As I sit here on Sunday afternoon, I find myself reflecting and feeling thankful. Sure, it could possibly be because it is the start of a New Year, my mood, or just because I have so much to be thankful for!! Granted, I did encounter many challenges personally over the year of 2010 (and even a little in 2009), but I still have so much to be thankful for and did have a lot of fun over the course of this past year.
As I went through my calendar yesterday (to put in recycling), I was reminded of how many great friends and family I have. Our calendar is almost always full and busy, and for this I am thankful. Sure, I do get exhausted at times, but I truly am so thankful to so many people who shared in many joys over the past year of my life.
I know I have said it before, but I am just so darn thankful for the friends (including my brother and sister) in my life. They have brought so much happiness to my life. As I look over this past year, here are some things I am thankful for - and in "typical-Amy-fashion" I will add some photos to describe and show my fun. ;-)
I am
thankful for my husband! This was a picture from just a few days ago - on NYE, but I am thankful for him. We will be celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary this May, and have been together for 13 years. I hope that we will continue to learn, grow and understand each other more every day.
I am also
very thankful for my brother and sister!! ;-) This was a picture of us before the Nickelback concert we went to in October. That was such an amazing experience to go to the concert with my brother and sister. I love them both a lot!!!!
And as I continue........here is my sister again - such a cutie. I am thankful that I was able to take her to her first OSU football game. We had a lot of fun!!!
In May, Matt, Shane and I ran in the annual "Race for the Cure"!!! It was truly amazing! This was the third year Matt and I had done it, and the second year Shane had joined us. I am so thankful we could raise money and combat such a horrible disease, but also thankful that I could share in the experience with my husband and brother. I am also very thankful to say that my brother is still cancer-free, a survivor of testicular cancer!!! Horray!!!! And though we have lost important members of our family to cancer, including my great grandma this year - I am thankful that there is research being done, people fighting, people surviving and people being cured!!! I look forward to doing the race again in 2011!
I am thankful for my friend Genny (we have been friends for almost 20 years)! At the beginning of July we took a "girls trip" to Chicago!! We had a lot of fun. She and I just plain had a lot of fun this summer. ;-) This was on our little boat tour of the harbor. Thank you Gen for many fun times this past summer, and over our many years together!!!! Love you!
Oh how I adore my friend Michele!!! ;-) This was us at Gallery Hop back in June. She is such a lovely person and always brings a smile to my face. Ironically we don't really know "when" or "how" we became friends.....but we met my last year as a RD at Ashland (2003), and her first year there as the Director of Community Service (and we would meet for lunch ever so often over that year). The summer I moved to Seattle she took the Director of Residence Life job at AU, and we continued to keep in touch and get to know one another even more. I have always enjoyed her company. She just took a new and wonderful job in Atlanta, but I was fortunate enough to see her a few days ago, and hope to take a trip to visit her in Atlanta in March!!!
I am also thankful for my friend Laura.....though it is a funny story as to how we "really" got to know each other, we have enjoyed a lot of fun times with her and her family over the 2010 year!! This was us relaxing with some yummy wine on her back patio!!! <3
I am also thankful for my trip to VEGAS this past summer with Kris!!! Vegas was amazing and Kris and I had a lot of fun!!!! I hope to go back again this summer as there was nothing better than sleeping-in, lounging by the pool in the hot & amazing sun, then going out in the evening!!! We shared many laughs during that trip!!!
And of course, I completely adore my niece and nephew!! Anyone that knows me knows how much I talk about them. They came and spent the night with Matt and I in December. We had a lot of fun with them. This picture was taken right after they sat on Santa's lap. They started kindergarten this year.....they are getting so big!!! I love them!!!
And a few more friend pictures.....
I am so lucky - I was able to celebrate my 31st birthday in June with the company of friends (though missed a few that couldn't be there)!! This is only a picture of the "girls"!! We had a mighty fine group of guys too, and I am so thankful that everyone came out to share in my celebration. It was one of the most special birthdays I ever had!! I am so thankful for my friends and family!!! In this pic -
Standing (left to right) Kris, Michelle, Abby, Patty -
Sitting - Lisa, Me, Laura and Gen!!! Love you girls!!!
Fun times dancing to Reganomics with Adrianne and Kris (one of the three times I got to listen to them this summer)!!!!
My lovely friends - Michele & Gen (got to introduce them on this special August night). We went to dinner and played some darts!!! Love these girls!!!!
And of course, I couldn't finish my pictures without including one of my grandparents whom are very important to me!!! <3
This was a picture of my Grandparents at my cousin's wedding in September. ;-) Love them!
And of course, the two "little" loves of my life.....my kitties - Hopie (on left) and Little Boots (on right)!! They bring so much joy (and sometimes frustration), but I wouldn't change it for anything. They are such cuties and I love snuggling with them!!!! Little Boots is laying on my lap as I type this blog on the laptop (yes, making it a little challenging), but oh well!! ;-)
Of course there are many other friends and family members I did not include in pictures because that would make this blog even longer.....and it takes a while to add photos. ;-) But I am blessed to have so many people in my life. Thank you to everyone that I spend time with!!
Another aspect of my life that I am thankful for is my job. I am so thankful to be doing something that I enjoy. I love working with college students, and have been doing it in a professional capacity for almost 10 years!! I love advising and I am thankful for my supervisor that makes my job even more amazing. I certainly am blessed to be able to learn from such a wise person.
I am looking forward to 2011! And although I know I still have things in my life I want to work on, just thinking about how many important people I have in my life makes me so happy and thankful. If there is a day where I were to feel down all I need to do is think about all of the people in my life and how thankful I am to be blessed by their presence!!!!
