Thanksgiving is upon us.

It is a holiday of family bonding and of each and every one of our thanks and blessings. It is the age-old shared feast of the Pilgrims and the Indians and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It is, of course, a hearty feast.

It is a perfectly roasted turkey and - occasionally - baked ham. It is mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing and cranberry sauce, casseroles and sweet potatoes. It is green beans and corn, salads and Pillsbury rolls, and it is an endless supply of pumpkin and apple pie.

I’m sure your mouth is watering. Mine is. Especially as a college student, who is stuck with dining hall macaroni and cheese day after day… the mere idea of food such as these is enough to make me start walking home right this second. All eight hundred and ten miles.

Yet, Thanksgiving is more than the mouthwatering foods and the scent of homemade apple pie baking in the oven. Thanksgiving is truly about what we are thankful for in our lives and what blessings we are provided with each and every day. To remind you of this, I have my very own list of who I am thankful for in my life. I encourage you to do the same.

To start, I am thankful for my parents and my family. I am sure at this point it is quite obvious to those who read my articles, but I simply cannot say it enough. That’s the thing though - it is important to let your family (and anyone you love) know just how much they mean to you, all the time, not just on a specific holiday. It means so much to hear how important you are to someone you love in your life. My family truly is important to me. Despite being so far away, we have grown closer. I am thankful for our wonderful relationships. So thank you, family.

I am thankful for my grandparents. They have taught me so many lessons growing up, and my Nana has inspired me to be strong no matter what life throws at me. I absolutely love talking to all four of them and hearing the stories of what life was like as they grew up. They seem to have an endless supply of love and advice.

I am thankful for my overly large extended family. Cousin after cousin, baby after baby, great-aunts and great-uncles. It is so nice to have so many people in your life that love and care for you. It is so nice to be so close to your extended family - even when they live all over. New England, Nevada, North Carolina, and even Hawaii. No matter the distance, I know they will all always have my back.

I am thankful for friends that have become family - those people in my life who know who they are, who I have known forever, who have become more than just a family friend. I have many aunts and uncles than just blood related ones. I have three brothers and many more cousins than five on my dad’s side and three on my mom’s side. I have a sister wife, and two little babies, who I love with all of my heart. I do not know what I would do without these people, whom I call family.

I am thankful for my friends - both old and new. My friends back home welcome me with open arms when I come back, and again, despite the distance, it is as if I never left when I see them. My friends that I have come to know here at school are just as amazing. Despite only knowing them for a few months, I feel like I have known them for a lifetime.

Last, but certainly not least, I am thankful for my boyfriend. He is my rock in so many situations. Since I have come to know him, he and I have grown so much, and changed for the better. I am truly lucky to have him in my life. In any and every adverse situation, he is there and he is finding ways to make everything better.

I am thankful for the military, law enforcement, and all healthcare professionals. I am thankful for every teacher and professor I have ever had or will have. I am thankful for those who dedicate their lives to help others around them, instead of simply helping themselves.

This is just a list of who I am thankful for - and it is very basic. If I was to sit and individually list each and every person, we would be sitting here for hours. I have so many special people in my life, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

This Thanksgiving, make a list and thank all of the wonderful people in your own life. When times are tough or you’re feeling down, it never hurts to look back on the list of people around you who are always here to help.

Have a fantastic Thanksgiving - full of phenomenal people and phenomenal food!