thanksgiving.

so i got this idea from my roommate sylvia. she wrote a facebook note writing about 25 things she is thankful for since thanksgiving is on the 25th of November this year. so i'm going to do something similar.

twenty-five people i'm thankful for.
[one] my mamma. she's not the easiest person for me to get along with, and most times i just stay quiet and let her talk--because man, that woman can talk. but i love her. she cares about me more than anyone on this Earth. all my life she's done things because she just wants to take care of me, to make sure i'm happy, to make sure i'm healthy. sometimes i pushed her to the edge. but she never fell. just for me. i love you mamma c:

[two] chelsea. my big sister. she's always been an interesting presence in my life. she made mistakes that i quickly learned from. i used to hate her--but i love the relationship we've had for the past few years. i would support her in anything, give her anything, do anything for her. i'm protective of her. i don't think she'll ever know how much i would set aside everything for her.

[three] my daddy. a lot of people believe firmly that the dad should work and the mom should stay home. well God bless the queen if my parents did that. i'm sosososo glad they didn't. my daddy has stayed home my entire life, homeschooling me for the first nine or so years of my life. he taught me to be creative. he allowed me to be myself. i would not be so weird today if not for him. :D

[four] mrs. pullen. she's my second mother. she's always been there to talk to, even when i don't take advantage of that fact. i love our dates at ihop, or red robin. i'm so blessed to have such a woman in my life to mentor me and pull me through. she has pointed me to God in ways no one else could.

[five] lacey dean. i don't really know what's going on right now, but i am thankful for the friendship we had while i was home.

[six] samuel. we may not be dating. we may have a huge wall and distance between us, but God blessed me so much through my relationship with him. he was my best friend, the person i could go to with anything. he never judged me. he let me be myself, no matter what hell i put him through. he's let me say some awful stuff to him. but he never made me conform. outside of my family, no one has taken care of me like he did. someone out there has big shoes to fill.

[seven] simon. he has given me hope for our generation's male population. he is the strongest Christian male i think i have ever met. i just have so much respect for him. i pray constantly that he never loses this fire, this desire. haha i'm never entirely sure why he talks to me when i'm so lame, but i'm thankful for his friendship, for his encouragement.

(this is going to be hard. i'm already running out of people. :c)

[eight] ms. mccarthy. this woman was one of the best teachers i had at chantilly high school. that school was not fun for me, but she gave me a safe place to go to. she provided me with an umbrella on umbrella days. she gave me food. she let me make fun of her. and she told me that if i killed myself, she would personally resurrect me just to kill me again. i love that woman. i go see her every time i come home.

[nine] ahryel. she is one of the few people from chantilly high school that i think truly cared about me. i'm so thankful for the blessing she has been in my life. she lets me complain to her, which seems to be all i do c: she's so beautiful and talented. we should play music again soon.

[ten] erica. i never wanted to call her my best friend due to the fact that she's my big sister's best friend, but she is one of the best friends i've had. i can rely on her. she lets me come to her with all my crap and ridiculousness. she lets me hide in her room. she adopted me onto her hall. she made my first few months at liberty durable, and i'm so thankful for that. i don't know what i would have done without her.

[eleven] chris egan. i'm so thankful that my sister has someone who truly cares for her and would do anything for her.

[twelve] clark. he will always be one of my favorite memories from chantilly high school. he proved to me that they don't have to be douchebags. i still have most of the notes he wrote me. c:

[thirteen] julie olaffson. that girl has been such an encouragement to me. out of the hardest counseling experience in my life, she proved that God works even when i feel useless. i have loved seeing her grow and flourish. i pray for her, that she would continue to seek after Him.

[fourteen] sylvia. dude, God blessed me SO much with her as a roommate and as a friend. it's good to know someone showers as little as i do :D

[fifteen] ben. my first real black friend. :D

[sixteen] jesse. he taught me how to have a real appreciation for music. i realized the other day that i do the exact same thing he does when we point out our favorite parts in music. it's never about the words--it's the harmony, the quality, the riffs, the drums. we both point our fingers and say "ohh, listen to this...here it is..this is it!"

[seventeen] pete lim. if he hadn't been my last guitar teacher, i may have given up completely on guitar. but the lessons he gave me were the absolute best.

[eighteen] phill. i need to be thankful for the ridiculously hilarious people in my life.

[nineteen] raymond. for giving me a chance, for letting me invade on something vulnerable--his music. and for sitting with me at lunch sometimes c:

[twenty] julie behal. for making evangelism bearable. and for just being an amazing, encouraging person.

[twenty-one] scott welch. when he told me "i feel your absence", i felt like i belonged.

[twenty-two] walker. he's the best little brother i could ever have.

[twenty-three] matthew. he's the best REAL little brother i could ever have. c:

[twenty-four]

[twenty-five]

twenty five things i thank God for.
[one] for never letting go.

[two] for giving me purpose.

[three] for giving me breath.

[four] for writing me the most beautiful love letters.

[five] for sending rain, thunder, lightning.

[six] for showing me His love through the sky.

[seven] for saving me.

[eight] for loving me, despite the stupid things i've done.

[nine] for dying.

[ten] for resurrecting.

[eleven] for His promise of eternal life.

[twelve] for giving me boldness and courage.

[thirteen] for completely restoring me.

[fourteen] for constantly healing my heart.

[fifteen] for putting me through darkness.

[sixteen] for giving me everything i need exactly when i need it.

[seventeen] for allowing me to have passions and gifts.

[eighteen] for putting me in a place where i can pursue and improve those passions and gifts.

[nineteen] for giving me a family that is as un-dysfunctional as possible.

[twenty] for allowing me to go to Liberty University.

[twenty-one] for allowing me to have gone on missions trips.

[twenty-two] for giving me a brain i couldn't understand if i tried.

[twenty-three] for putting people in my life.

[twenty-four] for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

[twenty-five] for having a plan, a purpose for my life.