In the midst of a crazy season, I chose to take some time to reflect on what I am most thankful for this year. As a first-year college student, I've learned to appreciate the little things in my life that I used to take for granted.

I am thankful for…

A family, that in spite of its dysfunction, loves me through anything and encourages me to chase my dreams despite how out of touch they may seem.

I am thankful for...

A father who is my best friend - who never ceases to tell me how valuable and loved I am. I am thankful for his influence on my character, as I’ve seemed to inherit his sense of humor and zest for life. I am thankful for his persistence in everything he does because it encourages me to push harder every day to be more like him.

I am thankful for…

A mother that teaches me that beauty comes in many different forms and I am most special when I am being myself. I am thankful for her willingness to listen to me during times in life where friends just didn’t quite understand. And I am thankful for the example she sets for me to put all of herself into what she does because it has taught me to do the same.

I am thankful for…

Siblings that understand who I am and who have loved me through my awkward stages and the many fights we’ve had. I am thankful for a sister that sees through my “tough girl” attitude and a brother that brings out the crazy in me when life is getting a little too serious. I am thankful for a grandma that never stops checking in and who constantly brings sunshine to my life. I am thankful for cousins that are like siblings to me, and never make me feel like I’m their “distant” family. I am thankful for aunts and uncles that see me as one of their own and who never shut me out. I am thankful for my niece and nephew for reminding me to stay wild and how simple life can be.

I am thankful for…

Friends that see the good in me and love me radically. I am thankful that they see the flaws and the brokenness of my heart, but love me because of those things, not in spite of them. I am thankful for their willingness to listen to my venting even when they could be doing so many other important things. I am thankful for the friends that continue to point me to Jesus. I am thankful for my friends because they allow me to be my full self in front of them and always make time for me, even when their calendars may not allow it. I am thankful for the friends that fill the time spent with them with nothing but laughter and joy - these are the people that have made me realize that life is too short not to laugh at it sometimes. I hope that if you’re reading this, you know how much I love you and how valuable you are to me. You’ve given me the space to be able to find myself and have encouraged me every step of the way.

I am thankful for...

A Savior that died for me and allows me to live this life. This season of my life has been filled with more confusion and anxiousness than I have experienced in a long time. Before this school year, I felt no longer bound by the chains of society and felt free in myself and in the Lord. Stepping into this new phase of my life, I have felt trapped and stuck and lost and constricted again and again, and have felt myself in constant need of reminders that God is still good. I am thankful that God hasn’t stopped being faithful to me and even though I have a hard time believing it sometimes, God continues to show up and pursue me even when I push Him away.

I am thankful that...

I was born and raised in Colorado. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have realized that I am most definitely not a California girl (sorry Katy Perry) and that I belong in the mountains. Going to school in California has been a lot of things… if it’s taught me something, it’s taught me that I belong in “the 303”. I am thankful for cold weather and snow, which is something I never see anymore. I am thankful for Red Rocks, a place where so many of my best memories were made. I am thankful for crisp air and water that tastes good coming out of the tap. I am thankful for the community in which I grew up in because it has taught me a whole lot about myself and how to love in midst of tragedy and struggle. I am thankful for mountain towns that remind me of whimsy and wonder and take me to a place where I am never sad. I am thankful for a football team worth cheering on and the pride it brings to everyone that loves them. I am thankful for the view of mountains that I got to see every single day, regardless of where I was standing. And I am thankful for the sunsets, because no matter how much you try to argue with me, you’ll never see a more beautiful one anywhere else.

I am thankful for…

The struggles I’ve lived to see because without those pivotal moments in my life, I wouldn’t be who I am today. This semester has given me the space to find myself in a not-so-ideal situation. I have come to appreciate those moments in my life where I didn’t think God was on my side because they have taught me how critical they have been in the making of who I am. I am not perfect, and I still screw up - but I am the most comfortable with myself today than I have ever been before. I am thankful that I have finally learned to not define myself by numbers. I am thankful that I have realized that I am beautiful and strong without the help of makeup or approval from others. I am thankful for the path that I’ve walked because those rocky shores are where I found myself.

In the midst of a year filled with a lot of hatred, violence, and anger, it is so important to remind yourself of how delicate life is and how we should be thankful for these things more often. We have let society fog our eyes to seeing how genuinely good life is.

Of course, I am always thankful for coffee, Gilmore Girls, naps, cereal, my sweet puppy, and so many other things that I didn’t have the time to write about, but that's for another post, another day.