Gratefulness

I'm sitting here, over-stuffed, grumpy at the irritating people still left in the house, angry that my boyfriend mis-communicated the amount of time I'd be spending in this near-hell...and so I realized, it's time to make some thank yous. Everyone else seems to love this holiday, whereas I've never had any sort of affection of it. But still, even as there's still a hole in my heart that's shaped like the Crescent City, I've never been so content, so at peace, and so I must have much to over up in thanks and gratitude.

Gracias, gracias, gracias for these things:
*My mother and my father, for always being there with any support imaginable, as well as being people I can laugh and cry with, sympathize and share ideas with.
*My grandpa, for being the center of our family, for working so hard to keep us connected with words and photographs, and for having an impish sense of humor.
*My grandma, for always loving, for being someone who, as I grow older, I look to more and more as a role model.
*My aunties for being interested and engaged in my life, even at a distance (and glad that distance is less now) and for being wise and caring women who I am proud to resemble and also hope to grow to resemble.
*My uncles for always making me smile
*My uncle for being a second dad to me and caring for me even when he can almost not care for himself
*My cousins because we are seeming to relate to one another much more as we age, but yet we are still able to look back on fun shared memories
*My GYM for being my partner in life, the one that I can lean on in any situation, who helps me be able to see the way life can be.
*Ramona for never ever going away, even if she's thought about it, and for being the one that understands the most. My almost-sister.
*K1 and G, who I can see after two years and have it feel like it was yesterday
*My new circle here, for being able to come together with ease and enjoy food, drink, sport, conversations and sitting on the porch.
*My NOLA friends, even though it's been too hard to stay in touch as well as I should. The memories are there and I can't wait to come back and see y'all.
*The fact that NOLA exists
*Being here in Seattle, where I fit, where I feel healthier. Where there is beauty everywhere and I can feel lucky every day just to see the gorgeousness.
*My other friends scattered across the country, who make me wish I had frequent flier miles
*My natural baking and cooking abilities, which I keep discovering, and for having the ability to practice and then share with people
*Encouragement and support while applying to law school
*My Villans and the fun I have learning about soccer
*Leftovers

Please Just Go Little Girl

I am giddy today.
Just giddy.
So it's a good time for more thank-you posts.

41. That B got a job with Shell, which is what he wanted
42. He will be working in New Orleans
43. Which means that I am unafraid to apply to Tulane, which is my number one "I want to go there" school for Public Health.
44. Getting to keep the cool orange square vase that the flowers I "won" yesterday are in
45. A Thanksgiving Potluck with colleagues that was a nice change
46. Dark chocolate
47. Christmas ring tones
48. Snail mail
49. A nice appointment maker at the health center
50. A FREE DAY OFF tomorrow
51. Sleeping in
52. Movie night tonight
53. Pumpkin cheesecake--it turned out so creamy this time. Maybe I should use slightly sour cream all the time.
54. An almost-family to go to tomorrow. Not nearly as quirky or obviously as wonderful as my family, it is so nice to be welcomed, and every time I spend more than 36 hours there, it feels as though I'm finally being accepted by the siblings.
55. The fact that this said family enjoys board games
56. Pounce.
57. Time to exercise tonight
58. Finding two sports bras at Target for $6.25...simply because they were last season's colors.
59. Advent. It's almost here. I will be buying candles for my own advent celebrations.
60. My fluffy winter coat...it's cold here!