right now,
i am thankful:
for my husband. there were times where we really struggled and fought so much. i am so glad we didn't take the easy way out, we stuck it out. i can honestly say that j is my very best friend and i am so blessed to share my life with him.
little baby dog, dublin. this dog makes me laugh, scream, scares the mess out of me, & ticks me off sometimes, but i am so happy that he is our 'little boy' and my sweet little buddy, always ready to give loves. he is such a sweet, loving little dog.
for great friends, new & old. i am constantly amazed at how amazing & genuine people really can be. i am so thankful that i have connected with old friends that i have missed very much and for new friends that have already shown me the meaning of true friendship, without jealousy or judgment.
to live in such a wonderful & beautiful country. it is wonderful to be able to do all that we do. we have already seen so much in 3 months that i never in a million years thought i would ever see.
to be able to see, touch, hear, learn & understand. some people don't have those abilities. i am constantly amazed by everything around me. life is such a blessing, not to be taken for granted.
for age. sometimes i ponder how amazing it is to still be alive and kickin'. i mean, if you really think about it, if you are sitting here reading this, you are already doing better than some. growing old is a blessing, don't let it become a curse. you are blessed to grow older, it means you have been given more: more time to enjoy, more laughter, more love, more hurt, more pain, but any way it goes, you have been given more than some, don't waste it.
for my dad. no, i didn't have him as long as i wanted. and that is definitely an understatement. there are days the pain is so intense, it feels like it was literally yesterday that he was taken from us. there are days when i honestly don't know how i function(ed), or how i made it to where i am. the pain of the loss is so incredibly searing. the loss of my dad taught me what really matters in life. and, it sure wasn't the things i thought mattered at the time. i honestly believe that when you go through any sort of loss, of life especially, it changes you. it changed me for the better and it is still changing me. i am thankful to have had such a wonderful person that i still miss so, so much. i was blessed to have had a dad who loved me and that made all the difference.
for my family. i have a mom & a sister who are two of my closest friends. we have laughed, cried, fought and lost together. we are stronger as individuals and as whole because of what we have been through together. my brother is such a big teddy bear and i am so proud of the man he is becoming. and, for my in-laws. i have been blessed with some fab people to love and call family.
for people who hurt me. they make me stronger and show me what i don't want to become. they help me to treat people with love & respect, because i know what it is like to be hurt and abused.
photography. it is my passion! i love creating a memory in a frame of a camera. i love editing photos. i love sharing them. i love learning and growing and improving them.
for fashion. kate spade purses. lysgaard scarves. converse shoes. heels. french lace. skinny jeans. cowboy boots. pretty little dresses. blazers. bright blue pea coats. hats! neon. glitter. sequins. just a few of my favorite things. :)
for european food. speculoos. gluwein. beer. brats. wine. marzipan. nougat. macarons. fresh bread. belgian waffles. stroopwaffels. loose leaf tea from globus. cheese.
for texas! i love my homestate. so much history and so much beauty! i love it.
travels. i just realized how many amazing places i have been able to visit! nyc. paris. boston. uk. los angeles. hollywood. santa barbara. santa monica. luxembourg. belgium. france. germany. dc. dallas. austin. san antonio. new braunfels. san marcos. shreveport-bossier. i love looking back at my photos and reminiscing on the places i(we) have been. simply amazing.
health. i have been able to and had the means to literally bust my butt and lose almost 45 pounds. knowing that i could accomplish what i have makes me feel strong and has carried over into other areas of my life. i feel much more confident in my abilities and what i am capable of. and the answer to that? anything i want!
my life. i am and have been so blessed. i pray that i remember to never, ever take that for granted.
