(If you click on the link to last year's post, don't expect this year to be much different and exciting. Not much in my life has changed in a year.)
1. That Christ sought me and bought me. I'm thankful for the price Jesus paid to cleanse me from my sin and make me holy and righteous. I'm thankful for how that love, that comfort, that security has changed my life. I'm thankful to be His.
2. Andrew. I'm not going to get as mushy as last year. All those things are still so very true, if not even more than they were; but I just don't see the need to put you through the mushiness. Basically though, I've learned things this year about love that I never dreamed of learning. It's crazy how loving someone so much, and being loved back can heal, and teach. Thankful. That word just doesn't seem like enough. It doesn't do what I feel justice, but it will do.
3. Julie. My sweet, sweet Julie bean, Juju, mama, Jules. If I were to start typing about all the times I've been thankful for her this year I may be able to write a book. I can't wait to live with this girl again. I enjoy every minute we have together, and the next 5 months are going to be bliss.
4. RAs. This semester has been INSANE. If you know have talked to me, or any of the other Burt RAs, you know this is not a understatement. Through all the craziness though, the 6 other women that help run this place have been my backbone. Christi, Sarah, Maddie, Lauren, Meghan, and Jayelyn have helped me learn what the word team really means. I can't say that I'm going to miss it all that much, but I definitely will miss them.
5. Nursing family. Last year I was thankful for nursing school as a whole. I'm finding it a little harder to muster up the gusto to say I'm thankful for nursing school this year. Probably because I feel like I've been hanging on for dear life this whole semester. This semester I had my first "nursing school breakdown", you know, the one I swore would never happen to me. This semester officially took my nursing school toughness away. However, even though I may not be as thankful for nursing school as a whole at this point in my journey, I am increasingly thankful for the people who have walked this road with me. I love them. All 52 of them. And I can't wait to celebrate with ALL of them in May.
6. Friends and relationships that aren't changed by time or distance. This year I find myself separated from more of my friends that I am close to. I have loved learning how to do friendship this way. Just seeing each other every couple of months. You would think it would be hard, but it's not really. The second I hug my friend that I haven't seen in months it's like we've been hanging out every day again.
7. Hardy Hall. This may take a few of you by surprise because Hardy gets a lot of smack talk about it's food (which most of the time I think is heavenly). Okay, so maybe heavenly is a bit of an exaggeration, but I still love it. It's been so nice to be able to walk next door and have a hot, yummy, prepared dinner waiting to be eaten. I think it takes a year of fending for yourself food wise to appreciate this one.
8. Great friends that are here. I didn't write number 6 in hopes to make all my friends here close to me feel lousy, because Lord knows how thankful I am for them! Nothing but thankfulness fills my heart when I think about the friendships I've made living here the past 4 years. I always have somewhere to go, and someone to talk to. I'm so glad Robyn still lives close. I love that I live in the same building as a few of my favorite people. I'm grateful that there's a campus full of (mostly) sweet people surrounding me. I have learned so much from making friends with women who are older than me and in completely different stages of life, being godly wives, raising little souls. That alone has grown me up, and taught me more about life and living than I could have learned sticking in my comfortable bubble.
9. My job. As crazy as it may be, I love it. I have learned SO much from this job. Mostly how to be relational to people who are not like me AT ALL. Before I started working at the VA, I probably would have considered that one of my strengths. That was before I met the veterans. They have taught me what assertiveness really means, or at least how necessary it is for survival in the nursing profession. Especially among old men who are used to being tough, independent, stubborn, and sometimes just plain crazy. Robyn has accused the VA of making me a "mean nurse" a few times. While I don't think I'm mean (unless of course you try to blow vomit in my face...which is a story for another day), the VA has made me a whole lot more assertive. That's my "take home lesson" (as Dr. Sapp would say) from the VA. Assertiveness is key. I've learned lots of other important lessons from the (sometimes) sweet, crazy, stubborn men that I will carry with me always. And of course the funny stories. I'm thankful for those, too.
10. Family. It's everywhere. The meaning of family is so vast for me. Vast in a beautiful way that has me thanking God every day for the love I've received through his people.
Wow. Sorry I got so long winded.
I'm sure you're thankful that all this thankfulness is over.
Oh, but guess what, there's more...
...I'm thankful for you.
even if you are a blog stalker. (i'm honored)
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