Happy Thanksgiving!

"Turkeys are people, too!"

It is Thanksgiving morning. I'm awake finishing up some things for my essay exam today. And then I'll probably go to the beach. Tonight our study abroad program is having that Thanksgiving dinner I think I mentioned in an earlier post. Kind of a bizarre way to spend Thanksgiving, but I'm not complaining. I have nothing to complain about. And though it's super cliche and reminds me of second grade, I'm going to make a list of what I'm thankful for this year. So that when I start being whiny again, I'll remember.

• I'm thankful I have family members who love me, however far away I wander. And however dysfunctional we all know we can be (immediate and extended included....), I wouldn't trade it for the world. And I'm thankful for the way my family has grown with the addition of new people, whether by birth or marriage, that I now could never imagine my life without.
• I have amazingly wonderful friends who put up with me. My family has to - - my friend s choose to (those crazies). And whether you're back in Andover, have dispersed to various cities from Nashville, or will be sitting at the same dinner table as me in Chile, I appreciate you all. And don't say it nearly enough.
• I'm thankful that I have the opportunity to aprovechar all these incredible experiences. Vanderbilt, Chile, Alternative Spring Break, Ecuador..... All things that I've dreamed of doing, and that are finally happening.
  
• I'm thankful that I've always slept warm and full, regardless of the country I'm in or who is there taking care of me.
  
• I'm lucky to be young and healthy. And even luckier to be realizing this while I'm still young and healthy.
• I'm thankful that in 16 more days, I'll be drinking REAL COFFEE (okay, you can't expect this all to be serious...)
• I'm thankful for Skype. For real. What would I have done without this amazing tool that allowed me to keep in touch with everyone? And now I still get to talk to everyone on Thanksgiving!
  

There's more. I know there is. And these are the types of things that I need to remember; focus on the amazing things I have instead of getting wrapped up in what I'm frustrated with at the moment.

Happy Thanksgiving!