Days of Thanks - discontinued!

So my commitment to keep my blog up with my days of thanks on Facebook did NOT pan out. While I do have a LOT to be thankful for right now, lots of spare time is not one of those things. I couldn't keep up with finding pictures and writing a paragraph for everything I listed. I do want to hit a few of the highlights, though.

These girls - what can I even say? Best. Friends. Imaginable. Shannon has been my best friend for something crazy like 23 years - from first grade until today. Kim was right beside me during that God-awful time called junior high. Darien, who I met in my mom's friend's kitchen, and I have been friends since middle school and are still besties today. Cortney was a fellow FCA camper, and we became best friends even though we rarely saw one another - losing her was one of the worst things I've been through, especially since I couldn't be there during her last days or funeral. And Ashley is my newest best friend - a recent but super important addition to my life.

Shannon & I in Vegas!

Kim & me... 8th grade!

D & I ready for some Cards baseball!

Cortney and I at the World's Biggest Ball of Twine

Ashley & I in St Louis

Wrapping this into a big highlight - my family. I think I mentioned my parents, grandparents, cousins, and a general "family time" during the days of thanks. I also happen to have some pretty amazing aunts and uncles. I do not believe that blood determines family - I technically have step and half cousins exclusively, but I don't (and more importantly, they don't) view us as anything but "family." Those ties are unbreakable - even with widely varying beliefs on everything from politics to the environment to sports. 

Last highlight - these people. John-Nathan-Leslie, aka the Perkins crew... my years at MNU were shared with them around the corner round table at Perkins, with pitchers of water constantly needing refilled, the three of us talking about literally everything. And the Soul Sistas - Leslie, Tammi, Tarra, Jessi, and Amber - the first real "group" of girlfriends I ever had - I can't imagine college without them. When I randomly have major regrets about going to MNU (hello, student loans!) I just remember these two groups of friends, along with some others, and can't be anything but blessed that I ended up there. 

(Sorry Jess and Am... I couldn't dig up a pic of all of us. :-/)