Happy Turkey Day...warning it's kind of long and mushy!

In the past at Thanksgiving tables I've always been so nervous about the question of what I'm thankful for, to be honest I don't really know why, guess I didn't want to sound silly and to be honest there have been years where it's been a struggle for me to come up with something. However I cannot wait for this year and the question because I have a new attitude towards life and am thankful for oh so so much...

Let me start with this amazing man...approximately 9 years ago I met this crazy kid on the girls floor of my freshman dorm, he wanted me to go out to the bars with him, I looked at him in his pink condom hat like he'd lost his mind and said I had to go to bed and be up at 5am for swim practice. During that year I saw him a few more times, for some crazy reason he'd stolen my heart and neither of us knew it or why!

We hung out more the following year, few movies in group settings (he was dating someone else and we were strictly friends).
Junior year we became inseperable friends.
July 6th, 2004 we started dating...
February 14th, 2007 we got engaged...
March 22nd, 2008 we got married...
What a ride it's been but he is my rock, my soul mate and my best friend. He drives me to the brink of insanity and keeps me grounded.
This past 5 months have been the best of our marriage, I think we've both grown and figured out who were are and what an amazing choice it is to love each other daily. I am very thankful for him.

 My two little monsters, the big one on the left challenges me daily, makes me laugh like nothing else and is a mini-me. She is my first born and lives up to that every moment, she is strong willed, stubborn, loving, loves to be in charge, loves to cuddle, she made me a mama and has my heart! The little guy up front is just the best, he has a smile that melts my heart, but he is a determined little booger with a temper when it doesn't go his way, he's a mama's boy already, sitting up on his own and today decided to crawl and get into big sis's stuff, trouble maker in the making!
These kids are my world and I am so thankful for them, each and every moment

I am thankful for my family, both immediate and extended. My parents and il's are top notch and I am beyond blessed to have them as my family.

My friends are amazing, both new and old. I have been taught a lot this year about trust and loyalty and friendship, true friendship runs deep. I've lost a few friends this year, but gained a wonderful one back as we are working to mend the broken ties we had.

This year I am thankful, thankful for the lessons I've learned, the hard times and the good, the tears and the laughter, the true friendship I have been shown, the love I have experienced, the heartache I've felt, the changes, the sames, the differences, the skills I've learned, the strength I've gained, the failures I've felt, I'm so thankful each and everyday for the life I have been given.

Happy Thanksgiving my American friends! May you all find something to be thankful for this season!