A Day to be Thankful

Because my Thanksgivings sometimes get lost in traveling to see mine and Nathan's families, catching up with family we don't see very often and indulging in some of my most favorite foods, I wanted to make sure that this year, I took the time to really reflect on everything I have to be thankful for in my life. From the things I think about every day to the things I don't think about enough, this is what I am thankful for:

-I am thankful that I live in a country where I am free. It's something that is so easy to take for granted, but that provides the foundation for everything else in my life.
-I am thankful that I live in a safe place and that I have people who care for me, look out for me and treat me well.
-I am thankful that every day, I have food to eat and a car to get me to work and wherever else I want to go (like Miami, where I took this picture).

-I am thankful that I have the ability and opportunity to pursue a career that is fulfilling to me, even if my path to that career isn't going the way I had planned.
-I am thankful that I have a job. In such a terrible job market, I am so lucky that I have a job that pays me while I look for my next step.
-I am thankful for my friends and especially my Phi Mu sisters. I am thankful for this amazing group of women, who really are more like sisters than friends, and who are some of the most wonderful people I know. I have never had friends like my sisters and I know that these relationships really are for a lifetime.

-I am thankful for my family. From my parents, my brother and my grandparents to my aunts, uncles, cousins and close family friends, my family has been tremendously supportive of me throughout my entire life. I don't know where I would be without them.
-I am thankful that I have already gotten to spend almost seven years with the love of my life. I am thankful for the person Nathan is and the person he inspires me to become. I am thankful that he listens to me and that he would do absolutely anything for me. I am thankful for being in love with my best friend.

Counting my blessings makes me feel so incredibly lucky. As I've gotten older, I've realized that there are so many things that I take for granted. Even on my worst day, when I put things into perspective, I realize that I am so blessed.

With all of this in mind, I can't wait to spend the day with family and bask in this feeling of gratitude. Oh, and eat! :) Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!