As Thanksgiving approaches I can’t help but reflect on the many things in my life that I am thankful for and while I would like to take a cue from my cousin and post daily on Facebook the things that I am thankful for, I am concerned that there are not enough days or space to write everything (and I got a pretty late start). Given that, I felt a blog post containing everything that I am thankful for would be more appropriate. So here we go!
Things I thankful for (they are in no particular order):
· My amazing husband-he is my rock and has always been the most supportive person in my life consistently believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself. His unwavering support has aided in my quest to be the best I can be. He is my forever life partner and our journey is looking brighter every day!
· My family-the ones who will always comfort me and guide me through every twist and turn of life. My dad constantly reminds me to strive for the top and to never give up. My mom is my cheerleader, always at the finish line encouraging me to push just a little harder toward that prize. My sister, my first best friend in life and although we’ve had our normal sisterly ups and downs, we will always be there for each other. My nephew, Dylan, always makes me laugh and although he’s only 3 and a half, reminds me about the important things in life. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins...always willing to lend a helping hand or send an encouraging thought.
· My wonderful friends-There are way too many to list individually (and yes, I am thankful for that as well) but one person will always get an honorable mention, my bestest friend, Jenn. Since 8th grade, she has stood by my side and has always listened to me when I needed her. She is like an older sister to me and I would do anything and give anything for her. Like the rest of my family, she has been my cheerleader and eternal supporter reminding me of my strengths when I need to hear them.
· My health-even though I will always live with IgA Nephropathy and it will never go away, I am thankful that at this point it is in a nonaggressive state and I have full kidney functioning. Some are not so lucky.
· That I can RUN!!! I am so excited about this and even more excited that I’m getting faster and increasing my mileage every week. Despite the fact that I have two previous knee injuries (one in high school cross country in which I tore my medial meniscus and ended my season early and I wasn’t able to run track that spring and the other due to a car accident where I suffered nerve damage and was told I would never be able to run) I am getting stronger each and every day. I am also appreciative that I have a life long running partner, my amazing husband, who is so supportive and encouraging. Running with him is a true blessing because it’s something we can always share together.
· That I’m losing weight and kicking ass at it!! To date, I have lost 59.5 pounds! Better yet, I feel amazing and like I could conquer the world. I have so much more energy during the day that I am much more productive at school, which leads into my next point...
· That I have 2 degrees and am nearing the end of a third. How many people can say that? I am very lucky to be where I am and this third degree is going to open so many doors for me and my family.
· That I have the determination and intelligence to be working on a PhD. I have always said that I feel like I was blessed with those two things and even though at times I feel completely stupid (which is apparently normal in a PhD program), I know that in the end I will prevail and Mark and I will have everything we’ve dreamed about and worked hard to achieve.
· My sense of humor-I always appreciate that I can laugh at myself and make others laugh. Laughter is truly the best medicine!
· Beautiful November Buffalo weather-makes for amazing fall runs. We have had some gorgeous 60+ degree days lately and running in the warm sunshine, admiring the beautiful fall foliage, while you crunch the leaves under your feet is just perfect. I wish it could be this way year round!
· Facebook, yes, I’m going to put it on here because it has allowed me to reconnect with dear friends from high school that I thought I would never speak to again. Also, I am able to chat with family members who don’t live close by. I just hope FB will be around in a few years (I’m pretty sure it will since it’s a billion dollar company now) for when we move out of state so I can keep in touch with all my Buffalo friends and family.
· A roof over my head and food in my cupboards-while we are certainly not the richest people in the world and my checking account often leaves much to be desired, I am thankful that I have money, food, clothing, and shelter. See my previous post about the garbage dumps in Mozambique.
· My car-while it may not be the flashiest thing in the world and I often complain about how I wish I could have the brand new Jeep Grand Cherokee and then I wouldn’t have to deal with a radio that works when it wants to, I am lucky to have a reliable vehicle with fairly low mileage for being 6 years old.
· That I have 3 jobs! Yes, they are all part time (well, one is full time right now but will be going back down to part time in December) but I have 3 jobs. There are millions of Americans that don’t even have one part time job.
· That I am a Zumba Instructor!!! How awesome is that?! I love helping the amazing people in my class achieve their goals and inspiring them to reach for the top all while partying! Zumba is amazing and has truly changed my life.
· That I can afford to eat healthy food. With how expensive it is in this country to eat wholesome and nutritious foods, I am thankful that I have the option to do so.
· That I am outgoing and can make friends easily. I have always been thankful for this and love that I can talk to people so easily. This makes it much easier to speak in front of a group of people, which I am also thankful for. Yes, I get nervous but I have always felt comfortable on stage or at a podium. Maybe that’s why I am aspiring to be a professor and why I am such a kick ass Zumba instructor (wink).
· That I am finally confident with my body and myself. This has been such a long and challenging process. My biggest issue with self-confidence, other than the fact that I didn’t have any, was that I was so concerned with others perceiving me as being conceded if I accepted compliments or said positive things about myself. In the process, I hated myself and thought I was fat and stupid each and every day. Through my weight loss journey and progression through the PhD program, I have worked incredibly hard to lose the weight and complete certain academic requirements. The result of that hard work is still perplexing to me sometimes and I often do a double take in the mirror. I am learning to accept compliments without adding a “but” (see my previous blog post about this topic) and learning that it’s okay to say and believe positive things about yourself. I’m pretty sure I won’t develop an ego either.
· The coricopia of gluten free restaurants and grocery options...wasn’t always this way and I am so grateful that Buffalo has so many. It’s always fun to discover a new place to eat or try a new snack.
· My cat, Dini-he’s the best lap cat and snuggler around! He has his days when he can be super grumpy and that usually is due to a food restriction (we are trying to put him on a diet). But when he wants to cuddle he is persistent! I love it when he gives me kitty hugs!
· My ferret, Tia-she always makes me laugh at her little ferret antics. We love you so much our beautiful silver mitt Princess!
· That I can live in a free country and I’m just going to leave it at that so as to not get into personal views on topics.
· The running community-Other than my Zumba family, I never have a met a group of strangers who are so welcoming and warm. I love that other runners say hi to me on my runs. I love that I can chat with a stranger on her blog or Facebook page about running. Somehow, they don’t seem like strangers anymore.
· That I can read and write-how many times have I taken that for granted?!
· Finally, that I’m surrounded by love each and every day. For that reason, I am truly thankful!
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