30 Days of Thankful - Part 2

I tried to start this blog post on Sunday night, but the creativity was not flowing. Something about sitting on the couch snuggling with Khyra made me want to shut my laptop and grab a book (or the TV remote). I suppose I don't really do computers on the weekend anymore... sitting in front of them all day M-F at work makes me say to myself on weekends, "Oh, it can wait until Monday."

Or Wednesday...

Shall we continue?

November 9th - I am thankful for my education. Without a degree I would never have gotten my job. Despite how crappy college turned out to be for me, I'm very glad I stuck it out and graduated.

With Shirin and Alex before UT's December CommencementNovember 10th - I am thankful for my mom and pops. Thanks for college! For high school play costumes, band uniforms, instruments, dance classes, flute lessons, and everything else you sponsored. Thanks for coaching me through job interviews and nagging me to "follow up!" Thanks for helping me with my spelling words, state capitals, and the dreaded bug project. Thanks for treating me like an adult at the appropriate time and for punishing me when I acted like a bratty brat. Thanks for encouraging me to do whatever I want, still! Way to go guys, keep it up.

Last month, at Gingerman

In Fredericksburg, last spring
November 11th - Even though Hank and Reg will always do weird things, I sure am thankful for my bros. Growing up would not be the same without them and their gross friends. I realized it a lot during my Christmas vacation with Chris' family last year. He has two brothers too, and when all three of them were together last year, it was very similar to Hank and Reg's behavior. Oh, except now they are all 20-somethings and thus even bigger and louder. So, thanks to the training I got for what boys do. Wresting... farting... yah, that’s about all boys do.

Typical
November 12th – I did the weather, I did my friends, but I didn’t do AUSTIN! I am so thankful I decided to go to UT and met Chris and stayed in Austin. Texas sucks, but Austin is terrific. There are so many random things to do and so many new neighborhoods to discover. It’s urban, it’s rural, it’s residential and through the last few years, it’s become home.

Photo from, 365 Things to Do in Austin, taken yesterday morning.
November 13th – And even though I love Austin, I love Kansas too. I am thankful I get to travel next week and spend Thanksgiving in KC. Kansas was such a great home for me for so many years. I met some of my best friends there, had some awesome seasons (spring and fall- like none other), and had a really great education. Kansas shaped me into who I am. So thanks Sunflower State; I can’t wait to come visit you!

Us girls at the Royal's Game
November 14th – One thing I’ll always think of right away when I think about Kansas is theatre. It used to be such an enormous part of my life and I’m super thankful for all the skills I learned, the confidence I gained, and the memories I have from my early week-long theatre camps, elementary school “plays,” The Wall of Fame, CCS, Drama Conference, and BVN Rep Theatre. Theatre gave me a lot of direction (ha) and I’m very thankful it was/is? such a huge part of my life.

November 15th – I never thought I’d say this is important enough to put it on my list, but I am thankful for new babies. First there was Ellie, then my step-family’s kid, then Avery, another step-family’s kid on the way, and next March we’ll have Baby Hutson. I still think babies are super weird, but they can also be really amusing and cute.

Baby Ellie at TWO weeks old. She was so tiny!
November 16th – Today seems like the perfect day to do it because Chris comes home from Germany today! I sure am thankful I met him. I’m thankful he got to go to Germany for work and am thankful he gets to come home too. I definitely didn’t think I’d miss him as much as I did. Guess I like him. :-)

Fall 2008

Only one more Thanksgiving post to go. November is flying by.