up again.

But, Thanksgiving isn’t just about the food. It is about giving thanks to the special people in your life.

Looking back in my life, I have come to realize how blessed I am. When I was younger, I didn’t show how appreciative I was to be here, with the people in my life, and with what I had. I want to pour my heart out to say what I am thankful for, and a thank you to everyone in my life that I am so grateful for.

I am so thankful to be living. For years, I have been so lost in this world. I always walked around not knowing who I was. I always felt like I was trapped in a body that I could not escape from. Life was really hard. I wanted to be done with everything, I didn’t want to feel the pain anymore. I have done things that I am not proud to say, and this year has still been really hard for me. But, I am here in this world surrounded by so many people that care about me and are never giving up. This has opened my eyes even wider because I know I can escape from this dark body and I can be happy to be alive.

I am thankful for my parents. Mom, Dad. Thank you for never giving up on me. I don’t know where I would be without you both in my life. Thank you for choosing me out of four other little girls in that orphanage. You both give me the love that I would have never have gotten if I was still in the orphanage. Thank you for teaching me the best in life and that when things get down, there is always a new day coming my way. Thank you for being patient with me when I am in my mood. Thank you for accepting my crazy, energetic, smiling self. Mom, Dad. Thank you for being such wonderful parents in my life.

I am thankful for my brothers. I would not be such such a tough girl without my brothers. Thank you for not treating me just as a girl, but encouraging me to do whatever I want like playing video games, wrestling, throwing a frisbee around, or kicking a soccer ball back and forth. Even when you didn’t want to, you played tea party with me. Thank you for always having my back, if I was ever upset you always asked “do I need to beat someone up?” And I know you both were always serious about it. I am so thankful to have such amazing older brothers as you two in my life. Our ages are far from one another but that never stopped me as looking up to you both. I love you!

I am thankful for my friends. I have met so many lovely people in my life that I can call my friends. I said goodbye to some in the past but those memories I have with them are something that I will never forget. And the friends I have now I know I will always have them in my life. Even though life could take us separate places I know I can go to them for anything. I am especially thankful for my three best friends from home that I have been friends with since kindergarten. I am who I am now because of them. I am the crazy, fun, loving person because of them-- because they showed me that it is okay to be whoever you want.

I am thankful for my old teachers. I am at a wonderful school because of you. Throughout my school years you never wanted to see me give up. You found ways to keep me going and to help me succeed in my education. I am thankful for my teachers for always having a smile on their face and for always caring for everyone around them. I am thankful for them because I want to be just like them in a few years.

I am thankful for my past coaches. I have played many sports since I was 4 years old, but the biggest sport I stuck with was volleyball. I want to say a big thanks to my high school volleyball coaches. Thank you for pushing me when I didn’t want to go any further. Thank you for not giving up on me when I wasn’t playing my best. Thank you for not just being my coaches but also my friends. Thank you for making me laugh and having the best moments of high school.

I could go on and on with what I am thankful for, but now it is your turn. What are you thankful for in your life?