Giving Thanks

Well, this will be blog #2 for the day. However, I wanted to write 25 things that I am thankful for; 1 for each year that I have been alive. Some of these are reminiscent of a blog I did before I left about giving thanks (see October blogs if you are curious) and also of a blog I did about prayer requests (again, see October blogs if you are curious). However, the other day on my way home I stopped in the park and made this list of 25 things that I am thankful for this year. They are in NO PARTICULAR order as I started out trying to go chronologically through this past year (my 25th year!) and then lost interest in that and just started writing out my thoughts...so...here goes;
I am thankful for:

1. A savior who died for me
2. A Father who loved me enough to allow His only Son to die for me
3. That I spent my 25th birthday with my momma, daddy, Erin, and Kimberly
4. To have spent (most of) my 25th year in Tuscaloosa with Erin
5. To have the BEST friends a girl could ever dream of/ask for/pray for
6. To have an amazing mentor/friend/professor whom I love to pieces and means more to me than she can ever imagine
7. To have some amazing women in my life who have set examples for me in many different areas of my life and who influence me each and every day: my momma, Dr. Hernandez-Reif (#6), Mrs. Malissa, Kelly A. (and her girls), April K., Frances, Ms. Hudson, Mrs. Kirksey, Ms. Shannon, Ms. Susan, Christy H., Heather Weaver, and other (particularly at "work")
8. To have a New York City family whom I love and cherish and miss very much
9. The opportunity to see Yale University and New Haven, CT (it prepared me for a few things: Fulbright interview, and in a weird way...Italy...funny how God plans things)
10. The opportunity to go to New York City in April
11. Opportunities to go to the beach and Charleston, SC with Erin
12. That I was able to successfully defend my thesis- and everyone who helped me get there (including but not limited to: parents, my committee, that list of women, my friends, and teachers at the CP, the parents who allowed their children to participate, and EVERYONE at the Children's Program)
13. That I have had THE BEST people to work with and learn from over the past two years
14. To have seen Meagan T. in October
15. To witness Broke and Christopher's beautiful wedding and beginning of a marriage based on their love for Christ
16. The lives spared on April 27th
17. That I feel God leading me back to New York City- for many reasons, but how fortunate/blessed am I to be led to my favorite place in the world?
18. The opportunity to come to Italy for a month and ALL that it entails
19. To feel led to a future business plan with my best friend in the whole wide world
20. To have redefined my normal (from prayer request blog)
21. To NOT be where I was a year ago today- emotionally speaking
22. The opportunity to celebrate my 26th birthday in New York City and Charleston
23. Graduation and the fact that I get to spend the week before it in Tuscaloosa with my loves
24. Parents who LOVE and SUPPORT me and never tell me I cannot do something. THey always find a way to help make my dreams come true!
25. ALL of the people who made me who I am today-
Family- including but not limited to: Susan, Mike, Pamela, etc.
Friends (past and present)- Kimberly, Scottie, Emily, Mallory, Barret, Katie, other high school "friends", Holly, Sarah, Alison, Ashley F., Becky, Mike, Alex, Brit, Meagan, Brooke, Erin, Heather, April, then refer to list of women!
Teachers (dance and academic)- Ms. Laired, Mr. Hallman, some middle school teachers, Mrs. Cornelison, Mrs. Mizerany, Mrs. ....oooh my 9th and 10th grade English teacher whose name is suddenly slipping my mind, Mrs. Frye, Mr. Allinder, Mr. Gumina, Mrs. Frendandez-Lee, Mr. Rosensteil, Mrs. Tarrant (counselor), Mrs. Baker, Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Kirksey, Ms. Hudson, Mrs. Gordon, Mrs. Peeples, Dalana Serrano Moore, Dale Serrano Jr., Mrs. Marynell, Jennifer Davis, Mrs. Alisia, Cornelius Carter, Rita Snyder, Eileen Grace, Kristin Altfather, Holly Evans, and other Rockettes, Dr. Hernandez-Reif, and others I'm sure
"Other family"- Mrs. Cornelison, Mr. Cornelison, Stacey, Jeff, Logan, Carson, Steve, Grandmom, Aunt Diane, Mike of course, Fran, Sean, Michael, Nicky, Nonna, Eric, Anna, Christopher, and Gabriel
Children who have found a special place in my heart: Canzas (my first baby from my first job...the first diaper I ever changed...she used to beg to come home with me..or go to dance with me!), Chase, Ryleigh, Ruby (one of my favorite pictures EVER is with Ruby), Joseph, Harper, Francie, Margaret, Luke and his sister Lanie, Katelyn, PAYTON AND MACKENZIE (ooh I miss these girls more than they can imagine!!!), LOGAN AND CARSON (my "nephews"...even still...I will always love them), Sarah, Harrison, Ezell, Landry, Emily Dean, Annie Ruth, Ellie, Carter, Sylvia, Kellen, Coelton, Millie, Ella, Jake, and some of the preschoolers at the CP...I'm sure there are a few others, but these are names I'll never forget!!! My babies!

Etc. etc. Even people we dont remember or people we may not have gotten along with shape who we have become...so, just because they aren't listed here doesn't mean they didn't play a role in who I am today!